Circovirus (pigeon circovirus) in pigeons
Other names: Young bird disease، Circo
Symptoms
- Immunosuppression in squabs and young birds -> other infections appear (canker, adeno, salmonella, respiratory)
- Lethargy, weight loss, diarrhea, regurgitation
- May show no symptoms on its own
How it spreads
Fecal-oral and feather dust; mother to squab; very widespread in pigeons worldwide.
Diagnosis
PCR from blood/cloaca or tissues (bursa, spleen) - inclusion bodies in the bursa.
Treatment
No specific treatment; treat the secondary infection and reduce stress. [Update 3] Harlin & Wade 2009: it affects young birds from two months to a year; incubation about two weeks; it weakens immunity and so allows Pasteurella, herpes, chlamydia, trichomonas, adeno, Aspergillus and E. coli. Send the bursa with the liver and spleen for necropsy.
Prevention
Biosecurity, reduce crowding and stress in the young bird season. 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 1 (classical)
- Adenovirus type 2 (necrotizing hepatitis)
- 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