The deadly ebola virus is still in the air.

Ebola kills 90% of its victims The Ebola virus is named for the Ebola River, where the first outbreaks occurred in 1976.
The deadly killer, EBOLA?  EBOLA is a killer disease that is transmitted through body secretions such as sweat, blood, saliva, mucous, breast secretion, tears, urine, and sexual transmission with an infected person.
Puts victim in lots of pain.
There is no cure and the cause is unknown. It can reproduce in 8 hours and when it does, millions of new viruses come out.
  It is the world's most deadly viruses and one of the most painful deaths possible.
  The person can die any were from 3-30 days or even longer.
It is only stopped when it has no more hosts to feed on.
The period between infection with the Ebola virus and the start of symptoms is called the Ebola incubation period, which can be as short as 2 days or as long as 21 days.
Look out for the following!  Fever, sore throat, headaches, weakness, joint and muscle pain, chest pain & bleeding from skin. < Br> In pregnant women, abortion (miscarriage) and heavy vaginal bleeding are common Ebola symptoms.
  Death usually occurs during the second week of Ebola symptoms, and its usually due to massive blood loss.
Prevention is the KEY word!  Wash your hands often with soap and water, sanitizer is a good alternative.
  Avoid contact with people with suspicious signs and places of outbreak.
Watch out for the warning signs which mimics malaria symptoms.
As always, wash your fruits and vegetables before cooking.
Be the USEFUL VIRUS by reporting any SUSPICIOUS case to the nearest health care centre. 

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POULTRY MEDICATION

Antibiotics
for now i am still a lay-man when it comes to poultry medication and have no qualifications in this field yet so this information should, naturally be taken as a 'view' and part of your overall research into what is best for your poultry.

A ntibiotics are a fairly common treatment given to poultry on prescription to treat a variety of infections. Baytril or Tylan are often given to chickens with respiratory problems for example (and seem to work well for this complaint) but what is the risk is to our health when we are using antibiotics in animals that are producing food for human consumption?

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POULTRY SANITATION [cleaning and disinfecting]

Poultry-sanitation

After so many questions being asked on how our poultry can be sanitized [cleaned and disinfected] so I decided to be of help, the ravage of diseases has been a very big problem affecting poultry farms and these diseases are caused by some micro-organisms[bacteria, fungi, virus].
Not all micro-organisms are harmful, some are harmless[free-living], but the best way to eradicate diseases in your poultry is to treat all of them like they are severe and dangerous.
These disease, even though tough but can still be prevented, and this can be done by sanitation i.e cleaning and disinfecting.

CLEANING

Cleaning is to be done before disinfecting inorder to get the best out of the disinfectants and when I said cleaning I meant thorough cleaning, make sure you remove as much organic matter as practicable from surfaces to be disinfected. All debris including down, egg shells, droppings, tissue residues, etc. must be removed from the hatchery. This is followed by thorough cleaning using warm water and appropriate cleaning aides. Care is focused on selecting the proper detergent and thus producing the cleanest hatchery environment possible. Special attention is placed on compensating for variations in hardness, salinity and pH of the cleaning water. A thorough rinsing with abundant quantities of clean sanitized water completes the cleaning process and removes most lingering residues of detergents and organic matter or microbial organisms that can interfere with the effectiveness of a disinfectant.

DISINFECTING

After getting rid of the visible organic matter by cleaning, we would ask ourselves "how can the unseen{microorganisms} be gotten rid of??". That's where the disinfectant solution comes in, it is used to kill microorganism, there are different types of disinfectants and not all disinfectants are suitable for every situation.
Only after the facilities have been thoroughly cleaned are the surfaces treated with an appropriate disinfectant solution.
When selecting a disinfectant carefully consider:

The type of surface being treated

.

The cleanliness of the surface

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The type of organism being treated

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The durability of the equipment/surface material

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Time limitations on treatment duration

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residual activity requirements

.
Disinfectants can be divided into seven categories;

