Newcastle disease treatment drugs. Newcastle virus in humans

Newcastle disease in birds is the most dangerous viral disease, which causes great damage to private and industrial farms. Outbreaks of this viral infection are frequent, so poultry owners need to know how to identify Newcastle disease in chickens, know its symptoms and effective measures to combat the disease.

The causative agent of Newcastle disease in chickens is an RNA-containing virus 300 nm in size, from the family of paramyxoviruses.

It exists in three strains, differing from each other in virulence:

  1. Velogenic. Causes 100% death in infected birds.
  2. Mesogenic. Causes a mild course of the disease, accompanied by respiratory or neurological symptoms.
  3. Lentogenic. The weakest virus causing asymptomatic disease.

The pseudo-plague virus is resistant to external environment... It can persist for a long time on the walls of the room. It settles on eggshells, survives in water for about 2 months. In cold weather, in autumn and winter, the virus can live for up to 6 months.

It remains in eggs for up to six months. It can survive in the refrigerator for 4–5 years. Under the rays of the sun, the virus dies in 48 hours. When heated to 100 degrees, it dies instantly.

The main carrier of the Newcastle disease virus is a recovered bird. The pathogen enters the environment together with the air exhaled by the bird, through droppings, mucus and eggs.

Chickens hatched from eggs laid by a sick bird become passive carriers of the disease.

The disease is transmitted through carcasses, as well as down and feathers. Alimentary, the virus is transmitted through contaminated food and water. By aerogenic means, the disease is instantly transmitted over long distances.

IMPORTANT. A chicken infected with the virus becomes a source of infection for other birds within a day. The radius of the spread of the disease through the air is tens of kilometers.

Signs and symptoms

Signs of Newcastle disease in domestic birds appear after 3–12 days. The clinical picture of the disease is different, depending on the specific strain of the virus. Symptoms also depend on the age of the bird and the physiology of its body.

But the signs of the disease, characteristic of almost all its forms, are as follows:

  1. Temperature increase.
  2. Lack of appetite and refusal to drink fluids.
  3. Lethargy and apathy.
  4. Labored, hoarse breathing.
  5. Cough.
  6. Loss of coordination.
  7. Discharge of mucus from eyes and beak.
  8. Diarrhea, green-yellow, bloody.

The disease has two forms of its course: acute and subacute. In the subacute form, there are no respiratory symptoms, but paresis and convulsions are pronounced. Symptoms of Newcastle disease appear brighter and faster in acute chicks than in adults. The atypical form has no respiratory or intestinal symptoms. Most often, it affects young animals and chickens.

IMPORTANT. The main feature Newcastle disease in birds - arching of the neck with throwing the head back. With the manifestation of this symptom, the disease received the popular name "twirl".

14 days after infection, the disease becomes chronic. In birds, a jumping gait appears, a disorder of orientation in space, paralysis of the limbs.


Diagnostics

The diagnosis of the disease can only be made by a specialist, based on the examination and autopsy data of the deceased individual.

Typical autopsy signs:

  1. Esophagus and intestines with traces of hemorrhage.
  2. Dystrophy of muscles, kidneys, liver and heart.
  3. Ulcers and necrotic traces on the intestines.
  4. Pulmonary edema.
  5. Stagnation of blood in the veins.

The final conclusion is made after laboratory bioseeding. Crops are carried out in order to differentiate the disease from influenza, bronchitis, smallpox, pasteurellosis, laryngotracheitis, etc.

Treatment

It is useless to treat the disease, since the virus survives in any conditions and conditions, and does not respond to changes in the environment. Affected birds are destroyed to prevent infection of the flock.

The corpses are burned, followed by disinfection of the burial site with quicklime.

After strangulation of diseased individuals in the hen house, a general cleaning with disinfection is carried out. The inventory, walls are processed, the litter is completely changed. Chickens are vaccinated even before the disease is detected.

If a virus is detected, the farm is closed for a month's quarantine. The sale of the products of the quarantine enterprise is prohibited. Restrictions are removed only after re-examination and confirmation of the complete absence of Newcastle virus.

Vaccination and other preventive measures

Disease prevention is based on measures to create biosafety conditions:

  1. Compliance with sanitary and hygienic requirements in the chicken coop.
  2. Disinfection of walls and equipment at least 2 times a year.
  3. Compliance with the norms of feeding birds to maintain their immunity.
  4. Correct staffing of the livestock.
  5. Avoiding contact of birds with sick birds.

Disinfection of the chicken coop is carried out with a 2% sodium hydroxide solution or creolin solution. After processing, the chickens are evicted from the premises for 30 days.

The main way to protect livestock from the Newcastle virus is the timely vaccination of chickens and young animals.

The decision on the procedure is made by the veterinarian based on the analysis of the epidemiological situation:

  1. Identification of the disease in the area.
  2. The presence of a poultry farm within 10 kilometers.
  3. Location close to large farms with crowded livestock of domestic birds.

Vaccinations are given with live or inactivated vaccines. Drugs are distinguished by the degree of aggressiveness of the virus introduced into the body. Live vaccines often cause respiratory complications, so their administration requires strict adherence to instructions.

Live vaccines are given to young animals and chickens twice. It is most effective to administer the vaccine to the nose or eyes. A large number of livestock is vaccinated by soldering the vaccine. An automatic vaccinator is effective in this case.

ATTENTION. Live vaccine provides maximum protection for 2-3 months, so it is recommended for broilers, but not suitable for egg breeds.

For adults and layers, a deactivated vaccine with protection for 6–12 months is used.

Vaccination schedule:

  1. Once at the age of 10-15 days - for broilers. If maternal immunity is present, then young animals are vaccinated at 20-25 days.
  2. Chickens and young growth of egg breeds - twice with live vaccine on the 20th and 50th days. Inactivated - once every 120-140 days.

Vaccination is not carried out at the peak of egg production. For an adult livestock, a single feeding with a live vaccine is used. This vaccination protects chickens for 3-4 months.

Depending on the specific strain active in the area where the farm is located, they use certain kind vaccines. For use in private households, Bor-74 and La-Sota have proven themselves best. In case of a large outbreak of the disease, it is recommended to use drugs with H and GAM-61 strains.

It is advisable to vaccinate chickens in the fall or early spring, before the seasons of the virus activation. Immunity develops after 3-4 days.

Before vaccination, it is advisable to take measures to strengthen the immunity of the bird.

The feed includes vitamins A, B, D within 10 days before the expected date of vaccination. According to the reviews of poultry farmers, the best drug for these purposes is Trivit, Tetravit, Trivitamin.

Can a person get infected with a virus

A person can become infected with Newcastle disease, but they do not have serious consequences. The virus enters the human body by airborne droplets or through mucous membranes.

Often, the disease enters the body through the eyes after working in a chicken coop.

When infected, symptoms are observed:

  1. Weakness, muscle aches, loss of appetite.
  2. Slight rise in temperature.
  3. Discharge of mucus from the nose and eyes.
  4. Diarrhea, in rare cases with blood.

The incubation period of the disease in humans is 3–7 days. At the first manifestations of the disease, you need to start treatment with metronidazole (2 tablets in the morning and in the evening), drink plenty of water.

In the event of a virus infection of a child. An urgent need to see a doctor. In severe cases, the child may develop brain damage.

You can protect yourself from infection by observing hygienic requirements:

  1. Wash hands with antibacterial soap after working in the chicken coop.
  2. Carry out a thorough heat treatment of products.
  3. Vaccination of chickens and cleaning of the poultry house should be carried out in a mask.

Newcastle disease (or pseudo-plague) has been killing large numbers of birds for more than half a century. The virus is capable of destroying the entire livestock of any farm in a matter of days, so you need to be attentive to the first symptoms of the disease so as not to incur significant losses.

Good afternoon, dear poultry farmers. Keeping poultry and farm poultry requires close attention to the health of the livestock. Today we will tell you how Newcastle disease is transmitted to birds, how it is diagnosed, treated and what vaccines are needed to treat and prevent this formidable disease. We watch photos and videos. A deadly disease can take away up to 90% of the livestock of chickens, ducks, turkeys, quails and pigeons.

