Pacheco Disease in Birds | PetMD

What is Avian Pacheco Disease?

Pacheco‘Avian influenza virus disease is a virus that commonly infects birds of the psittacine family. Pet birds that are susceptible to this virus include:

Unfortunately, the virus that causes Pacheco‘The disease is highly contagious and often fatal to birds; humans and non-avian pets cannot be infected with the virus.

If you suspect your bird has symptoms of Pacheco disease‘If your bird is sick or suspected to be infected, take it to an emergency avian veterinarian immediately. Pacheco‘Avian infectious diseases have a high mortality rate (up to 100% in a flock) and should always be treated as an emergency.

Symptoms of Pacheco disease in birds

There are no specific symptoms for Pacheco disease, but it is important to know what is normal for your bird and to quickly identify the signs of the disease. Clinical signs often appear 10-14 days after your bird has been infected and may include:

• Yellow, watery urates (the urine part of bird droppings; they should be more uniform and white)

• Apathy

• depression

• Do not eat

• ruffled feathers

• Eye discharge/eye discharge

• nasal discharge

• Green stool

• Reflux

• Oral or cloacal mucosa/tissue, and internal papillomas

• Sudden death (within hours of exposure)

Causes of Pacheco disease in birds

Pacheco‘Avian influenza is caused by the psittacosis herpesvirus 1 (PsHV1). There are multiple strains of this virus causing different degrees of disease, but all should be treated as potentially fatal. The virus is highly contagious and can be shed in the feces and respiratory secretions of virus-positive but non-infected birds.‘There are no signs that they are actually ill.

Avian Pacheco disease can be transmitted by direct contact or exposure to infected feces or respiratory secretions (airborne transmission). Birds carrying the virus are not necessarily contagious (asymptomatic), but During stressful times, infected birds may begin to shed the virus and become ill. Changes in environment, relocation of birds, changes in routine and sudden noises can all be stressful for pet birds. These should be avoided if your vet suspects your bird is a carrier. Regular testing and monitoring of your bird’s blood is often recommended.

Any kind of stressor can cause reactivation (relapse) in carrier birds. Also, birds carrying the virus should not be allowed to breed, as the virus can be transmitted from mother to fetus. PCR testing of feces and blood tests can determine the bird’s status.

How Veterinarians Diagnose Pacheco Disease in Birds

Unfortunately, Pacheco‘Infectious diseases in birds are often only discovered after the bird has died. Further tests can be done after the bird’s death to confirm the disease.

A swab sample is taken from the bird’s deciduous orifice (anus/rear opening) or choanus (cleft inside the mouth) and tested. If infectious particles are found, it is considered a positive test result. Blood samples are tested for antibodies to see if the bird has been infected with Pacheco disease and is infectious.

A presumptive diagnosis can be made from the bird’s history, clinical signs, and symptoms in other birds in the flock.

Treatment of Pacheco disease in birds

Pacheco and the Birds‘Patients with the disease will receive supportive care for symptoms, which may include:

• Fluid therapy to treat dehydration

• Antiviral drugs

• Antibiotics (for secondary bacterial infections)

  
  
  

• Anti-inflammatory drugs

• Painkillers

• Surgical intervention if papillomas are evident and causing lesions (ulcers)

Birds that are not eating may need to have feeding tubes to supplement their diet. Birds exposed to Pacheco‘Acyclovir may also be prescribed to reduce the severity of post-infectious disease.

Recovery and management of Pacheco disease in birds

Pacheco disease is often fatal, and birds have a better chance of recovery in hospital than at home.

Birds that recover from Pacheco disease often develop internal papillomas (benign tumors) and hepatomas (liver tumors), especially in the cloaca. Birds that survive may also develop liver problems as a result of the viral infection.

Any Pacheco bird‘Avian influenza viruses must be isolated from other birds in the home or aviary, as the virus is very resistant and can survive for some time outside of a host.

Birds that survive infection still have the virus in their bodies and can transmit it to other birds during relapses. These birds will carry the virus for the rest of their lives. Because the virus is still present in their bodies, it can be “reactivated” during times of stress. To prevent relapses, stressful events should be avoided.

Prevention of Pacheco disease in birds

While it is not possible to completely prevent Pacheco disease in birds, there are steps you can take to minimize the spread of the virus from bird to bird. First, always be careful not to overcrowd your birds. If you have more than one bird, any new birds should be quarantined before joining the flock. And before purchasing a new bird, be sure to research the breeder and bird’s history.

General health care, e.g. Quality food and Decent HousingThis helps reduce the chances of disease in your birds.