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
Hemochromatosis type 4 Hemochromatosis type 4 Hemochromatosis type 4, also known as ferroportin disease, is a hereditary iron overload disorder that affects ferroportin, an iron transport protein needed to export iron from cells into circulation. Although the disease is rare, it is found throughout the world and affects people from various ethnic groups. While the majority of individuals with type 4 hemochromatosis have a relatively mild form of the disease, some affected individuals have a more severe form. As the disease progresses, iron may accumulate in the tissues of affected individuals over time, potentially resulting in organ damage. Symptoms vary greatly between individuals