Object Type: Folder
In Folder: RG 2019-30 Wildlife Division Reports, 1937-2017
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).
