Avian Influenza

Symptoms in Birds

Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine

Clinical Symptoms of Avian Influenza

This presentation is about Avian Influenza as it affects birds

2006

Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza
A contagious viral infection and/or disease of many avian species including poultry, wild and exotic birds, ratites, shore birds and migratory waterfowl. The highly pathogenic form of the disease is characterized by severe depression, decrease in egg production, high mortality, edema, hemorrhage, and frank necrosis. All H5 and H7 infections are reportable to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Dennis Senne 2005

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Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza
Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI)
Associated with mild illness in poultry Can evolve into highly pathogenic viruses Associated with poultry outbreaks worldwide

High pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)

Causes high mortality in domestic poultry Subtypes H5 and H7

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Avian Influenza

H5N1 virus

electron micrograph of avian influenza H5N1 virus

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Avian Influenza

Host Range
Exotic Birds Domestic Poultry

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Avian Influenza

Peri-domestic species
Occasional isolations of avian influenza virus from starlings and house sparrows (in contact with infected poultry) Replication of some avian influenza virus in these species (experimental)

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Avian Influenza

Natural Reservoirs of Influenza A Viruses

Wild aquatic birds Majority are represented by two Orders: 1. Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans)
Dennis Senne 2005

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Avian Influenza

Natural Reservoirs of Influenza A Viruses

2.Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, and shorebirds)
Usually show no clinical disease
Dennis Senne 2005

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Avian Influenza

The Muscovy Ducks Natural Reservoir

http://www.domestic-waterfowl.co.uk/mozzie.htm

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Avian Influenza

How are these viruses transmitted and maintained in these species?

Transmission: Fecal/Oral route

Heavy fecal shedding by infected ducks Long term persistence in water Isolation of AIVs from surface water

Maintenance: Bird to bird

Persistence in environment

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Incubation period 3-5 days Severe depression Decreased food and water consumption Drastic decline in egg production Many birds affected

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Avian Influenza

Turkeys with Avian Influenza

cvm.umn.edu

Many birds are depressed and huddling

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Dehydration Huddling Subcutaneous swelling of the head and neck area Nasal and oral cavity discharge

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Avian Influenza

Note swollen head, and discharges. Wattle is cyanotic and necrotic.

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Avian Influenza

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs

Huddling

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Ruffled feathers Swollen, cyanotic (blue) combs and wattles Conjunctivitis with respiratory signs

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Avian Influenza

Ruffled feathers

Respiratory Symptoms
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Avian Influenza

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Avian Influenza

Swollen blue, cyanotic combs and wattles

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Avian Influenza

Swollen blue, cyanotic combs and wattles

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Edema/necrosis of comb/wattle Cyanosis

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Avian Influenza

HPAI - Cyanotic comb of an infected chicken on the left compared to a normal chicken on the right.

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Subcutaneous hemorrhage of shanks

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Avian Influenza

Subcutaneous hemorrhage of shanks

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhage of the shanks and hocks

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Neurological signs (Nervous signs) Similar to Exotic Newcastle Disease

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Avian Influenza

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Avian Influenza

Neurological signs

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Avian Influenza

Neurological signs Cyanosis Ruffled feathers

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Avian Influenza

Neurological signs Hemorrhages on shanks Ruffled feathers

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Coughing Sneezing Diarrhea Sudden death

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs

I. Capua

D. Halvorson

Huddling Sinusitis Respiratory signs

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Avian Influenza

D. Halvorson

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Avian Influenza

Clinical Signs
Sudden onset and high mortality Birds found dead

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Avian Influenza

Dennis Senne, 2005

Post Mortem Lesions

Lesions may be absent with sudden death

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Avian Influenza
http://www.avian-influenza-disinfectant.com/avian_influenza.htm

Lesions
Head and neck edema Swollen and cyanotic combs and wattles Petechial hemorrhages on internal membrane surfaces

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Avian Influenza

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Avian Influenza

Lesions
Excessive mucous exudate in the lumen of the trachea, or severe hemorrhagic tracheitis Petechiae on the inside of the sternum, on the serosa and abdominal fat, serosal surfaces and in the body cavity

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Avian Influenza

Lesions
HPAI - Opened swollen wattle.

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhages and edema

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Avian Influenza

Edema
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Avian Influenza

Petechial hemorrhages on internal membrane surfaces

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Avian Influenza

Lesions
Hemorrhages of the trachea

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhages of the trachea

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Avian Influenza

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Avian Influenza

Lung hemorrhage and edema

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Avian Influenza

Note hemorrhages and edema around the heart

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Avian Influenza

Lesions
Hemorrhages on the mucosal surface of the proventriculus, particularly at the juncture with the gizzard Hemorrhages and erosions of the gizzard lining Hemorrhagic foci on the lymphoid tissues in the intestinal mucosa

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhages of the intestine

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhages on the mucosal surface of the proventriculus, particularly at the juncture with the gizzard

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhage in intestinal serosa, mucosa

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Avian Influenza

Hemorrhagic foci on the lymphoid tissues in the intestinal mucosa

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Avian Influenza

Lesions
Severe congestion of the musculature

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Avian Influenza

Lesions
Severe kidney congestion, sometimes with urate deposits in the tubules Hemorrhages and degeneration of the ovary

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Avian Influenza

Differential Diagnosis
Clinically indistinguishable from virulent Newcastle Disease Suspect with: Sudden death Drop in egg production Facial edema, cyanotic combs and wattles Petechial hemorrhages
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Avian Influenza

Differential Diagnosis
Velogenic Newcastle disease Acute fowl cholera Respiratory diseases, especially infectious laryngotracheitis, Avian pneumovirus, Infectious bronchitis Chlamydia Mycoplasma

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Avian Influenza

Differential diagnosis
Water deprivation Heat exhaustion Toxins food or water borne

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Avian Influenza

Disease Summary
Avian influenza is a contagious viral disease of birds characterized by respiratory signs, depression and reduced feed and water intake. In egg laying birds there is a decline in egg production and quality. There are two pathotypes of Avian Influenza virus: the most common is low pathogenic AI (LPAI) and the other is highly pathogenic AI (HPAI).
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Avian Influenza

Disease Summary
The most virulent form (HPAI) was once called fowl plague. At the 1981 International Symposium on Avian Influenza, the term fowl plague was replaced with the term "highly virulent" influenza virus infection. The Avian Influenza epidemic of 1983-1984 required yet new terms to describe relative pathogenicity of different isolates of the same serotype (nonpathogenic, low-pathogenic, highly pathogenic).
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Avian Influenza

Disease Summary
Avian Influenza outbreaks have occurred throughout the world. LPAI is common in large turkey-producing areas, particularly where semiconfinement or range-rearing is still widely practiced. Outbreaks are more sporadic in other areas of the United States. AI can occur in most, if not all, species of birds. In the United States, most outbreaks have been in turkeys. A few outbreaks have occurred in chickens. Humans, horses, pigs, and some wildlife species may be infected with influenza viruses, and a cycle between birds and swine exists.
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Avian Influenza

Disease Summary
A chicken outbreak of LPAI in 1983 mutated into HPAI in 1983-1984 resulting in a federal-state eradication program that required the depopulation of 17 million birds. Similar outbreaks of LPAI in Mexico in 1992 and Italy in 1999 also mutated into HPAI causing severe losses.

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Avian Influenza

Disease Summary
Influenza viruses vary widely in pathogenicity and ability to spread among birds. Two pathotypes are recognized: LPAI and HPAI. These pathotype designations are derived from laboratory inoculation of 8 susceptible chickens; LPAI isolates cause death in 0 to 5 of 8 chickens and HPAI isolates cause death in 6 or more. Although most H5 and H7 isolates are low path viruses, so far all HPAI outbreaks have been due to H5 or H7 viruses.
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Avian Influenza

Special thanks to the staff at Plum Island Animal Diagnostic Center, Dr Corrie Brown and Dr John El-Attrache for the use of images from their presentations. Also, thanks to the Pohler family and to Elisabeth Bush for allowing me to photograph their birds.
SUZANNE BURNHAM

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Avian Influenza