Since the middle of the last century, Newcastle avian disease has become widespread in many European countries. The causative agent of Newcastle disease is called RNA, a capacious virus from the genus of paramyxoviruses of the Paramixoviridae family.

The identified virus strains are immunologically homogeneous, but their virulence - the ability to cause disease in susceptible organisms - is significantly different, which affects the degree of manifestation of the disease.

At the first introduction of the pathogen into the farm, the morbidity can be up to 100% of the livestock and end in the death of up to 60-90% of the poultry.

Disease Newcastle broilers

Newcastle laying hen disease

V natural conditions Newcastle disease is detected in birds from the order of chickens. However, in nature, there have also been cases of disease in wild birds. For example, sparrows and pigeons, which can carry the pathogen over long distances, thus contributing to the infection of healthy poultry.

According to some researchers, it is also somewhat sensitive to the disease. waterfowl, both domestic and wild. In addition, birds of different breeds and ages have different sensitivity to the virus. So, young turkeys are more sensitive to the pathogen than adult turkeys. This makes it possible for sick young animals to come into contact with healthy adult birds without contamination.

In the literature, there is also a description of infection with the Newcastle Disease virus in humans. Such contamination can be due to neglect of hygiene rules during work in poultry farms among staff. The clinical manifestation of the disease in humans is conjunctivitis.

Source of infection

The main source of infection for Newcastle disease is an infected and recovered bird, which is capable of excreting the virus in the air when breathing, laid eggs and all body secretions. Just a day after infection, the pathogen begins to be released, and after recovery, the virus remains in the body for another two to four months.

Thus, all poultry products, contaminated work equipment, feed and bedding, and the like can act as transmission factors.

It should also be borne in mind that when a large number of sick birds are kept together, the infected air from the room, after it is removed by the ventilation system, can be carried over a fairly large distance up to five kilometers and pose a danger to healthy birds around.

With products and waste, the virus can be carried through the air over a distance of up to 15 km. It should also be remembered that in nature, the reservoir of the pathogen is a wild bird, and domestic waterfowl living in private households of the population can also be.

Infection routes

The main routes of infection with Newcastle disease are alimentary and aerogenic, as well as contact when keeping healthy and sick livestock together. At the same time, the aerogenic method of spreading the virus is the fastest. In prosperous farms, the pathogen is usually imported with hatching eggs.

Most often, Newcastle disease manifests itself as an epizootic, has a certain frequency and a tendency to the summer-autumn season. This seasonality, in turn, is associated with the activation economic activity and an increase in the number of poultry at this time.

In conditions of intensive year-round production, seasonality may not be observed, as well as a clear tendency to damage the nervous system, mainly in summer period... However, on industrial farms, stationary foci of disease associated with hygienic deficiencies in the current growing system, which are difficult to control, can form.

The complexity of the final elimination of the causative agent of the disease from production lies in its ability to preserve for a long time in the external environment and the possibility of constant circulation in one complex between different sex and age groups of poultry.

Lesions and manifestations of the disease

After entering the body, the virus spreads through the blood to various tissues and organs, in particular, causing disruption of the central nervous system, as well as respiration and digestion. First, the pathogen multiplies in the endothelium, by means of which the cells of the blood vessels become loose, their porosity is disturbed and the inflammatory-necrotic process begins to develop.

This results in numerous hemorrhages in the serous and mucous membranes. In a day, Newcastle disease concentrates in the parenchymal organs with dystrophic changes, affects the bone and brain, and causes symptoms of disruption of the nervous system.

Depending on how strongly the lesion affected certain organs and systems, various clinical manifestations of the disease are observed. After natural infection with Newcastle Disease virus, the incubation period lasts from two days to two weeks.

How quickly the first clinical signs of the disease become visible on the bird depends on the route of entry of the pathogen and its virulence, the age of the bird and the state of its immune system resistance.

In Newcastle disease, there is an acute, subacute and chronic course, as well as typical and atypical forms of the disease.

A possible fourth degree is also noted: a hyperacute course with a mortality rate of up to 90% - the main symptom is a strong effect and destruction of the digestive system - a tract, which is presumably caused by Asian strains of the virus.

