Description
Duck virus enteritis (DVE) is a herpesvirus disease that affects waterfowl in North America. This disease is sometimes known as duck plague. There have been a few outbreaks in the U.S., including one in 1973 that resulted in the death of 40,000 ducks and geese.
Transmission
Transmission of DVE primarily occurs through contact with other infected birds. The virus can also be present in the environment through the fecal or oral discharge of infected birds. DVE tends to stay in moist environments particularly well. Waterfowl that survive the virus may become carriers that can transmit the virus to others for the rest of their life.
Clinical Signs
Waterfowl that have DVE do not express any prolonged illness. They often appear healthy one day and are dead the next. Many symptoms of DVE are behavioral and include the loss of fear of humans and a reluctance to fly. The birds will often have a series of convulsions immediately before death. Sometimes birds with DVE will have a blood-stained vent or bloody discharge from their mouth or nares. Internally, DVE can cause hemorrhages on the heart and intestines, liver necrosis, and/or raised yellow plaque in the esophagus. Chronic carriers of the virus may have a characteristic scab-covered ulceration under their tongue.
Wildlife Management Implications
Past outbreaks of DVE have resulted in very high numbers of mortalities. DVE has occurred in every category of waterfowl, including domestic, commercial, migratory, and nonmigratory waterfowl. The best way to control DVE is to minimize the amount of virus in the environment and to contain outbreaks of DVE in domestic populations so that it does not spread to other domestic birds or to wild waterfowl.
Human Health Significance
There are no known human health risks of DVE.