Bird owners told to be on lookout for disease

Advertiser Staff

Veterinarians and bird owners are being asked to check their birds for signs of Exotic Newcastle Disease.

State Veterinarian James Foppoli said the disease is highly contagious among birds and nearly 100 percent fatal to unvaccinated poultry. Exotic Newcastle is not a serious threat to humans, but may cause eye irritation in people who work with infected birds.

To try to prevent the virus from becoming established in Hawai'i, the state Department of Health has prohibited the importation of any birds from 10 Southern California counties after the disease was found there last fall. A ban also is in place on the importation of chickens and turkeys from all of California.

Symptoms of Exotic Newcastle in birds include respiratory problems, coughing and sneezing, listlessness, circling and paralysis, high mortality in flocks and decreased egg production. Birds may catch the virus through contact with infected birds or from contaminated materials, such as the clothing or shoes of humans who have been exposed to infected birds.

Anyone with birds that show signs of the disease should call the Department of Agriculture at 837-8092.