. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/913 
16 March 2009 
 (09-1301) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NEWCASTLE DISEASE 
 
Statement at the Meeting of 25-26 February 2009
 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 25 Fe bruary 2009, is being circulated at the 
request of the Delegation of Belize . 
 
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1. Belize reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on 21 November 2008 an 
outbreak of virulent Newcastle disease (vND) in co mmercial poultry in the Cayo District.  The report 
was initially based on real time reverse transcrip tase polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) positive 
results for vND virus from an OIE reference laborat ory, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory 
(NVSL) in the United States.  NVSL later conf irmed the disease through virus isolation, gene 
sequencing, and intracerebral pathoge nicity index (ICPI).  Belize virus isolates showed an amino acid 
sequence at the fusion protein cleavage site that was consistent with vND virus.  Approximately 1000 
base pair (bp) piece of the matrix and fusion gen es were sequenced and the sequence showed 96.6 per 
cent similarity to Pet bird/CA/169302/02 and other viruses isolated from California, United States 
during the 2002/2003 outbreak of vND.  The Belize isolate was shown to be a genotype 5 ND virus 
and the ICPI was 1.6875. The United States Depart ment of Agriculture (USDA) is conducting 
pathogenesis and transmission studies.  All samp les submitted to the national and reference 
laboratories are tested for avian influenza virus with negative results to date. 
2. Depopulation and decontamination, along with m ovement restrictions, were implemented, 
and the disease was controlled in the commercial pou ltry sector.  However, there was subsequent 
spread of the vND virus to backya rd poultry in the Cayo District and the districts of Belize, Stann 
Creek and Toledo.  The disease has not been reported to date in the northern districts of Corozal and 
Orange Walk.  When the disease was detected in  backyard poultry, the disease was considered 
endemic given the large number of infected  communities in the affected districts.  
3. While the disease has zoonotic potential, our e xperience has been the rare occurrence of a 
mild conjunctivitis in people directly involv ed with a large number of infected poultry. 
4. The source of the virus has not been determined.  It is believed that the extensive floods in the 
Cayo and Belize Districts caused by Tropical Depression 16 may be a causal factor.  Flash floods swept through many communities including the index community, killing many birds in their wake.  
The index farm obtained water from the flooded river and it was observed that only the farms in the 
affected area that sourced water from the flooded rive r were initially infected.  Subsequently, spread 
was due to farms being adjacent to one another (thus movement by fomite, mechanical vectors). 
5. The control measures include depopulation an d decontamination of infected premises, 
movement restrictions, compulsory vaccination with  B1 live virus strains and public awareness 
campaigns.  The Ministry of Agriculture, along with  the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, is G/SPS/GEN/913 
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  conducting a country-wide vaccination campaign in back yard poultry using eye drop applications of a 
B1 live virus strain.  This vaccine is being used  in backyard poultry because there are 150 doses per 
vial.  The plan is to control the disease through re peat vaccinations every three months and after being 
able to show the absence of circulating vND viru s, to obtain disease free recognition with vaccination. 
6. Belize received valuable support from the inte rnational community.  The USDA is assisting 
with the diagnosis of the disease.  The Internati onal Regional Organization for Agricultural Health 
(OIRSA) is assisting with the backyard vaccina tion campaign and the Inter-American Institute for 
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is bringing a Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA) 
consultant to assist in the evaluation and eradication of the disease. 
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