Pacheco's disease Pacheco's disease Pacheco's disease is an acute and often lethal infectious disease in psittacine birds. The disease is caused by a species of herpesvirus, Psittacid alphaherpesvirus 1 (PsHV-1), which consists of four genotypes. Birds which do not succumb to Pacheco's disease after infection with the virus become asymptomatic carriers that act as reservoirs of the infection. These persistently infected birds, often Macaws, Amazon parrots and some species of conures, shed the virus in feces and in respiratory and oral secretions. Outbreaks can occur when stress causes healthy birds who carry the virus to shed it. Birds generally become infected after
Derzsy's disease Derzsy's disease Derzsy's disease is caused by Anseriform dependoparvovirus 1, in the "Parvoviridae" family. It affects geese and Muscovy ducks. The virus is shed in the faeces and thus transmission is horizontal, via the direct faecal-oral route and also indirectly via fomites. Vertical transmission is also possible. Clinical disease only occurs in young geese and ducks between birth and 4–5 weeks of age. Several genotypes have been described. The genotype is based upon the sequence of the VP3 protein. Acute disease leads to death in most birds between the ages of 7–10 days. Clinical signs are quite limited in those