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VIRAL DISEASES OF POULTRY

AVIAN POX Avian pox is a relatively slow-spreading viral disease in birds, characterized by wart-like nodules on the skin and diphtheritic necrotic membranes lining the mouth and upper respiratory system. It has been present in birds since the earliest history. Mortality is not usually significant unless the respiratory involvement is marked. The disease may occur in any age of bird, at any time. Avian pox is caused by a virus of which there are at least three different strains or types; fowl pox virus, pigeon pox virus and canary pox virus. Although some workers include turkey pox virus as a distinct strain, many feel that is identical to fowl pox virus. Each virus strain is infective for a number of species of birds. Natural occurring pox in chickens, turkeys and other domestic fowl is considered to be caused by fowl pox virus. Fowl pox can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact. The virus is highly resistant in dried scabs and under certain conditions may survive for months on contaminated premises. The disease may be transmitted by a number of species of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can harbor infective virus for a month or more after feeding on affected birds. After the infection is introduced, it spreads within the flock by mosquitoes as well as direct and indirect contact. Recovered birds do not remain carriers. Since fowl pox usually spreads slowly, a flock may be affected for several months. The course of the disease in the individual bird takes three to five weeks. Affected young birds are retarded in growth. Laying birds experience a drop in egg production. Birds of all ages that have oral or respiratory system involvement have difficulty eating and breathing. The disease manifests itself in one or two ways, cutaneous pox (dry form) or diphtheritic pox (wet form). Dry pox starts as small whitish foci that develop into wart-like nodules. The nodules eventually are sloughed and scab formation precedes final healing. Lesions are most commonly seen on the featherless parts of the body (comb, wattles, ear lobes, eyes, and sometimes the feet). Wet pox is associated with the oral cavity and the upper respiratory tract, particularly the larynx and trachea. The lesions are diphtheritic in character and involve the mucous membranes to such a degree that when removed, an ulcerated or eroded area is left. Fowl pox is readily diagnosed on the basis of flock history and presence of typical lesions. In some cases, laboratory diagnosis by tissue or transmission studies is necessary. There is no treatment for fowl pox. Disease control is accomplished best by preventative vaccination since ordinary management and sanitation practices will not prevent it. Several kinds of vaccines are available and are effective if used properly. Vaccination of broilers is not usually required unless the mosquito population is high or infections have occurred previously. The chicks may be vaccinated as young as one day of age by using the wing-web method and using a one needle applicator. All replacement chickens are vaccinated against fowl pox when the birds are six to ten weeks of age. One application of fowl pox vaccine results in permanent immunity. Newcastle Disease Newcastle disease is a contagious viral infection causing a respiratory nervous disorder in several species of fowl including chickens and turkeys. Different types or strains of the virus (varying in their ability to cause nervous disorder, visceral lesions and death) have been recognized. The most severe strain is called viscerotropic velogenic Newcastle disease (VVND) and is kept from birds in the U.S. by enforcement of strict quarantines at our national borders. It is often referred to as "Exotic Newcastle Disease" and infection of susceptible fowl with this form usually causes high mortality. Due to the reduced chance that poultry in this country will become infected with this disease form, it will not be discussed. A milder form of the disease is called "mesogenic" Newcastle disease and is the most serious strain found in the U.S. This is the form that is referred to as Newcastle disease in this discussion. Newcastle disease is highly contagious. All birds in a flock usually become infected within three to four days. The virus can be transmitted by contaminated equipment, shoes, clothing and free-flying birds. During the active respiratory stage, it can be transmitted through the air. The virus is not thought to travel any great distance by this method. Recovered birds are not considered carriers and the virus usually does not live longer than thirty days on the premises. Signs of Newcastle disease are not greatly different from those of other respiratory diseases. The signs most frequently observed are nasal discharge, excessive mucous in the trachea, cloudy air sacs, casts or plugs in the air passages of the lungs and cloudiness in the cornea of the eye. The disease in young chickens begins with difficult breathing, gasping and sneezing. This phase continues for ten to fourteen days and may be followed by nervous symptoms. If nervous disorders develop, they may consist of paralysis of one or both wings and legs or a twisting of the head and neck. The head often is drawn over the back or down between the legs. Mortality may vary from none to total loss of the flock. In adult chickens, respiratory symptoms predominate. Only rarely do nervous disorders develop. If the flock is laying, egg production usually drops rapidly. When this occurs, it takes four weeks or longer for the flock to return to the former production rate. During the outbreak, small, soft-shelled, off-colored and irregular-shaped eggs are produced. Mortality in adult birds is usually low but may be fairly high from some virus strains. In turkeys, the symptoms are usually mild and may be unnoticed unless nervous disorders develop. During an outbreak, turkeys will produce eggs with a chalky white shell. Reduced production in breeder flocks is the main economic loss from this disease in turkeys. The flock history, signs