Signs of the disease

The first signs of a typical form are depression and weakness of the bird, impaired appetite and fever. Symptoms of disorientation associated with deterioration of the action of the central nervous system can often be observed. More than half of the diseased birds (40-70%) have an increase in goiter. The droppings become liquid with mucus and blood impurities.

When breathing, you can hear specific sounds due to the accumulation of exudate in the airways. Often the bird begins to sneeze and breathes with an open beak. Damage to the nervous system leads to the development of paralysis, as a result of which the neck can twist, develop ataxia and tremor, complicate the movement of the limbs, droop the wings, and the like.

From the generalized manifestations of the disease, one can notice a decrease, as well as a slowdown in growth and development. Already in the first week after infection, yolk peritonitis and kerato-conjunctivitis may develop.

Atypical form

The atypical form of Newcastle disease is most often recorded in young animals. With her, characteristic clinical symptoms are not found. The main clinical sign of this form is twisting of the neck, convulsions, and paralysis of the wings and legs.

Sometimes Newcastle disease goes unnoticed at all without showing any symptoms, or the bird recovers quickly. The development of such an atypical course is associated with circulation in environment weakly virulent strains of the virus, as well as with the presence in birds of varying degrees of intense immunity. As a result, naturally weak strains of the virus cause only immunological restructuring of the body and can manifest themselves only by the presence of serum antibodies.

Depending on the severity of the course of the disease and the intensity of damage to individual systems and organs, pathological changes in Newcastle disease can be very different.

If Newcastle disease was very acute, the classic manifestation of septicemia is observed on the carcasses of birds. Very often, hemorrhages can be observed in the stomach, as well as in various parts of the intestine; in the heart and ovaries.

If Newcastle avian disease had a more protracted course - the corpses are emaciated, numerous ulcers are found in the intestines. Through atrophy, the wall of the small intestine is graceful; near the cloaca, feathers are heavily contaminated with liquid droppings. If additional complications have accumulated during the course of the disease, then you can also find signs of hepatitis, peritonitis, inflammation of the air sacs and oviducts.

Diagnosis

How is Newcastle Avian Disease diagnosed? When diagnosing Newcastle disease, use A complex approach: laboratory tests with virus isolation will be required, epizootological data, clinical signs and pathological changes are taken into account. Virus isolation is carried out by bioassay on sensitive birds or by infection of chicken embryos.

Amniotic fluid from dead embryos is further used for staging serological reactions of RHA, RN and RZGA. Various cell cultures can also be used to isolate the virus.

Differentiating Newcastle disease is necessary from chicken flu and infectious laryngotracheitis, as well as pasteurellosis, mycoplasmosis and infectious bronchitis. A similar manifestation of the disease is also characteristic of lesions by spirochetes. Potential poisoning should be considered among the non-infectious causes.

Vaccination

As a result of illness and recovery, or after, the bird develops immunity to the causative agent of Newcastle disease. The level of accumulation of antibodies in the blood serum depends on its age, as well as the timing, method and frequency of vaccination.

Factors of feeding and maintenance also play an important role here, which in general contribute to a better immune response and greater resistance of the organism to the pathogen. The most common method of vaccination in large poultry farms is aerosol vaccination.

The inactivated vaccine can also be administered intramuscularly to poultry from 4 months of age. Within two weeks after immunization, the bird develops immunity to the causative agent of the disease, which subsequently lasts for six months.

In dysfunctional poultry houses, vaccination begins much earlier, even on chickens from 10 days of age, which is repeated three times for 4-5 months and then every six months. When vaccinating, it is important 3-5 days before and within a week after immunization not to use antibiotics and sulfa drugs on the livestock, which could interfere with the immune response.

The immunization procedure can be combined to vaccinate a flock against Newcastle virus and against smallpox at the same time. Work on the improvement of vaccines and vaccination methods, as well as the development of new drugs, including complex vaccines, is ongoing and requires attention from the veterinary specialists of enterprises.

