title: Presence of avipoxvirus DNA in avian dermal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Dermal squamous cell carcinoma (DSCC; avian keratoacanthoma) is a neoplastic skin lesion of broiler chickens of unknown aetiology. In previous studies, the possibility of the involvement of pox viruses in the cause of DSCC was considered. In this work, a sensitive and specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was developed that could amplify a 419 base pair DNA fragment of fowlpox virus with a detection limit of less than one infectious unit. Fowlpox virus DNA was always detected in skin samples with fowlpox lesions while it was not detected in samples of unrelated diseases such as cowpox, Marek's disease or infectious laryngotracheitis. Some macroscopically normal skin samples from vaccinated and non-vaccinated birds also produced PCR-positive results, corroborating previous studies on the possibility that a latent or chronic form of fowlpox occurs. Fowlpox virus DNA was consistently detected from DSCC skin lesions, and this finding is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Patologia Aviária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 8824, Porto Alegre, CEP 91540-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. lcfallav@pro.via-rs.com.br
authors.forename: Luiz C B
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Fallavena
authors.forename: Cláudio W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Canal
authors.forename: Carlos T P
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Salle
authors.forename: Hamilton L S
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Silvio L S
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Rosecler A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Ari B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018150:Avipoxvirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral