Newcastle disease continues to spread

Newcastle disease is a virus that affects poultry, and it was first detected late last year in the Spanish Lookout area of the Cayo District. Because of its viral nature, it results in high mortality rates amongst infected livestock. Measures to destroy and cleanse infected areas have been taken but it has not stopped the disease from spreading to other districts. Over forty-two thousand birds have been slaughtered so far. The disease has also now been detected in both Stann Creek and Belize Districts. Dr. Miguel Figueroa, Veterinary Officer for the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, says that though the disease is dangerous to chickens, the only impact on humans can be conjunctivitis or pink eye. It is known that two persons have been infected.

Dr. Miguel Figueroa, Veterinary Officer
“People can get it if they have direct contact with a bird, with an infected bird. They can have a conjunctivitis, a slight conjunctivitis, but that’s about it… it doesn’t go farther from there, no. Clinical signs, you will see the chicken lethargic, they’re depressed, they don’t want to eat, have high fever. One of the characteristic signs are swollen head; they get swollen, the wattles and crowns get purple, they get necrotic as well, they have sneezing like a flu so that’s basically the characteristic signs. When you look at it clinically oOn postmortem you see specific signs especially on the proventriculous you see hemorrhage that’s one of the specific classic signs of Newcastle disease.”

Jose Sanchez
“It’s being seen in other parts of the country, where are we seeing Newcastle disease now?”

Dr. Miguel Figueroa
“It’s been reported in the Belize District, Burrell Boom area. One farm, an isolated case, has been reported in a backyard. Now it has spread from the commercial flock, it has spread to the backyard in chickens. So only one case has been reported so far in Belize District; in Burrell Boom. It’s surprising that right across the street they have other owners with backyard poultry but they have it enclosed and they have not been affected as yet. Other areas would be down south, Stann Creek and Cayo district of course”

Jose Sanchez
“With the cases in Belize and Stann Creek District, have you figured out how the disease was able to get to those areas?”

Dr. Miguel Figueroa
“Stann Creek, we found out after some investigation. We went there—actually personally we send a group and they went down south and they discovered that there was someone purchasing spent hens from Spanish Lookout and he was transporting them all the way down Stann Creek, I understand, way to even Toledo District. Fortunately for us we haven’t gotten any reports that any backyard has been infected in the Toledo district.”

Figueroa says that if anyone has any doubt about the health of their poultry, they should report those suspicions to any BAHA office.