Quarantine measures

Because of the high likelihood of rapid spread of the disease among healthy birds, treatment for Newcastle disease is not developed and unexpected. Thus, precautions come first in the fight against disease. Among them, it is important to prevent the introduction of the pathogen into the enterprise, especially with new hatching eggs, and also to maintain high hygiene among staff when handling equipment, feed and bedding.

It is not advisable to combine work in poultry farms with keeping poultry at home. When carrying out disinfection measures, it should be borne in mind that the virus can be resistant to chemical and physical factors, but it depends on the presence of a protein substrate and the acidity of the environment. Therefore, a thorough cleaning must be carried out before disinfection.

The virus remains stable in the pH range from 2 to 10, which greatly complicates the fight against it using weak solutions of active substances of disinfectants. Even under the influence of solar irradiation, the virus is inactivated only after two days. In winter, the pathogen can persist in poultry houses for up to 3 months, in summer - up to a week.

Moreover, in frozen carcasses, Newcastle bird disease easily survives for more than two years. The Newcastle disease virus is very thermally stable - it takes up to an hour to destroy it when boiling poultry carcasses. In droppings, the virus retains infection for up to three weeks. Thus, for successful and rapid inactivation of the virus, 1-2% formalin solutions, 3% bleach, 2% sodium hydroxide, and the like are used.

Suspected illness Newcastle

If there is a suspicion of the appearance of Newcastle disease on the farm, first of all, the necessary laboratory tests are carried out. And if the diagnosis is confirmed, a quarantine restriction is imposed.

A sick bird is subject to slaughter and destruction; a bird that has been in contact with a sick person is also slaughtered and heat-treated. Along with this, livestock that are at risk of infection are vaccinated.

Low-value inventory is also destroyed, the other is treated with appropriate disinfectants (5% creolin, 1.5% sodium hydroxide, etc.). Manure from a sick bird must be burned. At the same time, the premises are disinfected by means of aerosols.

The quarantine from the poultry farm will be lifted one or two months after the complete elimination of the disease and all sanitary measures are carried out according to the instructions.

Thus, the emergence of Newcastle disease in the economy leads to significant losses with long-term consequences in relation to quarantine restrictions and the possible formation of a dysfunctional focus, this should not be allowed, because it is much easier to prevent the disease than to lose it.

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Newcastle disease(lat. Pseudopestis avium), pseudo-plague of birds, whirligig or Asian plague of birds is an acute infectious (viral) disease of birds (primarily of the chicken family), manifested by pneumonia, damage to the nervous system, multiple punctate hemorrhages in internal organs.

History reference.
Newcastle disease was first described in Indonesia on about. Java in 1926. After 1 year, the disease caused massive death of chickens in the area of ​​the city of Newcastle (England), for which it got its name. Further, the infection manifested itself many times in the United States, and also caused the death of poultry in Europe and Russia.
Causative agent of the disease- RNA-containing virus of the Paramyxoviridae family, found in four variants of strains (species), different in the nature and severity of the disease. The virus is resistant to environmental factors and, as a result, can be carried over long distances, causing new outbreaks.
The source of infection in birds is a sick bird. The pathogen is transmitted by airborne droplets, as well as through food and water (puddles with rainwater). A sick bird, 1 day before the appearance of external clinical signs, begins to release the virus into the external environment.
Most often, this infection affects chickens, turkeys, guinea fowls, parrots and some granivores. Cases of the disease have been described in parrots (gray, Amazons) of quails, pheasants, sparrows, jackdaws, blackbirds, goldfinches, starlings, crossbills, bullfinches, owls, sparrow owl, Moscow tit, greenfinch, chaffinch, sparrowhawk, kestrel.
People can also become infected with Newcastle disease by inhaling dust contaminated with the virus or carrying the virus onto the conjunctiva with contaminated hands. However, the susceptibility in humans is low. Mostly people who have constant contact with a large number of poultry are sick. The incubation period of the disease in humans lasts 3 to 7 days. Infection manifests itself with conjunctivitis and flu-like syndrome (with a low temperature like an acute catarrh of the respiratory tract). It is not dangerous to life. However, in children, there have been cases of the course of the disease with signs of damage to the nervous system.

