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LIFESTYLE

(meaning that they are chronically infected) should be
euthanised as they shed massive amounts of virus
into the environment and pose an unacceptable risk to
other psittacine birds around them.

The only sure way to prevent PBFD from affecting your
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every single new bird for the disease. The blood test,
using PCR technology, is highly accurate and sensitive,
meaning that there is an excellent chance of picking
up an infected bird.

The incubation period of PBFD may be as short as 3
weeks but if the bird becomes infected shortly after a
moult, feather signs may not appear for six months or
more. Thus, even a perfectly feathered, healthy bird
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birds in the home.

If a bird tests positive for PCR but is not ill and has no
feather signs, there is a chance that the bird has been
exposed to PBFD but is not chronically infected. This
bird should be quarantined for 3 months and then
re-tested. If still positive, the bird is a true PBFD. If the
bird now tests negative, it has managed to overcome
the infection and has, in effect, become ‘naturally
vaccinated’.
Several different groups of researchers are at present
working on a vaccine for PBFD. The research and
clinical trials will still, in all likelihood take several
years. An effective vaccine would save thousands of
psittacine birds every year, worldwide.
At this point, PBFD is extremely widely spread in South
feathers leading to a decrease in the white powder Africa. You as the owner/breeder are the only one
seen on healthy birds. The beak also becomes shiny ZKR LV FDSDEOH RI HQVXULQJ WKDW \RXU ÁRFN UHPDLQV
from lack of this powder. disease-free. Once you have PBFD in your birds, it
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Newly grown out feathers may be sparse, retain their ZUHDN KDYRF LQ \RXU ÁRFN DQG E\ WKH WLPH EDELHV KDYH
sheaths, have blood in the shaft or be deformed. Often started dying, it is too late.
the feathers over the ears are thinning. Feathers may
change colour (eg. normal body feathers may grow out Test your birds. Only buy from trustworthy sources
pink in African Greys). PDQ\ EUHHGHUV ZLOO VXSSO\ 3%)' IUHH FHUWLÀFDWHV ZLWK
birds when you buy them) and never take on a bird in
Feather plucking birds may be confused with PBFD poor condition because you feel sorry for it or because
birds but the feathers (eg. on the head) that the it looks like a bargain.
feather plucker cannot reach are generally in good
condition. However, in some situations, such as with REFERENCE:
some breeding pairs, the mate may pluck the feathers Article written by Dr Dorianne Elliott of the Bird and
on his partner’s head. This once again makes the Exotic Animal Hospital.
distinction between a plucked bird and a PBFD bird For more information, visit: www.birdandexotic.
PRUH GLIÀFXOW co.za, or call: 012 529 8105.

Another common sign of chronic PBFD is recurrent
infections. The gut and the respiratory tract are often
affected. PBFD causes severe immunosuppression (as
does the HIV virus in people) and, just like with AIDS
in people, the bird will most likely die not from PBFD
itself but from another opportunistic infection that the
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A common PBFD sign is shortened choanal papillae.
These are the tiny spikes seen on either side of
the choana (the slit in the roof of a bird’s mouth,
connecting the mouth to the nasal cavity). The choanal
papillae become blunted as a result of a chronic
respiratory condition and so shortened papillae are
indicative of a bird with a poor immune system –
although this is not necessarily an indication of PBFD.
Another typical sign of advanced PBFD is beak
necrosis. The virus affects the growth of a new beak
so, in the advanced form of the disease, the beak may
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PBFD, infected birds may live for long periods of
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infected birds alive for extended periods, but it is
highly recommended that birds showing feather signs

36 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 3 • 2019