Alert: Disease Outbreak

There has been an outbreak of a serious, highly contagious viral disease affecting poultry and other birds. It is not infectious to mammals (including your pets and yourselves). It is perfectly safe to eat meat or eggs from infected birds. This disease is called Exotic Newcastle Disease.

Exotic Newcastle disease (END) is a viral disease which is spread via bodily fluids-either from direct contact bird to bird, contaminated premises, contaminated clothing, equipment, or vehicles, or items. The virus is quite hardy and can survive in a warm, humid environment for several weeks. The disease affects ALL birds and is considered the most infectious disease of poultry worldwide. Symptoms can include:

• sudden death
  
• respiratory symptoms: sneezing, coughing, and gasping for air
  
• anorexia and diarrhea (greenish and watery)
  
• neurologic disease: depression, muscle tremors, drooping wings, twisted head and neck, paralysis
  
• decreased egg production, thin-shelled eggs
  
• swelling around the eyes and neck

Mortality can exceed 90% in the flock. Some species show few signs and can act as carriers (especially parrots).

The last major outbreak in California affecting poultry was from 1971-1973. It was caused by the illegal import of South American parrots. During that outbreak over 11.9 million birds were destroyed over eight counties. Eradication efforts cost the taxpayers $56 million dollars (remember this was 1973) and seriously disrupted poultry producer operations.

The outbreak of END started this past September. The inciting cause of this outbreak is, at this time, uncertain, but symptoms are similar to an outbreak in Mexico in 2000. The outbreak was noted in backyard poultry in San Bernardino County, but was then found in hatcheries in Riverside County, San Diego County, Los Angeles County, and even in Arizona and Nevada. It has spread beyond backyard poultry to commercial operations. Governor Davis has declared a State of Emergency. The Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared an Extraordinary Emergency, and San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties have declared local emergencies. All birds in Southern California have been placed under quarantine. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the USDA has over 1500 people fighting to halt the spread of the disease.

Since Orange County is included in the quarantine, it poses certain restrictions on pet birds. This means that avian travel is restricted. It is best not to even have your pet bird leave the house, not even to the veterinarian unless medically necessary. Producers are required to report any symptoms of the disease.

With your own pet birds or flock, proper precautions must be taken. For a pet bird owner, many of these may not apply, but due concern is warranted. This includes:

• permit only essential workers or vehicles on the premises-don't allow visitors near your birds
• provide clean clothing and disinfection for employees or visitors
• clean and disinfect vehicles at the entrance
• avoid visiting facilities that have birds
• If you have a backyard flock, do not keep pet birds and prevent exposure to wild birds
• Quarantine any new additions to the flock/house. Never move people or material from the quarantined birds to the rest of the flock.
• Report signs of the disease to a veterinarian or the CDFA office
• Use a disinfectant with activity against the virus such as: Virkon S (potassium peroxymonosulfate), Nolvasan-S (chlorhexidine diacetate), Roccal-D (quatenary ammuniums with bis-n-tributylin oxide), or household bleach (6% sodium hypochlorite) at manufacturer specifications
• Use a disinfection procedure for yourself before handling your bird: Wash hands for 10-20 seconds, remove shoes and clean them (especially the soles) before entering the household. Blow your nose and clean ears with disposable tissues and throw them away. Wash your hands again or shower. Put on fresh clothes and launder them as soon as possible. Wash hands again.
• Keep only one entrance/exit, and keep a tub and brush to clean shoes. The tub can have disinfectants mixed with water at the manufacturer's recommendation. The shoe must be cleaned before disinfection, as dirt deactivates disinfectants. Do not wash off the disinfectant. Use the brush to thoroughly cover the shoe. Rubber boots are recommended as they can be disinfected the best.

For pet bird owners, the following are imperative to protect your pet:

• Do not contact any other birds (other pets or wild birds)
• Do not bring your bird to a pet shop, bird farm at all, and to your veterinarian only if absolutely necessary
• Use proper sanitation and disinfection.

If you find a bird exhibiting these symptoms or a dead bird, please don't bring the bird to the veterinarian. Instead, call the END task force at 1-800-491-1899. They will collect the remains. There is no charge for this. It is legally required to report an END suspects bird.

It is very important for everyone to cooperate to help stop this outbreak. If an outbreak like the one in the 1970's occurs, it will devastate our economy as well as threaten the lives of millions of birds. The economic impact could include increased taxes (which we are already facing due to California's budget deficit) and increased poultry prices. Our own pet birds could be at risk as well as threatened or endangered wild birds, which are already at risk due to the West Nile Virus Epidemic. For more information, please call the CDFA at 1-800-491-1899 or go to www.cdfa.ca.gov.