ORNITHOSIS IN TURKEYS AND DUCKS 



f^-^ __ Reported, 1945 - Januory 1958 



^JJj VIRUS ISOLATION 



'■■ ; SEROlOGICAl (VIDENcE 



^ 



V 



on March 7, 1957. This regulation (Part 82, 

 Title 9, CFR) restricts interstate movement of 

 poultry affected with psittacosis or ornithosis 

 and their carcasses, parts, and offal. It also 

 requires disinfection of coops and vehicles used 

 in transporting affected poultry. 



Management factors in condemnations 



When compuls()r\- inspection of dressed \wi\\- 

 try moving in interstate traffic became law on 

 •January 1, 1959, there arose the problem of 

 high condemnation rates, particularly from 

 chronic respiratory disease. In an effort to 

 find some solution for this economic loss, the 

 Division in cooperation with the Agricultural 

 Mai-keting Ser\ice conducted surveys in se- 

 lected flocks in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missis- 

 sip])i, and East Texas. These limited sui'veys 

 indicated that the high condemnation rates 

 wei'e caused by lack of good management, in- 

 atlequate housing, and substandard or no 

 disease control plans by producers. Similar 

 coojjerative studies with State and industry 

 representatives have been conducted in Georgia 

 and the Delmarva Peninsula. 



Poultry prospects 



Eradication of oi-nithosis or psittacosis can- 

 not be planned at this time because of the 

 unavailability of a reliable, practical field di- 

 agnostic test. The immediate objective is the 

 di.ssemination of information regarding the 

 nature and clinical manifestations of the di- 

 sease. After treatment, recovered flocks may 

 be marketed when deemed safe by State and 

 Federal officials. 



In 1958, the National Plans Confei-ence of 

 the National Poultry and Turkey Improvement 

 Plans adopted a resolution reque.sting that the 

 Animal Disease Eradication Division i)i'omul- 

 gate a Federal Regulation limiting the inter- 

 state movement of poultry except from those 

 flocks and hatcheries that meet the minimum 

 requirement of the NPIP and NTIP in regard 

 to jndlorum disease and fowl typhoid control. 

 The regulation was published, and comments 

 from industry groups are being reviewed be- 

 fore further action is taken. 



The Division is engaged in cooperative 

 studies on poultry diseases with State universi- 

 ties and State departments of agriculture in 

 Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, and Virginia. 



In future plans and operations the watch- 

 word is vigilance. Through the Poultry Di- 

 sease Section, the Division is in a better posi- 

 tion to deal with any foreign poultry disease 

 that may gain entry into this country. Con- 

 cui'rently. close scrutiny will be kept on 

 changes in the epidemiological patterns of di- 

 seases now present in the United States. This 

 work will be accompli.shed by recording data 

 reported by the individual States, conducting 

 epidemiological surveys concerning chronic 

 respiratory di.sease, and gathering information 

 on the latest research developments. 



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