Pathomorphology and ethno-veterinary herbal intervention in an outbreak of turkey pox

The present report describes clinical, pathological findings and successful ethno-veterinary herbal treatment of avian pox infection encountered in turkey poults in Tamil Nadu. Initially the turkey poults showed dullness, anorexia, emaciation, later with respiratory distress with 89.28% morbidity and 8% mortality. Lesions consisted of erosion initially, then crusted nodules of variable sizes were noticed on the unfeathered areas. Histopathological changes consisted of hyperplastic epithelium overlying with ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes, many of which had eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (Bollinger bodies), and heterophilic infiltrations admixed with mononuclear cells extending into dermis. The mixture of medicinal plants were given both topically and orally. Leaves of Ocimum sanctum, Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica, seeds of Cuminum cyminum, Piper nigrum, cloves of Allium sativum, root/rhizome of Curcuma longa were given orally. In addition, the above mentioned mixture was warmed in, neem oil (A. indica) and caster oil (Ricinus communis), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) was mixed and used externally to control turkey pox. Following the herbal treatment, all the affected turkey poults recovered completely from pox, within 4 days. This investigation showed that the combination of various medicinal plants continues to play an important role in the healthcare system of poultry, even in acute infectious condition.