Papillomavirus infection in greenfinches (Carduelis chloris).

The present report describes transmissible papillomatous digital lesions observed in two greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) living in a private aviary. The disease appeared in the male bird and successively in the female but did not affect other passerine and psittacine species living with the sick birds. Negative contrast electron microscopy revealed the presence of 52.6 nm virus particles similar to papillomavirus. Immunoelectronmicroscopy confirmed the presence of Papillomavirus genus specific structural antigens in the virus observed.