AVIAN PARAMYXOVIRUS TYPE-1 INFECTION IN HOUBARA BUSTARDS (CHLAMYDOTIS-UNDULATA-MACQUEENII) - CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS

Clinical and pathologic findings of avian paramyxovirus type 1 (PMV-1) in 19 houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii) imported fro m Pakistan into the United Arab Emirates and one captive-bred bird are reported. Clinical signs included circling, walking backward, ataxia, opisthotonos, torticollis, recumbency, head tilt, head shaking, head tremor, tucking of head under keel, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, a nd diarrhea. The length of time imported birds exhibited clinical sign s varied from 4 days to 18 mo after importation. Hemagglutinating anti bodies against PMV-1 were detected in the sera of all 17 birds from wh ich blood samples were collected, and PMV-1 was isolated from pooled b rain, spleen, and lung tissues from two birds with acute clinical sign s. There were no distinctive gross lesions at necropsy, and histologic findings were consistent with but not pathognomonic for PMV-1. All ho ubara bustards managed in a captive breeding and restoration program e stablished by the National Avian Research Center have been vaccinated against PMV-1 since October 1992, and no case of PMV-1 has been report ed in this collection since that time.