Paramyxovirus
The paramyxovirosis (PMV-1 infection) is a by paramyxoviruses caused, easily transferable and non-curable usually disease that was first described in 1978, and especially in farmed and wild pigeons, sometimes in chickens, wild and pet birds occurs. No transmission of the virus to humans has been observed to date.
Pathogen
The causative agent of paramyxovirus is a paramyxovirus type 1, which has an antigenic relationship with the causative agent of Newcastle disease . The pathogen appeared on a massive scale for the first time around 1983 in Holland and Belgium and is now distributed worldwide primarily among breeding and city pigeons.
Transmission routes
The virus spreads by droplet infection via the nostrils and conjunctiva from pigeon to pigeon via infected excretions, eye and nasal secretions, as well as infected food and drinking water or dust contaminated with viruses. The pathogen can also be spread via the hatching egg in hens suffering from paramyxovirus. Infection with the virus can also take place indirectly through contaminated objects, insects, rodents or humans.
Symptoms
The pigeons are more jumpy three to five days after the infection and show coordination problems such as stopping suddenly, running against the wall, stumbling or missing grains of feed when pecking. There is polyuria with diarrhea-like symptoms caused by increased water absorption and excretion. Often, puddles of water with formed droppings appear on the ground. One to two weeks after the infection, unilateral paralysis of the wings and legs begins and even becomes stuck. Without manual care, the fixed pigeons starve and die of thirst.
From the 3rd week onwards, central nervous symptoms appear in approx. 5–30% of the animals: one-sided movement and posture disorders of the wings and legs (crooked fly), head twisting to varying degrees for several weeks and increased frightfulness. The symptoms do not always appear at the same time or together; the signs of the disease can often also be observed individually and to varying degrees. A small proportion of the animals perish four to seven days after the onset of the disease. But even in the case of severe disorders, improvement and clinical healing of the nervous symptoms often occur after two to four weeks, while wing and leg paralysis often persist.
diagnosis
On the basis of symptoms and the course of the disease, a clear diagnosis is usually possible, which in unvaccinated animals can be confirmed by a serological test for antibodies. Rapid tests can detect antibodies in the cloaca or in the brain mass during autopsy. With the help of the rapid tests, symptom-free infected animals can also be identified, provided they have not yet been vaccinated.
Protective measures
A vaccination against paramyxovirus is available and is prescribed by many pigeon fanciers in Germany for members and event participants.
literature
- Otfried Siegmann, Ulrich Neumann: Compendium of the poultry diseases . Schlütersche, 2011, ISBN 3-89993-083-5 .
