Birds
Marek's disease
Figure 1: Left: Normal chicken eye; Right: diseased eye with grey iris and irregular pupil
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (2014) Cracking the Code of Marek's Disease, Available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul01/marek0701.htm (Accessed: 3rd June 2014).
Figure 2: Chicken with leg paralysis.
Source: Gimeno I.M. (2008) 'Marek's disease vaccines: a solution for today but a worry for tomorrow?' Vaccines, 26, pp. C31-C41.
Marek's disease
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (2014) Cracking the Code of Marek's Disease, Available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul01/marek0701.htm (Accessed: 3rd June 2014).
Figure 2: Chicken with leg paralysis.
Source: Gimeno I.M. (2008) 'Marek's disease vaccines: a solution for today but a worry for tomorrow?' Vaccines, 26, pp. C31-C41.
- Highly cell-associated avian Alphaherpesvirus
- Respiratory tract of birds = natural entry of virus
- Inhaling of free virus in feather follicles in shed
- Clinical signs:
- Neurological clinical signs
- Paralysis of legs, wings and neck
- Lymphoid tumours in visceral organs
- Heart, lungs, ovaries, testes, muscles
- Tumours in feather follicles
- Grey iris or irregular pupil
- Nerve lesions leading to visual impairment
- Some vaccines:
- Serotype 3
- Serotype 2
- Attenuated serotype 1
Avian Pox
Source: Thomas N.J., Hunter B. and Atkinson C.T. (2008) Infectious diseases of wild birds, 1st edn., USA: Blackwell Publishing Professional.
- Skin disease
- Transmitted directly between host individuals environmentally or mechanically by biting arthropods:
- i.e. MOSQUITOS!
- Susceptilibity of individuals determine transmission
- Clinical signs:
- Localized tumours in non feathered areas of skin
- Lesions occur on beak, feet, claws
- Begin as white /yellow foci and increase in size rapidly
- Impair vision:
- Tumours on eyelids
- Conjunctival proliferation
- Blepharitis
- Sudden death
- Sudden dyspnea
- Upper respiratory tract disease
- Pneumonia
- Airsacculitis
- Splenomegaly
- Treatment:
- Supportive therapy i.e. saline
- Lesions heal in 4 weeks
- Surgery to remove tumours may help
- Vitamin supplementation
- Immunostimulant
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Anti-microbial therapies
- Gimeno I.M. (2008) 'Marek's disease vaccines: a solution for today but a worry for tomorrow?' Vaccines, 26, pp. C31-C41.
- Mao W., Kim T. and Cheng H.H. (2013) 'Visualization of Marek’s disease virus in vitro using enhanced green fluorescent protein fused with US10', Virus genes, 47, pp. 181-183.
- Raidal S.R. (1995) 'Viral skin diseases of birds', Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, 4(2), pp. 72-82.
- Thomas N.J., Hunter B. and Atkinson C.T. (2008) Infectious diseases of wild birds, 1st edn., USA: Blackwell Publishing Professional.
- United States Department of Agriculture (2014) Cracking the Code of Marek's Disease, Available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul01/marek0701.htm (Accessed: 3rd June 2014).
- Zylberberg M., Lee K.A., Klasing K.C. and Wikelski M. (2012), 'Increasing avian pox prevalence varies by species, and with immune function, in Galápagos finches', Biological Conservation, 153, pp. 72-79.
