Adenovirus type 1 (classical) in pigeons
Other names: Adeno، Young bird disease، Squab vomiting
Symptoms
- Vomiting/regurgitation and watery diarrhea in young birds (under a year)
- Rapid weight loss and lethargy
- Often with a secondary E. coli infection
How it spreads
Fecal-oral, air, baskets and young bird gathering seasons. It spreads widely in the young bird racing season.
Diagnosis
Symptoms in young birds + PCR/histopathology of the liver and intestines (inclusion bodies).
Treatment
No treatment for the virus; supportive: reduce feed to light grains, electrolytes, probiotics, and an antibiotic for the secondary E. coli as directed by the veterinarian. [Update 3] Harlin & Wade 2009: treatment is supportive; antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection, parasite elimination, and good hydration and nutrition. Young birds are more susceptible.
Prevention
Clean baskets and waterers, reduce stress and crowding, do not mix young birds from many lofts. No known commercial vaccine.
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.
Other diseases
- Paramyxovirus (pigeon Newcastle disease)
- Pigeon pox
- Adenovirus type 2 (necrotizing hepatitis)
- Circovirus (pigeon circovirus)
- Young Bird Sickness syndrome (YBS)
- Herpes (pigeon herpesvirus)
- Pigeon rotavirus
- Avian influenza
Sources
- Vogel, Gehrke, Lehmann - 'Taubenkrankheiten' / Vogel & Gylstorff - standard German pigeon disease texts - not fetched
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov