EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/pa/pressreleases/PressRelease.asp?PRnum=03-060

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Release Number: CDFA03-060
 
CALIFORNIA FREE OF EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE
 
Statewide quarantine lifted
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have announced an end to the Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) quarantine. Extensive testing of the regulated area has been completed, with no additional detections of the disease.

The state and federal quarantines originally encompassed 46,000 square miles, which included the following counties:  Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, and a small southeastern corner of Kern County. On August 4, 2003, all but 7,300 square miles of the quarantine was released. This latest action lifts the entire quarantine in California, including the statewide poultry exhibition ban. However, CDFA retains the authority to monitor and test at poultry sale venues in an effort to prevent the introduction of highly contagious poultry diseases such as END. 

“We have eagerly anticipated this day and are extremely proud of the tireless work of the Exotic Newcastle Disease Task Force,” said CDFA Secretary William (Bill) J. Lyons, Jr. “We relied on the expertise of CDFA veterinarians and other staff, as well as veterinarians from the USDA and from Baja California. We also greatly appreciate the contributions from other state, federal and local agencies, and the state of the art capabilities of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab at the University of California. Many government agencies and thousands of people contributed to an expeditious and successful conclusion of this program.”

The initial cases of Exotic Newcastle Disease were detected last fall. By winter, the disease had spread to commercial poultry operations in Southern California. In January, California Governor Gray Davis declared a state of emergency. The outbreak cost more than $160 million to fight and resulted in the depopulation of more than 3 million birds. 

To guard against the risk of subsequent outbreaks, especially in the high-risk fall months, CDFA has activated an ongoing monitoring program. All backyard poultry owners and commercial operations are encouraged to practice biosecurity measures to help prevent the introduction of disease when people enter or depart the premises, to routinely check birds for signs of illness, and to report any incidence of suspected END or other bird diseases. More information is available at www.cdfa.ca.gov or through the END information line, 1-800-491-1899. 

10/03/2002

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/document/exoticnewcastledisease/end-cal-usda-10032002.txt

Newcastle Disease (ND) Confirmed in California

ND has been confirmed in game fowl in the Los Angeles, CA area.

ND is a contagious and fatal viral disease affecting domestic, wild, and caged birds. This disease in poultry is characterized by respiratory signs accompanied by nervous manifestations, gastrointestinal lesions, and swelling of the head.

On September 27, 2002, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) received tissue specimens from game fowl suffering high (90%) mortality; the owner lost 200 game fowl in 4-5 days.  On September 29, 2002, NVSL isolated an avian paramyxovirus type-1 from the tissues.  On October 1, 2002, NVSL confirmed that the virus has multiple basic amino acids at the fusion protein cleavage activation site, a sequence compatible with that of mesogenic/velogenic pathotypes.  Reisolation of the virus from the original specimen is in progress.

The State of California has disease response teams in the field and are placing hold orders on all involved premises.  Currently, there are six premises, three with clinical signs, involved in the ND situation in California.  The premises are located in Compton, Lancaster, Norco, and Pico Rivers, CA, and a shipment that was intercepted in route to Ontario, CA.  Two premises have already been depopulated and a third premises is waiting depopulation.  None of the six premises involved are adjacent to any commercial poultry facilities.  Preliminary epidemiological findings do not indicate that ND has spread to any other areas outside of the areas stated.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to assess the extent of the spread and to contact bird owners about the disease.

Bird owners are urged to contact their local or State veterinarian immediately to report birds showing suspicious clinical signs.

States are urged to notify their industry and veterinary counterparts to be vigilant for clinical signs consistent with ND.

The following URL contains the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fact sheet on ND. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/fsend.pdf

CDFA will issue a press release today notifying the public of the ND outbreak.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, Emergency Programs staff at 301-734-8073, 800-940-6524, or EMOC@APHIS.USDA.GOV.
 

  1. 4/12/2003 Texas Animal Health Commission

  2. 10/11/02 California Outbreak information from USDA

  3. 10/6/2002 California Outbreak

  4. 10/4/2002  Texas Poultry and Game Bird Owners Urged to Check Flocks After California Detects Fatal Poultry Disease

  5. 10/3/2002 California Outbreak

Other Information

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/enewcast.htm

http://www.avianbiotech.com/Diseases/Newcastle.htm

http://www.oie.int/eng/info/hebdo/AIS_48.HTM

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/enewcast.htm#2002

http://agriculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa100602a.htm?terms=newcastle+disease

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/fsend.html

http://www.lapublichealth.org/vet/newcastle.htm

http://agriculture.about.com/sitesearch.htm?terms=Exotic%20Newcastle%20Disease.htm&SUName=agriculture&TopNode=N&type=1

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