of a respiratory nervous disorder and other typical lesions often may be sufficient to allow a tentative diagnosis. Usually, however, the disease cannot be differentiated from infectious bronchitis and some of the other respiratory infections, except by laboratory methods. Vaccination is practiced widely and is the recommended method for prevention. Several types of vaccines are available but the most successful and widely used is the mild live virus vaccine known as the B 1 and La Sota types. The vaccines may be used by drops into the nostril or eye, addition to the drinking water or applied in spray form. Broiler chickens are usually vaccinated when seven to ten days of age. Chickens kept for egg production are usually vaccinated at least three times. The vaccine is given when birds are approximately seven days, again at about four weeks and a third time at about four months of age. Revaccination while in lay is commonly practiced. Vaccination is not widely used in turkeys. It is used to protect egg producing breeder flocks. One dose of the mild type vaccine is given after selecting breeder birds. There is no treatment for Newcastle disease. The disease does not always respect even the best management programs, but good "biosecurity" practices will help reduce the possibility of exposure to Newcastle disease virus. Infectious Bronchitis Infectious bronchitis is an extremely contagious respiratory disease of chickens characterized by coughing, sneezing and rales (rattling). It is caused by a virus that affects chickens only. Other fowl or laboratory animals cannot be infected with this virus. Several distinct strains of the virus exist. Infectious bronchitis is considered the most contagious of poultry diseases. When it occurs, all susceptible birds on the premises become infected, regardless of sanitary or quarantine precautions. The disease can spread through the air and can "jump" considerable distances during an active outbreak. It can also be spread by mechanical means such as on clothing, poultry crates and equipment. The disease is not egg transmitted and the virus will survive for probably no more than one week in the house when poultry are not present. It is easily destroyed by heat and ordinary disinfectants. The infection is confined to the respiratory system. Symptoms are difficult breathing, gasping, sneezing and rales. Some birds may have a slight watery nasal discharge. The disease never causes nervous symptoms. It prevails for ten to fourteen days in a flock and symptoms lasting longer than this are from some other cause. In chickens under three weeks of age, mortality may be as high as thirty or forty percent. The disease does not cause a significant mortality in birds over five weeks of age. Feed consumption decreases sharply and growth is retarded. When infectious bronchitis occurs in a laying flock, production usually drops to near zero with a few days. Four weeks or more may be required before the flock returns to production. Some flocks never regain an economical rate of lay. During an outbreak, small, soft-shelled, irregular-shaped eggs are produced. Infectious bronchitis is difficult to differentiate from many of the other respiratory diseases. For this reason, a definite diagnosis usually requires a laboratory analysis. Infectious bronchitis is highly contagious and does not always respect sanitary barriers. Vaccinate chickens being retained as layers. Whether broilers should be vaccinated depends upon many factors and is an individual decision. Numerous vaccines are available commercially. Most of them represent a modified or selected strain of the infectious bronchitis virus. The vaccine used should contain virus known to be present in the area. All vaccines contain live virus and those that give the best protection are also capable of producing symptoms and reducing egg production. The vaccine virus will spread to other susceptible birds. Vaccine is usually added to the drinking water, but may be dropped into the eye or nostril or used as a spray. There is no treatment for this disease. In young chickens it is helpful to increase the brooder temperature and provide as nearly ideal environmental conditions as possible. Quail Bronchitis Quail bronchitis is a contagious, highly fatal disease in young bobwhite quail. The virus causing this disease also infects chickens and turkey. This agent is also known as a CELO (Chick Embryo Lethal Organism) virus. It has been isolated from chicken eggs but does not produce a recognizable disease in chickens or turkeys. This agent may play a part in respiratory diseases and in infertility problems, but its importance must be established by additional research. It is important because it is one of the agents that may be isolated from birds with respiratory symptoms and is difficult to separate from other agents such as infectious bronchitis virus. Lymphoid Leukosis Characteristically, lymphoid leukosis is a disease of adult chickens; however, the disease appears to be increasing in importance for turkeys and game birds. Although the virus of lymphoid leukosis can produce various responses (blood, bone, lymph), the lymphoid tumor response is the most common. The disease is transmitted in a variety of ways. The causative viral agent is passed out of the body of infected birds via eggs and feces. The virus may be transmitted mechanically from infected birds to susceptibles by blood-sucking parasites or by man in such procedures as fowl pox vaccination. Lymphoid leukosis characteristically produces lymphoid tumors, particularly in the liver and spleen. The tumors may also affect other visceral organs such as ovary and lungs. Affected birds may die without preliminary symptoms, but the disease usually is chronic in nature and affected birds show loss of appetite, progressive emaciation and diarrhea. Clinically affected birds invariably die. Losses due to the disease are most severe shortly after onset of egg production, but losses will continue for as long as the flock is retained. Total loss may approach twenty percent during the life of a flock. Clinical diagnosis of lymphoid leukosis