November 17, 2005

 

Newcastle disease hits poultry in three European countries
 

 

The World Organisation for Animal Health reported Tuesday recent outbreaks of Newcastle disease in poultry in three European countries and a suspected case in a fourth country.

 

Recent cases of the disease have been confirmed in Greece, Turkey and Slovakia. A suspected case was reported in France. The cases were discovered from early October through Nov 2.

 

All birds in the confirmed cases-along with the suspected case-have been destroyed, with the total in the four countries about 12,500 birds.

 

Newcastle disease is caused by a virus and results in varying degrees of illness and death of the birds, depending on the strain and the bird species, according to the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health, also known as the OIE. Chickens are the most susceptible poultry specie, while ducks and geese are the least susceptible species.

 

Newcastle disease is endemic in many countries of the world, according to the OIE. Some European countries have been free of the disease for years.

 

The Newcastle disease outbreaks add to concerns of poultry producers in the region after a highly pathogenic form of bird flu-the H5N1 strain-moved from Asia to parts of Europe.

 

Newcastle disease is not considered a health threat to humans, but the highly virulent form can cause conjunctivitis, commonly known as pinkeye, in humans.

 

In susceptible poultry species the disease can spread rapidly and cause considerable production problems. In some cases, there can be a high death toll among birds.

 

According to the USDA, "Occurrences of virulent Newcastle Disease infections in poultry are reportable to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Such events impact international trade. The virus continues to pose a threat to poultry producers, and vaccination is commonly practiced in many parts of the world."

 

Madelaine Fletcher, a spokeswoman for the USDA's Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service, said the most recent cases of the disease in the US occurred in late 2002 and 2003, mainly in California.

 

In the US, the highly virulent strain of the disease is referred to as Exotic Newcastle Disease, she said. It is the same disease that is being reported in the four European countries as Newcastle disease, she also said. The OIE requires member nations to report any cases of the highly virulent form of the disease.

 

By the time the 2002-03 cases in the US were wiped out, 22 commercial flocks had been affected in California, with more than 3.9 million birds destroyed there, according to the APHIS Web site. There were also small outbreaks at that time in Nevada, Arizona and Texas.