New strain of avian pox virus is sweeping across Britain

New research has been published this week that reports a new strain of avian pox in British garden birds.

Though avian pox has been recorded in birds for numerous years, the new strain of the virus is causing concern amongst vets and ornithologists.

According to the scientists, Britain's great tit population are the most susceptible to the the viral disease, though a range of tit species are also susceptible to the novel form.

Wildlife vet DR Becki Lawson from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), said: “Infection leads to warty, tumour-like growths on different parts of a bird’s body, particularly on the head around the eyes and beak.
 
“Although the disease can be relatively mild in some species, great tits suffer severe growths that can prevent them from feeding and increase their susceptibility to predation.”

According to the report, genetic studies of the virus show that it appears to be the same strain seen previously in Scandinavia and central Europe, and is unlikely to have originated within Great Britain.

It is thought that the strain was brought to the country by an infected vector, such as a mosquito.

The report, which has been published in PLOS ONE, was compiled by scientists from the ZSL, University of Oxford, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and RSPB.