is based upon flock history and disease manifestations. The lymphoid disease cannot be readily distinguished from the visceral response to Marek's disease; however, there are some features that aid in differential diagnosis. There is no treatment for lymphoid leukosis. Although the disease cannot be prevented completely, there are certain steps that can be taken to help control the level of infection within a flock. Some steps are: Buy resistant strains of birds since genetic resistance is a deterrent, Brood in isolation and do not mix birds of different ages, especially through six weeks of age, Keep the incubator clean and disinfected, Control blood-sucking parasites, Good care, limiting stress, and adequate ration will be of benefit. Marek's Disease (Visceral Leukosis) Marek's disease is characteristically a disease of young chickens but older birds can also be affected. In contrast to the lymphoid leukosis tumor response, Marek's disease may be observed in more diverse locations. Marek's disease is caused by a virus belonging to the Herpes virus group. Much is known about the transmission of the virus; however, it appears that the virus is concentrated in the feather follicles and shed in the dander (sloughed skin and feather cells). The virus has a long survival time in dander since viable virus can be isolated from houses that have been depopulated for many months. The usual mode of transmission is by aerosols containing infected dander and dust. Young birds are most susceptible to infection by Marek's disease; however, since the incubation period is short, clinical symptoms can appear much earlier than in the case with lymphoid leukosis. Marek's disease may produce a variety of clinical responses, all lymphoid in character. These are acute visceral, neural, ocular, skin or combinations of the responses that can be seen. Marek's of the visceral type is characterized by widespread involvement with lesions commonly seen in gonads, liver, spleen, kidney and occasionally heart, lungs and muscles. The disease is often acute, with apparently healthy birds dying very rapidly with massive internal tumors. The disease may appear in broiler-age birds but the most severe losses occur in replacement pullet flocks prior to onset of egg production. The neural type of Marek's is typified by progressive paralysis of the wings, legs and neck. Loss of body weight, anemia, labored respiration and diarrhea are common symptom. If lesions are present, they are confined to the nerve trunks and plexes enervating the paralyzed extremities. Frequently no gross lesions can be observed. Ocular (eye) leukosis or "gray-eye" is usually seen in early maturity. Morbidity and mortality are usually low but may approach twenty-five percent in some flocks. It is characterized by the spotty depigmentation or diffuse graying of the iris in the eye. The pupil develops an irregular shape and fails to react to light. Emaciation diarrhea and death follow. Skin leukosis produces the most severe losses in broilers. The losses result from high condemnations at the processing plant. Enlargement of the feather follicles due to accumulations of lymphocytes is the typical lesion. This is the most infective virus since it is produced in the regions of the feather follicles and is shed with the skin dander. Acute Marek's disease can be extremely rapid in its course, producing mortality in apparently healthy birds. However, in some cases the lesions may regress and clinically affected birds may make complete recoveries. Diagnosis is based upon flock history and disease manifestations. Accurate diagnosis may depend on results of laboratory procedures. As is the case with lymphoid leukosis, there is no treatment for Marek's disease. A vaccine is available that is extremely effective (90% +) in the prevention of Marek's disease. It is administered to day-old chickens as a subcutaneous injection while the birds are in the hatchery. Use of the vaccine requires strict accordance with manufacturer's recommendations in a sterile environment. Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro) Infectious bursal disease is an acute, highly contagious viral disease of young chickens. It is most often found in highly concentrated poultry producing areas. It causes marked morbidity and mortality in affected flocks. Although the disease causes severe losses, its affect on reducing the bird's ability to develop immunity to other diseases may be the most serious effect produced by this disease. The transmission or spread of the disease can occur by direct contact (bird to bird), contaminated litter and feces, caretaker, contaminated air, equipment, feed, servicemen and possible insects and wild birds. It is extremely contagious. Birds have ruffled feathers, a slight tremor at onset of the disease, strained defecation, loss of appetite and are dehydrated. Affected birds have a tendency to sit and when forced to move, have an unsteady gait. Vent picking is common and a whitish diarrhea frequently develops. A sudden rise in body temperature is followed by a drop to subnormal temperature, prostration and death. Birds surviving the initial infection will recover rapidly within two weeks. Postmortem lesions include dehydration and changes in the bursa, skeletal muscle, liver and kidneys. All affected birds have bursal changes characterized by swelling, change in shape (oblong), color (pink, yellow, red, black) and the formation of a gelatinous film around the bursa. Within a few days the bursa shrinks to half its normal size or smaller. Diagnosis of infectious bursal disease is based on flock history and postmortem lesions. Laboratory procedures may be used to substantiate the diagnosis. Vaccines are available but must be carefully used. If given correctly, good immunity can be developed. There is no specific treatment for infectious bursal disease and indiscriminate medication with certain drugs may severely aggravate mortality. Supportive measures such as increasing heat, ventilation and water consumption are beneficial. .......#source http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disviral.htm

