Epizootiology of velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease in southern California, 1971-1973
Utterback, W.W.; Schwartz, J.H.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 163(9): 1080-1088
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 4747907 Document Number: 7
Velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease (VVND) was first diagnosed in southern California near Fontana in San Bernardino County in late November, 1971. The virus appeared to have escaped from a nearby exotic bird importer. Once established in poultry, the virus spread rapidly to other areas, primarily by movement of poultry, service people, and equipment among the poultry ranches. Initial quarantine and eradication measures proved inadequate to curb the spread. By March 14, 1972, when the national emergency was declared, more than 150 flocks were known to be infected, including most of the major poultry areas of southern California. A massive effort was mounted by a state-federal task force to contain VVND in southern California and to eradicate the disease before it became established as an enzootic disease. Eight southern California counties were quarantined. The eradication effort was organized to diagnose and depopulate all known infected flocks, vaccinate the entire avian population rapidly, and to restrict movement of birds and poultry products. This program contained VVND within the quarantine area and, with some adjustments in surveillance methods, has allowed the eradication of the disease from most of the 8 counties.
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