Introduction

Goose Parvovirus is a highly contagious condition of geese and young Muscovy ducks. The younger the bird affected the more acute the condition and the higher the mortality. Losses are negligible in birds over 5 weeks of age.

Derzsy's Disease is caused by a parvovirus distinct from chicken and mammalian parvoviruses. The amount of maternal antibody passed from the breeding birds will affect the severity and timing and severity of the condition in the young birds. Vertical transmission resulting in congenital infection may occur.

Signs

• Prostration and death in acutely affected goslings.
• Reduced feed intake.
• Excessive water intake.
• Swollen eyelids and eye and nasal discharge.
• Profuse white diarrhoea.
• Membrane covering tongue.
• Loss of down.
• Reddening of skin.

Post-mortem lesions

• Pale myocardium.
• Swelling and congestion of liver, spleen and pancreas.
• Fibrinous pericarditis.
• Fibrinous perihepatitis.
• Ascites.

Diagnosis

Signs and lesions in birds of the appropriate age and species.

Treatment

No specific treatment. Antimicrobials may be of value in reducing the effects of secondary bacterial infections.

Prevention

Hatching and brooding geese from different parent flocks together should be avoided. Ideally flocks that have suffered the disease should not be used for breeding as they may become persistent excreters of the infection.

Administration of immune serum has been shown to be effective but may require two doses (day old and around 3 weeks). The preferred approach is to immunise breeding birds with an attenuated live vaccine.