Japanese poultry struck by Newcastle disease

The Japanese veterinary authority reported a Newcastle disease outbreak at a farm in Masaki-cho in Ehime Prefecture, which is in north-western Shikoku.

The report dated July 2 stated that the outbreak started on June 28; of which 58 birds on the farm, 33 died and the remaining 25 were destroyed.

According to the report, the affected farm introduced 60-day-old chicks on June 22, 2010 when two dead chicks were found. Thirty-three chicks died between June 28 to July 1. A local government's veterinary service confirmed that two dead chicks collected on June 30 were infected with Newcastle disease virus by PCR test and virus identification on July 1.

All susceptible animals in the farm were destroyed on July 1. There is no farm within three kilometres of the affected farm. The local government's veterinary service made sure all susceptible animals kept in all the four farms within five kilometres of the affected farm showed no clinical sings and had been vaccinated.

Another local government's veterinary service confirmed nothing unusual had happened in the hatchery where the cases originated.

The last outbreak of Newcastle disease in Japan was in April 2009.