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DISEASES IN POULTRY AND THEIR TREATMENT

Thanks for stopping by, in my previous posts I talked about preventing these diseases but as humans we can't be perfect, even with the modern antibiotics and the premixed medicated poultry rations the fowls still get sick. Some certain measures can be used to treat these diseases, but before we can treat them we have to first identity by the symptoms that the fowl shows. Among the actual diseases that infect domestic fowls, DIARRHEA is the most common. The SYMPTOMS are white or greenish loose droppings and they are mostly caused by cold, dampness, dirty surroundings and unclean food. We can treat it by Isolating the patient in warm, dry quarters and give her potassium permanganate solution to drink. Another disease is the FOWL CHOLERA, it is an infectious disease which is very chronic, it is a bacterial disease caused by a bacterium called PASTEURELLA MULTOCIDA, most times its first detected by a sudden and unexpected death, other symptoms are anorexia, ruffled feathers, oral and nasal mucus discharge, coughing, loss of appetite, cyanosis and white or greenish watery mucoid diarrhoea. Many antibiotics and sulfonamides could lower death rate, but at discontinuation of the treatment, the disease could recur. Sulfonamides are appropriate for treatment, but they inhibit egg-laying. Another disease is TUBERCULOSIS also known as avian tuberculosis its an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM. Avian tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease characterized by the formation of granulomatous lesions in viscera, a progressive weight loss and death. It is usually encountered sporadically in birds reared in small yards, zoos and is a problem among caged, tubercles (gross and histological appearance) exotic birds. The diagnosis is based upon the complex evaluation of history, persisting lethality in adult flocks and the pathoanatomical findings. a (Hjarre's disease), pullorum disease etc. The treatment is not advised, as the disease is contagious for man. COCCIDIOSIS is another disease, also caused by an unhealthy environment, symptoms of coccidiosis in chickens include droopiness and listlessness, loss of appetite, loss of yellow color in shanks, pale combs and wattles, ruffled, unthrifty feathers, huddling or acting chilled, blood or mucus in the feces, diarrhea, dehydration, and even death. Other signs include poor feed digestion, poor weight gain and poor feed efficiency. When one chicken is diagnosed with cocci, the entire flock must be treated. Treat your flock with liquid amprolium (brand name Corid) by adding it in their water for 4 days. AFTER the treatment for cocci is completed, particularly when using amprolium, a vitamin supplement should be given to replace the Vitamin B1 lost during treatment.

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HOW TO PREVENT POULTRY BIRDS FROM DISEASES

THE ravages of disease add considerably to the difficulties of raising poultry birds in all parts of the world. It is the experience of poultry rearers that an annual toll has to be paid in the lives of young birds and older stock. Sooner or later, in addition, an epi- demic may break out and result in heavy losses and much discouragement. It is most important, therefore, to be able to recognize the symptoms and to know the causes of the many diseases to which vari- ous kinds of poultry are subject, by that we can be able to prevent the disease. Every practical effort should be made to reduce avoidable mortality. Practical experience and scientific in- vestigation have clearly proved that pre- ventive measures are more economical and effective than curative. Failing preven- tion, everything points to the importance of dealing promptly with the first cases, owing to the risk of infection of the rest of the stock. Control measures may be divided into three classes : 1. Proper housing and feeding of fowls. 2. General sanitation and disinfection. 3. Administration of medicine to sick birds. The details to which special attention must be given are covered by the following rules : 1. Isolate birds recently purchased — ^for two or three weeks. 2. Isolate every bird that shows any sign of ill health. 3. Provide a fresh and pure supply of water in a shady position. 4. Add Epsom salts (one teaspoonful to a quart) once a week to the drinking water. Give chickens daily a liberal supply of bran in addition to their other food. 5. Feed birds on a varied diet, including green food. 6. Arrange that birds have to scratch for some of their food. 7. Construct houses, nest boxes, etc., so that they can be readily and thoroughly disinfected. Houses should be free from drafts. 8. Disinfect contaminated soil by spraying, liming, and resting. 9. Visit the roosts at night to detect cases of wheezing due to colds, and to search for mites and other pests. 10. Keep on hand disinfectants, lice powders and medicines likely to be required. 11. Regular and thorough disinfection of woodwork, of feeding vessels, and of the drinking water should form part of the routine of poultry management Keep to all these preventive measures and I assure you a disease free poultry.

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