According to an April 14th notification to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE), Newcastle disease was diagnosed on a laying farm in Kristianstad in the southernmost County  of Skane.  The outbreak commenced on March 22nd and ended on April 9th.  The flock of 40,117 hens housed showed a drop in egg production, eggshell deformities but no mortality.  In accordance with policy the entire flock was depleted. No details were provided as to the pathogenicity of the isolate but in the absence of mortality in a susceptible flock, a mesogenic strain was probably involved.

Scandinavia is unique in that vaccination against Newcastle disease is not carried out despite the fact that surrounding nations protect flocks. It would be interesting to determine the justification for adopting a non-vaccination policy against a disease that is relatively easy and inexpensive to prevent by vaccination.

In the mid-1980s, the U.K. was forced to resume vaccinating flocks against Newcastle disease after a five-year hiatus.  The “island status” of the nation was disproved following the emergence of pigeon paramyxovirus infection introduced by racing pigeons from Europe and transmitted to susceptible layer flocks by contaminated feed. The infection was characterized by decreased egg production and neural signs in infected flocks. Broiler flocks fed pelleted feed subject to heat treatment were not affected.