Dr George Arzey from the NSW DPI will inspect the site prior to release from quarantine.

General information on paramyxovirus in pigeons outside Australia
The first signs are usually increased thirst and diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and reluctance to move and fly.
Nervous signs may develop early (before diarrhoea), and include: trembling of the wings and head, tumbling on landing, partial paralysis of the wings and legs and twisting of the neck (torticollis). In some cases, birds attempting to feed may be unable to pick up grain.
The majority of pigeons in a loft may show signs of the disease and a proportion of these may die. Those recovering from the disease may be left with some nervous signs. Others may have their racing ability affected.
Similar symptoms are produced by other pigeon diseases e.g. herpes virus, salmonella, and poisons.
Factors which can lead to spread of disease include:
Contact with infected birds (including strays or feral birds),
Contact with contaminated travelling boxes or transporters that have not been cleaned and disinfected,
Shared drinking water in lofts and transporters, and
Virus carried on the clothes, hands and feet of loft visitors.
What to do if your birds are sick
Anyone concerned about the health of their pigeons or birds should contact their veterinarian. The Department of Primary Industries will pay for testing at the laboratory.
Report suspicion of disease to the Technical Specialist Poultry on 02 4640 6402 or by phoning the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Keep all birds confined and do not sell or move birds to another flock until laboratory test results are available.
If disease is confirmed the premises will be quarantined and all bird movement restricted until animal health authorities are confident that the flock no longer poses a risk of infection.
Biosecurity recommendations for pigeon fanciers
The main tools currently available to reduce the risk of spread to other lofts are good biosecurity and minimising contact with other flocks or birds. Until the situation in Victoria is clarified avoid trading, racing and showing. Introductions of new pigeons to existing loft should be avoided if possible.
Protect your flock by:
Not taking birds to shows, fairs or race meets,
Not trading or introducing new birds,
Isolating and closely monitoring introduced birds or birds that have been to races or shows for 14 days (feed and water these isolated birds last and wash and change afterwards)
Disinfecting equipment used to house, transport of feed or water birds from outside your flock or birds that have travelled to shows,
Removing stray birds from your loft,
Avoiding visitors to your loft,
Disinfecting boots and washing hand and clothes if you visit other lofts.
Several vaccines are registered to protect poultry against Avian Paramyxovirus and your veterinarian may prescribe vaccine to protect your pigeons. It is not known how effective these vaccines will be against the strain of virus currently causing disease in Australian pigeons.

A new bird, believed to have originated from Victoria, was introduced to the loft on 27 April 2012.

Two out of ten birds in the area housing the new bird became sick on 29 April and died. A sick bird was presented to a veterinarian on 30 April.

Cloacal and tracheal swabs were submitted for PPMV1 exclusion.

Paramyxovirus infection was confirmed at EMAI late on 2 May 2012 (Please note this does not mean that PPMV1 has been confirmed. Only that a Paramyxovirus was detected).

The infected flock has been quarantined and tracing is underway to confirm the origin of the introduced bird and identify any other at risk flocks.

No further mortality is evident in the loft

No birds from the infected flock have been flown for some time.

No participation in shows etc is suspected.

Samples have been forwarded to AAHL for further confirmation and characterisation of the virus.
As stressed earlier to the Vics, Stay Safe!!!

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Bob’s letter:

I write on behalf of the Australian National Pigeon Association to express our disappointment at DPI’s termination of the bans in Victoria. At the previous ban extension we were consulted, the cessation of the ban at March 25th came only as a directive of the DPI without opinion from fanciers, nationally, of racing and exhibition pigeons. It appears that DPI has been lobbied by an apparent majority of Victorian fanciers only; nationally there is a greater majority that is/was against the lifting of the ban.

DPI Victoria has conceded that PMV1 is now endemic to the Greater Melbourne Metro region, and that the ‘pigeon industry’ in Victoria might resume ‘normal activities’. DPI has recommended that ‘congregations’ of pigeons be conducted with vaccinated birds only, we are disappointed more-so that the ban was lifted prior to completion of the controlled vaccine trial. While the controlled trial is testing two protocols, the Victorian fanciers have access to only one protocol. It would appear that the DPI is using these fanciers in an ‘uncontrolled trial’ to assess the impact on spread of the virus. While movement of pigeons out of Victoria (vaccinated or not) is prohibited, free-flying pigeons will in time cross those borders. Has the DPI conceded that PMV will be endemic nationally?

We request that the DPI PMV Situation Reports be continued, beginning with an update since issue of the last report and then again on a weekly basis. There must be transparency to fanciers nationally of the impacts of relaxation of the ban and of the effectiveness of this vaccination strategy. In the interest of individual’s bio-security, locations of new infections should be publicized.

Dr Cameron’s reply:

Thank you for your comments about the expiry of the ban on pigeon gatherings in Victoria.

