Archive Case #148: Avian Polyomavirus Disease

Clinical Clues

1. In a psittacine nursery, one clutch develops poor feathering and crop stasis before several chicks die suddenly.
2. Adult birds sharing the collection are affected far less severely.
3. Some chicks show subcutaneous bruising before death.
4. The disease primarily affects very young birds in breeding collections.
5. The syndrome is associated with a highly contagious viral infection of psittacines.
6. Avian polyomavirus disease is a serious cause of acute illness and death in young parrots.

Diagnosis

Avian Polyomavirus Disease

This case is most consistent with Avian Polyomavirus Disease because the young psittacine chicks have sudden deaths, abnormal feathering, and hemorrhagic signs in a breeding setting. The most important clues are the age susceptibility and clutch pattern, which make nutritional failure less likely.

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.