Newcastle disease in poultry: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Today, livestock farmers have faced a huge number of different ailments. Many of them can be cured with effective drugs, but there are those that are exclusively fatal. Newcastle disease is a viral disease that mainly affects birds. This disease most often affects turkeys and chickens. Pathology is common in many countries. In this article, we will consider the main methods of dealing with it.

Description

So, what is this disease? The disease is also known by names such as Asian bird plague, or pseudoplague. The reason is an infection from the group of paramyxoviruses. Newcastle disease does not pose a particular danger to humans. However, contact with an infected animal may cause a mild flu-like illness.

This viral disease of birds can cause:

• defeatbrain;
• pneumonia;
• damage to internal organs.

The causative agent of the disease is paramyxovirus. Its form depends on the species and strain. Each of which has its own symptoms. Some are harmless, while others are deadly.

By the degree of pathogenicity, strains are divided into:

• velogenic;
• mesogenic;
• lentogenic.

All strains are highly viable. They are able to maintain their condition even for two years in frozen carrier carcasses.

Historical background

For the first time, pseudoplague of birds was discovered in 1926 by a scientist named Kraneveld. A year later, it began to be diagnosed on farms in Asia, Europe and America. The English explorer Doyle observed this disease near the city of Newcastle. Hence the name pathology.

In the States, the ailment in question was first described in 1935. In the early 40s, Newcastle disease spread very strongly throughout Europe.

Economic damage

Specific symptoms of Newcastle disease are very difficult to identify. It can take many forms and vary in severity. With a mild form, the bird simply weakens, meat productivity and egg production fall. Severe forms of the disease often lead to death. Pseudoplague of birds often leads to the death of most of the livestock. The economic damage is significant. In a severe form of the disease, 95% of infected individuals may die. Quarantine and preventive measures are alsohave high costs. Vaccination for personal subsidiary farming is very expensive.

Signs of a virus

It is wise to familiarize yourself with them before you start breeding poultry. After all, knowledge about diseases and methods for their prevention is the weapon of any farmer. The incubation period for infection with Newcastle disease is short, ranging from three to twelve days. The clinical picture can be completely different. It is determined by the strain of the virus, as well as the age and individual characteristics of the individual. For example, Newcastle disease in chickens proceeds differently than in adults. Treatment is also different.

Poultry has different disease tolerance. But a number of the most common symptoms can be identified:

• temperature rise to 43 degrees;
• appearance of yellow, green or gray diarrhea;
• blue crest;
• runny nose, cough, mucus in the mouth and nasal cavity;
• conjunctivitis;
• swelling of the head, neck and chest;
• head trembling, paralysis of wings and paws;
• appearance of problems with coordination;
• egg shell too thin.

If the disease is mild, most of the symptoms are not observed. There is only slight trembling and convulsions.

Symptoms of Newcastle disease are similar to bird flu, infectious bronchitis and other diseases. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. Only differential diagnosis can accurately determine the virus.diagnostics. It considers several factors at once in the aggregate - data on the epidemiological situation, laboratory examinations with the isolation of the pathogen and characteristic signs. Biological samples are taken to determine the virus in birds. Large embryos can also be infected. For this purpose, as a rule, various cell cultures are used. Sufficiently accurate results are also given by studies of the amniotic fluid of dead embryos.

Examination of all the inhabitants of the poultry house and the autopsy of the deceased individual allows only a preliminary diagnosis. In order to accurately state the disease, it is necessary to be able to distinguish pseudoplague from influenza, pasteurellosis, infectious bursitis and other diseases. Diagnosis of Newcastle disease can only be carried out by a veterinarian after all the necessary tests and examinations have been carried out.

Sources of infection

Let's take a closer look at this issue. Where does Newcastle disease come from in chickens? The main source is sick birds. They carry the virus into the environment with their secretions and respiration. During the day after infection, the chicken continues to be a source of the disease. In the body of recovered birds, the virus can persist for 6 months. If the infection gets into the body of other birds, they can get sick.

From an infected chicken, the disease can be transmitted in the following ways:

• through feed;
• through the ventilation system and through the air;
• through bedding;
• through inventory, shoes and clothing of a person who has been in contact with infected individuals.

Newcastle disease in chickens can also be transmitted from an infected bird to chicks hatched from laid eggs. Other possible sources of infection include wild birds and rodents.