The temporary ban was implemented in September 2011 with the support of both pigeon racing and showing peak bodies for a period of three months. This was extended for a further three months, ceasing on 25 March 2012. The prohibition was put in place to reduce the mixing of avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV1) infected pigeons with naïve pigeon populations and thereby reduce the spread of disease, and to determine the scope and long term ability to contain the disease. Due to the actions of the majority of pigeon owners in implementing good biosecurity practices and through adhering to the ban, the disease appears to have been confined to the Greater Metropolitan Melbourne area, where unfortunately infection is now endemic in feral pigeons.

The national Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease (CCEAD) convened a group of experts to assess the information available about the safety and efficacy of Newcastle disease vaccine in inducing immunity to PMV1 in pigeons; their advice is that such vaccination will provide protection, and that people with pigeons at risk of exposure should vaccinate their birds. With such a vaccine, owners of pigeons have the ability to protect their birds against development of clinical disease, and to mix them with other birds in situations such as races and shows. DPI has met with the pigeon peak bodies to discuss the vaccine and strongly recommends that any industry sponsored pigeon gatherings be confined to vaccinated pigeons.

Clearly there is a need at some point in time for normal activities to resume for Victoria’s pigeon industry. In consultation with the Victorian pigeon industry, DPI considered that time to be when the ban ceased on 25 March 2012, given availability of vaccine.

With the above factors in mind, and the now endemic nature of PMV1 over a significant area of Victoria both in domestic and feral pigeons, it is time for pigeon owners in Victoria to manage their individual risks through biosecurity practices to keep the virus out of their loft, and with vaccination to protect their loft should the former prove inadequate. In my view, vaccination offers the prospect a return to some of the normal aggregation activities involving pigeons. Other jurisdictions are likely to maintain restrictions on movement of Victorian pigeons: these restrictions may be revised in time and in view of the overall epidemiological situation.

This approach has met with agreement of the Victorian pigeon industry who are exploring options for returning to some degree of normalcy whilst adequately mitigating the risk to pigeon owners.

Routine situation reports will no longer be issued. However, should there be a significant change in the situation (for example, extension in known range of the disease beyond Metropolitan Melbourne) a situation report will be provided.

Notes from Michael Spadoni, particular to Victorian Fanciers.

The vaccine being trialled now is & has been available in Australia for a long time, but it is the chook specific PMV1 (Newcastle) this is a killed La Sota vaccine that is injected. This Vaccine WILL work, even if it was to only work 80% you are a mile ahead than no vaccine. The injected chook vaccine has been used in Canada for many years, but 2 doses are initially required, then annual boosters.
I would recommend to Victorians to begin vaccinating with this vaccine. Do not hang your hat on waiting for the Pigeon specific PMV1 vaccine or results of the trial, your birds might be exposed to the virus at any time.
I have also just got off the phone with Walker’s Vet Clinic, they currently only have the 500ml (1,000 dose) vials & $190, express postage is $27 as it has to be packed with ice. Manufacturers recommendation is once opened it must be used within 24hrs?!! I asked about the smaller vials & they are not supplied, keep in mind that chook flock size must be 1,000 birds before vaccination is legally required.
My suggestion is we need to get groups together to buy & share the vial then repeat the procedure 4 weeks later.

Report by Doug McClary on the meeting at Melbourne on Tuesday 13th March 2012 called by the Victorian Homing Association.

Geoff Nelson and I attended to represent the showing side. The meeting was chaired by Stephen Kearsey and was attended by the Chief Veterinary Officer for Victoria Dr Andrew Cameron and Dr Iain McLaren of the Victorian DPI. Also present were representatives from most racing organisations in Victoria.
Dr Cameron accepted that the PMV seems endemic because of its present in the feral pigeon population. He agreed with Stephen Kearsey that there was no prospect of a pigeon vaccine being accepted into Australia and this was also as the result of a meeting in Canberra between Stephen, Dr Colin Walker and AQIS which proved to be encouraging for reasons about to be discussed.
The Colombovac pigeon vaccine is virtually the same as the poultry vaccine in Australia manufactured by Pfizer but the Australian standards were much higher. Figures were presented that for the pigeon vaccine to reach the Australian standards there would need to be an investment of 400,000 Euros – something which could not be considered.
As this was a meeting of mainly racing enthusiasts, it was obvious that those present wanted the lockdown to end as soon as possible and just about every man present had already commenced a vaccination programme. I told the meeting that showing enthusiasts, especially in other States, wanted the lockdown to continue beyond March 27th. I received no support for this but I felt that our reasons were understood.
The meeting was mainly a question and answer format with many points being covered by Stephen Kearsey, Colin Walker and Dr Cameron. I asked if the chances of the Nobivac application being any more successful and the reply was in the negative for the same reasons for the refusal of the Pfizer and Colombovac one. I stated that pigeon fanciers required smaller dosage and quoted Gary Williams with his fifty birds and was told that this would be put to Pfizer and a request made. This will answer questions posed by Gary and by Robert Hart of Tasmania.
Two jabs of vaccine will be required for the first vaccination only, and thereafter, birds will require only a booster shot annually.

