19.09.2011

Issued by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries for the pigeon and related industries

Situation Analysis:
• Spread of infection is through the moving of hobby pigeons between properties and the mixing of pigeons at sales, races, shows and other events; to stop the spread of the disease, these activities have to cease.
• There is no safety and efficacy data available for the vaccine in pigeons; vaccination is not the silver bullet – stopping the mixing of pigeons will be what contains this outbreak.
• There are now 34 infected properties in Victoria, where the virus has been confirmed in pigeons that are sick or have died.
• Over the past 72 hours seven new infected properties have been identified.
• PMV1 has now been detected in both racing pigeons (one case) and fancy pigeons.
• No poultry or wild birds have tested positive to paramyxovirus.
Background
• Since late August 2011, a paramyxovirus not previously reported in Australia has been detected in hobby pigeons on a number of properties in Victoria.
• Affected pigeon flocks have experienced high mortalities, associated with lethargy, gastrointestinal and neurological signs.
• The virus was confirmed as avian paramyxovirus type 1 by the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL).