Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of avian pox virus isolated from pet birds and commercial flocks, in Iran

Abstract

Avian pox (AP) is a viral disease with a wide host range. The aim of the study was molecular identification and characterizationoffieldisolatedpoxvirusfrompetbirdsandcommercialflocksinIran,bypolymerasechainreaction(PCR).Scab materialsofskinandmucosallesionswerecollectedfromfiveclinicallyaffectedcases.PCRwasusedtoamplifya578bpfragment ofthepoxvirus4bcoreprotein.Inordertodeterminethegeneticrelationshipsamongtheviruses,thisconservedpoxvirusgenetic region was sequenced and analyzed. The Iranian Avipoxvirus isolates in this study grouped in clade A1 (commercial chicken andturkeyflocks)andB1(canary).Furtherstudiesonalargerscaleneedtobedevelopedtohaveabetterunderstandingofthe molecularcharacterizationoftheIranianAPVstrains.