Vaccine Trial
After the departure of Dr Cameron and the DPI representative, Stephen Kearsey outlined the reasons for a full trial of the Newcastle Disease vaccine. Details of this will appear more fully on the VHA website but suffice to say that Colin Walker is conducting a most comprehensive testing at his lofts over a period of 83 days. The Consultative Committee for Emergency Animal Disease (CCEAD) has provided the testing protocol together with full requirements of the testing protocol, vaccines and diagnostic testing and evaluation.
However, this is likely to be a most expensive procedure bearing in mind the blood and sample testing required and various professional inputs. Dr Walker stated that as a pigeon fancier he would give freely of his own time but involvement of other members of his practice would have to be paid for. By negotiating on the prices for testing, it is possible that the entire programme can be completed for somewhere in the region of $15,000.00. The Government were not prepared to fund this and the burden is falling on Victorian racing fanciers. It was suggested that a levy on each member will have to be imposed in the region of $20.
I pointed out that this seemed unfair for Victorians to have to take on the cost but there seemed no other feasible course at this stage. However, Stephen Kearsey will approach racing organisations in other States. Dr Walker will also be approaching Pfizer to invite them to pay, in which case they would ‘own’ the results and then be in position to claim that their vaccine is for poultry and also for pigeons (not off-label poultry as at present) and at that stage they would prepare the vaccine in smaller quantities. It follows that if they agree to this funding – which in manufacturing and testing terms is very, very cheap, there will be no need for fund raising.
Stephen Kearsey and Dr Walker were firmly of the opinion that the trial needed to work as it was our only chance of being able to resume pigeon showing and racing. If it works, it will enable the future to be gained but if it fails and it shows that the poultry vaccine is inefficient for needs, we are in deep trouble and Australia might need to resort to the production of its own manufacture but this would be a matter of much delay. If the tests provide that there is protection sufficient, then racing programmes could be devised within Victoria to commence in June/July.
It was agreed from the floor unanimously that the trial be commenced immediately and that the initial funding would be met from the VHA. I indicated that ANPA would most likely be prepared to donate to the funding as our future showing depended on it.
I hope that this helps members to better understand the reasons for the trial and will also appreciate the input of Stephen Kearsey and Dr Colin Walker, with the latter prominent in the correct testing procedures as directed by the CCEAD and Dr Peter Scott there.
The VHA website is as follows: www.vha.asn.au

http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecuritysa/animalhealth/animal_health/pigeon_pa

ramyxovirus
h. Introductions from infected states i.e. Victoria will not be allowed except under exceptional circumstances requiring CVO approval.
i. Information has been provided to veterinarians, industry and the public about the incident, to increase awareness and provide information about what to
look out for, who to contact and measures that can be undertaken to limit the risk to their birds.
2
j. To assist pigeon owners mitigate the risks, Biosecurity SA is promoting good biosecurity practices and movement limitation. A biosecurity factsheet for bird
owners has been distributed and is available on the PIRSA website –see Biosecurity for Bird Owners
(http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecuritysa/animalhealth/animal_health/pigeon_p aramyxovirus)
k. Suspected cases of paramyxovirus infection should be reported to Biosecurity
SA by phoning 1800 675 888.

Use of Newcastle disease poultry vaccines in pigeons to protect against
paramyxovirus
Nationally Agreed Talking Points – 29 February 2012
• We are aware that owners of pigeons are seeking protection for their birds against the outbreak of pigeon paramyxovirus in Victoria.
• There are no vaccines registered in Australia for pigeon paramyxovirus disease.
• Pigeon paramyxovirus is closely related to the virus that causes Newcastle disease.
• Vaccination with registered Newcastle disease poultry vaccines have been used by owners of pigeons in other countries with similar outbreaks of pigeon paramyxovirus disease where it has been reported to be safe when used ‘off-label’ to vaccinate pigeons.
• Registered Newcastle disease poultry vaccines are available in Australia.
• Vaccines will not treat pigeons already exposed or infected with the pigeon paramyxovirus. They should not be used as a medicine to treat sick pigeons. Once
pigeons have become infected with pigeon paramyxovirus there is no recognised treatment.
• Overseas, a single vaccination or two vaccinations (either live plus killed or two killed) have been shown to provide protection against clinical signs of pigeon paramyxovirus disease.
• Vaccinated pigeons will not be protected against infection with pigeon paramyxovirus for at least 4 weeks until after the vaccination procedure has been completed. Pigeons exposed to pigeon paramyxovirus around the time of vaccination will most likely not be protected against becoming sick with pigeon paramyxovirus disease.
• The preferred approach is to use two doses of killed vaccine a few weeks apart in healthy birds by subcutaneous injection. An annual booster is recommended for ongoing protection.
• Protection is not determined only by antibody levels following vaccination. Vaccines that do not produce high levels of haemagglutination inhibition antibodies in vaccinated pigeons can still provide some level of protection.
• Pigeon owners should approach their veterinarian to discuss the ‘off-label’ use of Newcastle disease poultry vaccines in their pigeons.
• Vaccination is no substitute for sound biosecurity measures, which must continue to be applied.
• Further information can be obtained from relevant state and territory government
officials.