What is Newcastle Disease?

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious and often severe disease found that affects birds including domestic poultry. It is caused by a virus in the family of paramyxoviruses.

The disease appears in three forms: lentogenic or mild, mesogenic or moderate and velogenic or very virulent, also called exotic Newcastle disease. The lentogenic strains

Are very widespread, but cause few disease outbreaks.

It usually presents as a respiratory disease, but depression, nervous manifestations, or diarrhoea may be the predominant clinical form.

ND, in its highly pathogenic form, is a disease listed in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestial Animal Health Code and must be reported to the OIE (OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code).

Source: The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)