The clinical signs in birds are varied.
In the classical course, there is a slight increase in temperature, decreased appetite, lethargy. In the future, symptoms of damage to the respiratory system in the form of suffocation, digestive disorders (diarrhea, colored green) may appear. Mucus begins to stand out from the beak and nostrils, the bird often makes swallowing movements, conjunctivitis is pronounced. Acute cases of the disease are accompanied by the death of the bird.
Cases of mild and asymptomatic infection have also been reported. Clinical symptoms are less typical: loss of appetite, diarrhea, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, shortness of breath.
Only a small number of birds have severe central nervous system disorders: twisting of the neck, impaired coordination, paresis and paralysis.

In pigeons, the disease proceeds in several stages. In the beginning, an uncertain gait appears, the head tilts to one side, the appetite is reduced or retained in full. Further, neurological symptoms suddenly appear and intensify. The pigeon begins to rotate its head (in connection with which the name "whirligig" appeared). Often the bird loses coordination and takes an unnatural posture (to roll over on its back or side, moves its legs, trying to stand up). At the same time, food and water intake is disrupted. Paralytic symptoms intensify when the bird is frightened by something. Against the background of the disease, general exhaustion develops (due to the inability to eat normally). The disease proceeds for a long time (chronically), and death occurs mainly from exhaustion. In some individuals, the disease goes into a protracted stage with a periodic imaginary recovery.
In sparrows infected with B. Newcastle, ataxia, body swaying, loss of balance, support on the wings, convulsions with stretching of the neck are observed. Further, a coma develops and the death of the bird occurs.
Parrots have symptoms of neck twisting, paralysis of the legs and wings, and seizures.
In some birds, the disease passes in a latent form without clinical signs, but such a bird poses a great danger as a source of infection.
Diagnosis Newcastle disease in veterinary medicine (in poultry farms or in case of massive outbreaks in wild or urban birds) is set in a comprehensive manner, taking into account epizootological, clinical and pathological data. An accurate diagnosis can only be obtained after laboratory research on the isolation and typing of the virus.
From similar diseases, it is required to exclude poisoning, pasteurellosis, infectious laryngotracheitis, chicken typhoid, spirochetosis, and classical avian plague.

Effective prophylaxis has not yet been developed.
One of the methods of prevention is the use of a vaccine for poultry. Vaccines for chickens are used (L-Sota, Gam 61, Nobilis). Healthy adult birds tolerate the drug administration without any external changes. The vaccine should not be used on already sick birds. The vaccine has no medicinal properties.

When comparing the results of immunization in different types parrots, it was noted that tense immunity is formed in cockatoos and Amazons, worse results for budgies... Immunity appears on the 8th day after the introduction of the vaccine. Its activity lasts up to 2 months, after which a new vaccination is required. To achieve a longer immunity, parrots are vaccinated twice at intervals of 3-4 weeks.
It is recommended to vaccinate pigeons against Newcastle disease 2 times a year.
Another preventive method is the regular disinfection of the premises where the birds are kept.
Extremely important point in the prevention of viral diseases of birds is a complete and varied diet.
Birds that live outdoors or regularly access the street, as well as free-flying birds (with regular physical activity), tolerate treatment more easily and are less likely to get sick than those indoors or in a small aviary that do not have access to direct sunlight.

Treatment.
As such, there is no official treatment regimen for Newcastle disease (according to veterinary legislation, sick birds should be destroyed, since they are dangerous to humans and other birds, being a source of infection)
Nevertheless, against the background of the inaccessibility of reliable diagnosis of the disease, the following scheme for treating birds from Newcastle disease was formed on the Internet. Best of all, this scheme has shown itself in the treatment of pigeons:
1. Fosprenil (vet) or immunofan (vet / honey).
2. Piracetam or Nootropil (honey).
3. Vitamin complexes: catosal, vitasol, milgamma, combilepen
6. Antibiotics (to suppress secondary bacterial infection): ampicillin, augmentin, amoxiclav, baytril, tylosin, ciprofoxacin.
6. Antifungal drugs: pimafucin or nystatin.
5. Symptomatic and supportive therapy: brewer's yeast, vetom 1.1, carsil, methionine, “glycine water” (1 tablet of glycine per 25 ml of water).

