According to ProMED posting on November 2nd, authorities in Sweden reported an outbreak of velogenic Newcastle disease (END) in a flock in the Province of Orebro. Sweden has reported twenty outbreaks of Newcastle disease since 2001 in numerous counties.

It is a matter of record that Sweden does not vaccinate against Newcastle disease and accordingly flocks are susceptible to both paramyxovirus type 1(PMV-1) and the variant responsible for pigeon paramyxovirus infection caused by pAvV1. The genotype of the current outbreak has yet to be released.  It is understood that authorities have imposed quarantine on the affected farm with appropriate restrictions on movement. This might be an appropriate time for Sweden to reconsider preventive vaccination against Newcastle disease

Pigeon paramyxovirus can result in neural signs in non-vaccinated chickens as evidenced by outbreaks in the 1980’s in the U.K. The vehicle of infection was non-pelletized feed supplied to laying hens that was contaminated with the droppings of infected pigeons.