12 Signs of Newcastle Disease in Poultry

Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by a para-myxo virus. Birds affected by this disease are fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, partridges, guinea fowl and other wild and captive birds, including ratites such ostriches, emus and rhea.

Humans aren’t normally affected, but people in direct contact with infected birds may develop a very short-term eye infection, which passes without treatment.

Clinical Signs

The clinical signs in affected birds can vary. The disease can be present in a very acute form with sudden onset and high mortality or as a mild disease with respiratory distress or a drop in egg production as the only detectable clinical signs. A sub-clinical (asymptomatic) form of Newcastle disease and many intermediate forms of the disease can also occur. The main signs are:

1. Sneezing

2. Nasal discharge

3. Coughing

4. Greenish, watery diarrhoea

5. Depression

6. Muscular tremors

7. Drooping wings

8. Complete paralysis

9. Swelling of the tissues around the eyes and in the neck

10. Sudden death

11. Increased death loss in a flock

12. In laying birds there can be partial to complete drop in egg production; and production of thin-shelled eggs

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