Avian paramyxovirus type 1 causes Newcastle disease, a highly contagious viral illness that affects birds, particularly poultry, and can be fatal. It causes problems with the neurological, digestive, and respiratory systems.
Newcastle disease only affects birds, particularly poultry, such as chickens. It can cause illness and death in large numbers of birds quickly.
Transmission of Newcastle Disease in Poultry
The virus is released by infected birds in their feces, respiratory discharge, and breathed air. The virus sheds during the clinical stage, the incubation period, and the variable but brief convalescence phase. Additionally, during acute NDV infections, the virus may be found in all sections of the carcass as well as in eggs laid.
Because contaminated feces can infect hatchlings, the function of vertical transmission of NDV is ambiguous and debatable.
The primary mechanisms of transmission are:
1. migration of diseased birds, including poultry, exotic, wild, and companion birds, as well as race and exhibition birds .
2. transportation of poultry products
3. movement of contaminated equipment, litter, eggshells, or the environment (the primary way that viruses are spread between farms and chicken flocks).
Impact:
Some strains of Newcastle disease are extremely lethal, and they can cause serious illness and death in chickens.
Symptoms and Indications:
Respiratory symptoms: breathing difficulties, nasal discharge, coughing, gasping for air, and sneezing.
Digestive: loss of appetite, greenish, watery diarrhea.
Nervous: Circling, paralysis, drooping wings, depression, spasms in the muscles, and unexpected death.
Additional symptoms include ruffled feathers, a decline in egg production, edema around the eyes and neck, and decreased activity.
Control and Prevention:
Vaccination: Programs for vaccination are essential for both avoiding and managing the illness.
Biosecurity: Strict biosecurity protocols are necessary, including traffic control, equipment disinfection, and the appropriate handling of dead birds.
Personal hygiene: It’s crucial to uphold proper hygiene standards, which include cleaning and sanitizing chicken houses.
Quarantine: One way to stop the disease from spreading is to isolate sick birds and keep them away from healthy ones.
How do you treat Newcastle disease in poultry?
There’s no specific treatment for Newcastle disease in poultry, and infected birds are often culled to prevent the spread. However, vaccination and strict biosecurity measures are crucial for prevention.