At the beginning of intensive treatment of poultry at the stage of the appearance of the first signs of the disease and the preservation of interest in food in the bird, cases of clinical recovery of birds (primarily pigeons) are regularly observed.

Veterinarian Kazakov Artem Arkadievich.

This is one of the most dangerous diseases of poultry. Disease outbreaks sometimes occur in a wide variety of poultry holdings. This situation is always under the control of veterinarians. Newcastle disease in chickens requires the most careful attention to itself.

Home care rules

If there was an outbreak of the disease, it makes no sense for a person to hide its presence. This behavior will enable the disease to develop further and cause significant damage.

Newcastle disease in chickens

It is more important to determine the presence of the disease in time and take measures to treat it. V last years there have been many reported outbreaks of infection. They took place in Kemerovo, Kaluga, Ivanovskaya, Tverskaya and Vladimir regions... Cases of the disease were also reported in the North Caucasian FD, Dagestan and in the Altai Territory.

At home, you must observe general rules that increase the biological safety of birds.

Note! An effective method for treating already sick birds has not been developed. Therefore, at home, the main effort should be spent on adherence to preventive measures.

The most important of these is chicken vaccination. After it is carried out, the risk of the disease is sharply reduced. The question of its feasibility should be considered based on the magnitude of the risk of contracting Newcastle disease.

In addition, you should strive to follow the usual measures that reduce the risk of infection. It is necessary to reduce the likelihood of contact with wild birds, to carry out disinfection on time, to ensure that the birds are fed and kept in the correct way.

Newcastle disease symptoms

Important! This disease is highly contagious. It affects not only the respiratory system, but also the internal organs of birds, as well as the nervous system.

This disease also has several other names: Asiatic plague, pneumoencephalitis, pseudo-plague, or atypical plague.

The danger from this disease is so great that vaccination against Newcastle disease was adopted, with the obligatory subsequent monitoring of its course in each chicken.

Note! The source of this disease is birds that are sick now or have had the disease earlier. The disease is believed to be airborne. Scientists believe that the radius of possible infection can be up to 10 kilometers.

The disease can pass in different ways, depending on the specific situation, here are the symptoms of Newcastle disease in chickens:

  1. If the chicken has not been vaccinated, the disease is acute. The entire herd usually falls ill within two or three days. At the same time, in chickens, breathing is difficult, they are usually motionless, sitting, while lowering their head down. At the same time, mucus flows from their beak. Diarrhea is also observed.
  2. Sometimes there is a nervous symptomatology of the disease. At the same time, the bird's neck bends and twists, they move, making unnatural movements due to impaired coordination. There is a syndrome such as partial paralysis of the wings, neck, and legs and tail. One of the signs is greenish diarrhea. In the breathing of chickens, wheezing is clearly audible.
  3. There is also a respiratory form. In this case, breathing is very difficult, wheezing and croaking are heard. There is symptomatic purulent conjunctivitis, the eyelids become inflamed and swell. Birds gradually die from suffocation. Such a variant of the development of the disease is also possible when it takes on a chronic form. If this occurs, the chicken mortality rate can be between 10% and 20%.
  4. The atypical manifestation of the disease usually occurs in large poultry farms where the virus has existed for a long time in the chronic form of vaccinated birds. It can manifest itself in the fact that egg production decreases, as well as hatchability of chickens. Mild outbreaks of respiratory Newcastle disease may occur in young birds immediately after vaccination. Sometimes the eyes become inflamed, there may be a mild form of a nervous disease.

A definitive diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian. To do this, he needs not only to conduct an examination, but also to do an autopsy of diseased birds.

Symptoms of the disease

How to treat a disease

Treatment of sick birds is considered impractical. This is due to the fact that Newcastle disease chickens are very infectious and at the slightest delay will spread to the entire herd.

Usually sick birds are isolated and destroyed, and the remaining healthy chickens are vaccinated. The room where the ailment took place is thoroughly vaccinated. For the period of treatment, quarantine is established for the poultry farm.

