Title:
Duck Virus Enteritis (DVE) in a Captive Waterfowl Flock in Michigan
Title:
Wildlife Division Report No. 2865
Collection Number:
RG 2019-30
Scope and Content:
The first diagnosis of duck virus enteritis (DVE) in the United States occurred in 1967 in a commercial duck flock on Long Island, New York. Since 1967, DVE has occurred sporadically in captive waterfowl in New York, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington. D.C ., and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Quebec. The most important unknown fact about all of the DVE outbreaks was the source of infection. On June 1, 1979 a Muscovy duck died at Mrs. Harold Nelson's home near Potterville in southern Michigan. Twenty-three Muscovy ducks had died by June 12, and at this time two dead Muscovys were taken to the Michigan State University Veterinary School Diagnostic Laboratory for necropsy. The gross necropsy findings were highly suspect for duck virus enteritis, with necrotic annular bands in the small intestine and a diphtheritic membrane in the esophagus. On June 13 the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) were notified of a possible DVE outbreak. A thorough investigation, quarantine and decontamination of the flocks on the Nelson's property ensued. Based on the limited results to date, it appears that the virus involved in the Potterville die-off was a duck plague strain highly specific for Muscovy ducks, with a specific mortality rate of 95% (54 of 57 Muscovys).
Division:
Wildlife Division
Agency:
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Surveyor:
Stephen M. Schmitt, Thomas M. Cooley
Language:
english
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
reports
Digital Origin:
reformatted digital
Subject:
wildlife health
Subject:
diseases
Subject:
Muscovy duck
Subject:
Eaton County
Subject:
Duck Virus Enteritis
Subject:
waterfowl
Subject:
birds
Date Created:
1980-08
Use Restrictions:
Please contact the Archives of Michigan for permission to publish.
Access Restrictions:
Records are open to the public.
