Transmission of avian pox from starlings to Rothchild's mynahs

Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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Abstract

Several wild species of birds, including starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and pigeons (Columba livia) gained access to an aviary housing Rothchild's mynahs (Leucospar rothchildii) and over 100 additional birds representing a variety of species. Six of approximately 15 mynahs became infected with avian pox and all of them died. None of the other birds in the aviary developed lesions. Pox virus was isolated from mynah facial lesions on chicken chorioallantoic membrane and in duck embryo fibroblast cell culture. It did not produce lesions in white Leghorn chickens, but did produce lesions in 4 of 11 wild starlings captured outside the aviary. Results indicated the agent was an indigenous starling pox capable of infecting and producing disease in mynah birds. Destruction of the captive starlings and isolation of the remaining mynahs immediately stopped the mortality.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Transmission of avian pox from starlings to Rothchild's mynahs
Series title Journal of Wildlife Diseases
DOI 10.7589/0090-3558-12.3.353
Volume 12
Issue 3
Year Published 1976
Language English
Publisher Wildlife Disease Association
Contributing office(s) National Wildlife Health Center
Description 4 p.
First page 353
Last page 356
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