A New Standard of Care for Aviculture

Abstract

Just as your physician cannot accurately determine your health status without conducting appropriate tests, veterinarians and aviculturists cannot tell if birds are infected with the Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) virus or polyomavirus without appropriate diagnostic tests. Bird enthusiasts now have the opportunity to determine whether birds are latently infected with the PBFD virus or if they are shedding polyomavirus. The DNA probe tests developed by the Psittacine Disease Research Group at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine are currently available in the United States through Avian Research Associates, 100 Techne Center, Suite 101, Milford, OH 45150. These tests will provide the aviby cultural community with the knowledge necessary to manage two of the most contagious and devastating viral diseases of psittacine birds. To control the spread of PBFD virus and polyomavirus, and to improve the professional standard of aviculture, all birds should have a documentable medical history of testing (traceable record) for these diseases, by which anyone who comes into possession of a bird can review its history to know that it is a relatively "safe bird." Pet shop owners, bird dealers, breeders and veterinarians need to protect themselves from accusations that they raised or sold a diseased bird. (Table 1) The PBFD test can be used to screen blood for the presence of PBFD virus before birds develop obvious clinical signs. The polyomavirus test can be used to determine if birds are shedding this virus. Both the PBFD virus and the polyomavirus tests can be used to screen walls, caging, air circulating ducts and equipment, in the home or hospital, to determine if one of these viruses is contaminating a bird's environment. These tests are inexpensive ($25 range), particularly when one considers the devastation of losing a special pet, or suffering with a nursery or pet shop outbreak caused by PBFD virus or polyomavirus that could have been prevented. These tests will provide the avian community with the best methods for controlling these viruses until effective vaccines are available. These tests are extremely sensitive and specific and results should be available within two weeks of being received in the laboratory. If you are a pet bird owner, it is in your pet's best interest to know its status with respect to these two viruses. All psittacine birds should be tested to determine if they are shedding polyomavirus or are infected with PBFD virus. The species of psittacine birds that have currently been shown to be susceptible to PBFD virus are listed in Table 2. Both PBFD virus and polyomavirus can be transmitted in feather or fecal dust which you can carry on your clothes to other birds in your home, to a friend's home, to a bird show or to a pet shop. Not knowing if your birds are infected with one of these two viruses places any bird that you may contact in jeopardy. If you are a breeder, it is critical that you have your adult birds tested for PBFD virus and polyomavirus to pre vent epidemic outbreaks of these diseases in your nursery. Every bird that is shipped from your facility should be tested to make certain that it is not latently infected with PBFD virus or shedding polyomavirus. This will provide you with a documented status...