In this case, it will be prohibited:

  1. From it to take out chickens or import new ones.
  2. Sell ​​the eggs of diseased birds.
  3. It is excluded in any form to carry out the sale of various poultry products. In particular, you cannot sell not only chicken meat, but also their down and feathers.
  4. At the same time, visiting the farm for unauthorized persons is prohibited.

During the quarantine, measures are taken to combat the disease. After the final disinfection of the premises is completed, the quarantine is lifted after 30 days.

Vaccination

Preventive measures

General biosecurity measures are commonly used to reduce the likelihood of contracting Newcastle disease.

It usually includes the following measures:

  1. Competent formation of the poultry herd.
  2. Therapy such as careful adherence necessary conditions when keeping the herd and in the process of feeding it.
  3. Regular implementation of broiler disinfection measures.
  4. Isolation from contact with wild birds.
  5. Other similar actions.

Note! Vaccination of broilers against this disease is an important preventive step. In this case, first of all, it is necessary to resolve the issue of the expediency of this. This decision is best made by your veterinarian. He is necessarily familiar with the danger of the disease in question in a particular area.

  1. If there was an outbreak of Newcastle disease in the specified holding earlier.
  2. In cases where outbreaks have occurred in the area.
  3. When there are large poultry farms in the immediate vicinity. They can put you at risk of growing diseases.

In the fight against this disease, it is important, first of all, preventive measures... Among them, vaccination is especially effective, as well as conventional biological protection measures.

Which occurs in birds (turkeys, pigeons, pheasants, chickens). The pathogen affects the central and lungs and intestines. The mortality rate among sick birds is extremely high. The virus was first discovered in 1926. It took 44 years for it to spread everywhere. What is this disease? How does it work on birds? How does Newcastle virus manifest in humans? The answers to all these questions and not only you will find out below.

We study the disease from the inside

The main causative agent is the Avian paramyxovirus virus, which persists in bird corpses for up to 5 months. It can be killed not only by disinfectants (from 20 to 30 minutes), but also by simple Sun rays(maximum 10 minutes). The virus is excreted in feces, pulmonary mucus and when exhaled by birds. The bird is infectious for about two weeks after the outbreak begins. Newcastle virus in humans is spread by ingestion. She usually "travels" with:

  • feed;
  • footwear for service personnel;
  • non-disinfected poultry products;
  • wild birds, flies, dogs and rats.

The vaccine from Newcastle develops strong immunity in birds to the pathogen 6-8 days after immunization. It has no medicinal properties.

Symptoms

Even a person who has never encountered birds can recognize the disease. There are four forms of the disease, however, they all have similar symptoms:

  • paralysis of the wings and legs;
  • apathy of the bird to the outside world;
  • green feces mixed with blood and mucus;
  • breathing disorders (cough, shortness of breath and sneezing).

Newcastle virus in humans manifests itself in the form of influenza and conjunctivitis with slight inflammation of the lymph nodes. Usually the illness is accompanied by a fever.

How can you catch the Newcastle virus?

In humans, it causes very unpleasant symptoms, similar to those that occur with a cold. You can get infected if you do not systematically observe hygiene or inhale contaminated air. To "pick up" the disease, it is enough to touch the eyes with dirty hands. If a person has a weakened immune system, then it is better to hospitalize him in a medical institution, since the virus may well give complications.

Treatment

It is shown to the sick. Namely, if the ailment manifests itself in the form of conjunctivitis, then the patient is shown a visit to an ophthalmologist. He will conduct an examination and prescribe the necessary funds. If there are, then antipyretic and antiviral drugs are prescribed. Young children should be hospitalized as the virus can cause severe brain damage. Usually they are monitored by doctors for a week.

Protection and prevention

Despite the fact that the Newcastle virus is not so dangerous to humans, preventive measures will not hurt. After visiting the poultry house, you should always wash your face and hands well, and also treat the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose with special antiviral drugs. If you know that the bird is sick, then it is best to exclude any contact with it. In such cases, you should call the veterinarian to assess her condition. Be healthy!