Treatment

How to choose the right one and find effective drugs? Newcastle disease has been known for quite a long time, but effective methods of its treatment have not yet been developed. For this reason, the bulk of the infected livestock is simply destroyed. It is simply impractical to treat an infected bird (especially when it comes to a large farm). In the worst case, you will infect all the birds. Most often, a sick individual is disposed of by strangulation. The corpse is then buried and covered with quicklime. Some farmers recommend burning corpses altogether. How to deal with the virus will depend on the type of bird. Let's look at some of the most common cases.

Chicken disease

Chickens are quite often affected by pseudo-plague. At the same time, the individuals did not come into contact with adult chickens. To prevent such cases, it is necessary to vaccinate chickens. Three days after the introduction of the vaccine, the birds will be immune.

The pseudo-plague virus dies when treated with ultraviolet light and boiling water. It is for this reason that special lamps are installed in chicken coops. If you are going to give birds eggs and meat as food, these products must first be cooked.

Geese disease

The immunity of these birds is much better than that of chickens, but they are also often affected by Newcastle disease. Often geeseare only carriers of the virus without much harm. The number of lethal outcomes among this species is much lower. The risk of human infection from an infected individual is quite high. The chicks of this poultry are also required to be vaccinated against pseudo-distemper.

Pseudoplague in ducks

How does it manifest itself? Ducks can also be carriers of pseudo-plague. Care must be taken to ensure that these poultry do not come into contact with their wild counterparts. For prevention, it is also recommended to maintain cleanliness in the room. Rodents can also be carriers of the disease. For this reason, regular deratting is recommended in the poultry house.

How the disease progresses in turkeys

Newcastle disease in turkeys can be both acute and flaccid. With a lightning current, the bird suddenly dies without any pronounced symptoms. The acute course of the disease is accompanied by fever, lethargy, immobility and syndromes of damage to the nervous system.

This type of poultry carries the disease in an acute form within 3-4 days. This is the standard duration of the pathological process. In rare cases, Newcastle disease in turkeys lasts 14 days. It should also be borne in mind that the best way to deal with the disease is timely prevention. The poultry house must be regularly treated with ultraviolet light. Upon reaching a certain age, the birds are vaccinated against Newcastle disease.

How the disease manifests itself in pigeons

Every daypoultry farming is growing in popularity. Many today breed pigeons at home. One of the most common viral ailments for these birds is pseudo-plague, or whirlwind. The sooner you start treatment for Newcastle disease in pigeons, the greater the chance of success. First, take your bird to the vet. Taking into account the well-being of the individual and the condition of the livestock, the specialist will prescribe the appropriate treatment. In the early stages, the disease can be cured. Usually Piracetam is used for this purpose. This drug is used to maintain the central nervous system of birds. The treatment is carried out in combination with vitamin therapy.

How do other birds tolerate the disease? Symptoms and methods of dealing with infection are no different. It is necessary to observe the rules of sanitation and carry out vaccination in a timely manner. In this case, you can avoid the death of the number of birds.

Preventive measures

This issue should be given special attention. Since no cure for pseudoplague has yet been developed, the prevention of Newcastle disease is of great importance. To minimize the likelihood of a disease, it is necessary to vaccinate the birds in a timely manner and not neglect sanitary measures. It is also important to provide pets with a complete balanced diet, to create comfortable living conditions. If the individuals are strong and strong, they are more likely to successfully overcome the disease.

Sanitary measures must necessarily include regular disinfection of the premises in which chickens are kept. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, the virus dies almost immediately. Therefore, for prevention, it is recommended to put a special lamp in the house. It is important to prevent any contact between poultry and wild birds. They can be a source of disease.

Substances such as "Phenol", "Chloroform", "Formaldehyde" are best suited for disinfection. If possible, it is necessary to provide access to sunlight in the room. It is possible to use lamps with ultraviolet radiation in the habitat of birds. To prevent the entry of wild birds into the house, cover the ventilation openings with grates. If you have a large farm with several rooms, then it is necessary to adapt marked overalls for each visit. When acquiring a new population of birds, it should not be immediately placed with the old one. Try to endure the quarantine for a month. Here are the main recommendations regarding the sanitary standards for keeping birds.

Vaccination

What do you need to know about this? Any instruction for dealing with Newcastle disease includes one important step. This is vaccination. The event helps to prevent the appearance of pseudo-plague among domestic birds. Chickens are vaccinated at the age of one day. For this purpose, preparations in the form of sprays and drops are used. Immunity after the use of the vaccine develops 96 hours. You can also vaccinate young animals older than 10 days and adult birds. It is better if the question of the use of vaccines is determined by a veterinarian. Many factors should be taken into account at once, for example, the epidemiologicalsituation in the region.

