MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • May 10, 2020
For roughly the last decade, wildlife agency personnel have been monitoring populations for the presence of two viruses that affect wild turkeys: Avian pox virus (APV) and Lymphoproliferative Disease virus (LPDV). APV has been around for decades and can infect several species. LPDV is still relatively new. Symptoms exhibited by infected birds are similar for both, consisting of lesions or wart-like, pussy protuberances around the neck and head. Neither disease is directly fatal, but growths can accumulate around the eyes or in the throat, putting birds in a more vulnerable and weakened state, where they become easy prey. ~ Bob Humphrey