- Hong Kong doctors identify mystery pneumonia aka SARS
(in humans) as virus from paramyxoviridae family. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2863229.stm
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- Paramyxovirus infection:
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- Paramyxovirus infection occurs in pigeons as an acute
disease, taking an epidemic course.
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- Pathogen:
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- The paramyxovirus is related to the Newcastle disease
pathogen, but not identical. The virus is highly pathogenic for pigeons,
but not for other domestic bird species.
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- Course of the disease:
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- Within just a few days of infection, both visibly and
latently affected birds shed the virus in secretions from the conjunctiva,
nose and throat, as well as in the faeces. The incubation period ranges
from 3 to 21 days. Up to 30% of affected pigeons may recover spon-taneously
after around 4 weeks of illness.
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- Symptoms of the disease:
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- The initial signs of paramyxovirosis are increased water
intake combined with reduced feed consumption, emaciation and diarrhoea-like
faeces due to a pathogenic increase in fluid excretion (= polyuria: puddles
containing floating particles of faeces are formed in the loft). This is
typically followed by uni- or bilateral paralysis of the legs, timidity,
torsion of the neck, twisting movements of the body, overturning and walking
backwards. Most pigeons die.
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- Recognition of the disease:
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- The virus can be demonstrated in specially equipped laboratories
by virological examination of organ samples (brain, kidneys) from dead
pigeons. Antibody demonstration is performed by serological examination
of blood samples taken from affected pigeons not earlier than 2 weeks after
infection.
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- Similar conditions: Salmonellosis.
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- Treatment:
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- As with other viral diseases, there is no effective treatment
for affected pigeons.
- If infection is suspected in a flock, emergency vaccination
can be carried out in all pigeons that appear healthy in order to prevent
the infection spreading (see annual prevention plan: paramyxovirus vaccination
plan, starting on day 4 = vaccination day). Visibly affected birds should
be excluded from emergency vaccination and removed from the flock, since
by shedding the virus they put the remainder of the flock at risk until
vaccine protection is acquired.
- Administration of livimun¨ and multivitamin EB12
is recommended to boost the birds' natural resistance.
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- Prevention:
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- Only active immunisation (see annual prevention plan:
paramyxovirus vaccination plan) protects the pigeons, which then develop
a stable immunity within 3-4 weeks
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