When would it be appropriate to vaccinate:

1. If there are large farms or a poultry farm with a large concentration of poultry within 7 km from the poultry house. You can increase the radius to 10 km.
2. Previously there have been cases of Newcastle disease in the county.
3. Before this, outbreaks of the virus had already occurred on the farm.

Live and inactivated vaccines are used as vaccinations. Juveniles and chicks are usually given the first type of vaccination, as they provide protection against the disease for 3-4 months. For broilers, this is quite enough. For laying hens, it is better to choose another option. After inactivated agents, the bird gains immunity for up to a year.

According to what scheme can vaccination be carried out? If we are talking about young egg breeds, then it is worth vaccinating with an inactivated vaccine at the age of 130 to 150 days. Live is used twice - at 30 and 60 days.

Broilers can be vaccinated once at 10-15 days of age. At this time, they still have the immunity acquired from the mother.

Specialists recommend using an individual way of administering the vaccine. But in the presence of a large population, this is not always possible. Then you can enter a live vaccine by drinking. It's easy to do.

How is drinking vaccination done? First, turn off the ventilation in the poultry house to reduce the flow of movement of virus strains. The day old chicks are then placed in a box. If you have more than one, thenit is necessary to put tightly one to one. For these purposes, you can use special spray booths equipped with sprayers. Before use, the vaccine should be dissolved in a ratio of 100 doses per 200 ml of water. If you plan to administer a protective drug to older chicks, then you can use the same dosage per liter of water, which should not contain iron and chlorine. The temperature of the liquid should be between 21 and 28 degrees. To prevent the birds from worrying before vaccination, experts recommend dimming the lights. After that, the solution is poured into sprayers built into the box or any other special designs. The container must be sterile and stable. The vaccine is distributed over the chicks from a height of about 30-40 cm. After this procedure, individuals should be held separately from three days.

Before a vaccine can be used, it is necessary to determine the strain of a particular virus. For one day old chicks, strains C2, B1, VH and Hitchner are commonly used. In home courtyards, strains "Bor74" and "La Sota" are also suitable. In areas of significant outbreaks of diseases, chickens are injected with Gam61 and H strains. Vaccines based on the Clone 30 component are not suitable for rural farmsteads. They are characterized by selective protection.

For use in rural areas, the following drugs are also suitable:

• NPP "Avivak";
• "ARRIAH" - inactivated vaccine;
• "ARRIAH" - dry live vaccine based on "La Sota";
• inactivated vaccineNPP "Avivak".

Poultry is very susceptible to disease. She poses a great danger to them. Therefore, special care must be taken when choosing a vaccine.

Adult birds are vaccinated only when absolutely necessary. This procedure can adversely affect the productivity of laying hens. The vaccination process is recommended in autumn or spring. After using the drug, immunity appears only for 3-4 days. The period of protection will depend on the type of vaccine, the age of the individuals, the quality of the content and the diet. Before vaccination, it is recommended to add vitamins A, B, D to the diet of birds. They help strengthen immunity and improve the general condition of birds. Such vitamin supplements are recommended to be given within ten days.

Symptoms of disease in humans

How can they manifest? Does Newcastle disease occur in humans? The symptoms of the disease often resemble the common flu. As a rule, the cause of infection is non-compliance with hygiene rules. You can also become infected by inhaling dust that contains the virus. Often there are cases of infection with a virus by contact with the conjunctiva of the eye. The first symptoms of the disease: fever and discomfort in the throat. There may also be stuffy ears and a runny nose. The main difference between the virus and the common cold is an unpleasant itching in the eyes. To prevent the development of complications, it is recommended to consult an ophthalmologist.

There are no specific treatment options for the virus. At the first symptoms, it is necessary to giveto the patient a plentiful warm drink with honey. Also, twice a day, you should take 2 tablets of Metronidazole. If the sick person is a small child, you should not try to self-medicate. It is better to immediately contact a qualified specialist. The doctor will be able to accurately diagnose. May require hospitalization.

Many are interested in whether meat and eggs obtained from infected chickens can be eaten. It is enough to carry out heat treatment, after which these products can be consumed.

Conclusion

Newcastle disease is a rather nasty disease that affects birds. The disease usually proceeds in an acute form. It is characterized by damage to the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory organs of birds. The result can be a mass death of livestock. In individuals who have been vaccinated, the disease proceeds without pronounced symptoms. Symptoms of the disease depend on the strain of the virus and the condition of the birds. The incubation period is 3 to 7 days.

Acute disease can destroy 60 to 90% of livestock. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to take preventive measures in advance. These include vaccination and hygiene.