AN OUTBREAK OF PACHECOS PARROT DISEASE IN A PSITTACINE BIRD COLLECTION AND AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL IT BY VACCINATION

An outbreak of Pacheco's parrot disease (PPD) is described in a psitta cine bird collection of a municipal ornithological garden. A herpes vi rus was isolated and judged to be the causative agent from the mortali ty recorded. A formaldehyde/heat-inactivated experimental vaccine was prepared from polyethyleneglycol purified virus. The vaccine was local ly and systemically well tolerated by all birds. Seroconversion was de monstrated by neutralization tests in most of the vaccinated birds of the genera Ara, Anodorhynchus and Probosciger.