Newcastle Disease (ND) 

Response Plan: The Red Book (2014)

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Purpose of Plan

• Provides responders with:

– A guiding APHIS policy document to use during an ND 

outbreak in domestic poultry.

– Current strategic guidance for control and eradication of 

ND in domestic poultry during an outbreak.

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Definitions

• Avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1) is the etiologic 

agent of ND in birds.

• APMV-1 viruses that cause ND are either virulent (vNDV) 

or low virulence (loNDV).

• In the Code of Federal Regulations, ND refers to an 

infection of poultry with vNDV.

• NDV refers to the virus in general.

– For example, when discussing environmental persistence.

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Target Audience

• Animal health emergency responders, Federal, 

State, local, and Tribal governments as well as 

industry partners.
Key Components of the Plan 

• Response Goals

• Response Strategy

• Critical Activities and Tools

• Framework for Incident Management

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ND Response Goals

• Detect, control, and contain ND in domestic poultry as 

quickly as possible.

• Eradicate ND using strategies that are designed to 

protect public health and the environment and 

stabilize animal agriculture, the food supply, and the 

economy.

• Provide science- and risk-based approaches and 

systems to facilitate continuity of business for noninfected animals and non-contaminated animal 

products. 

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ND Response Strategy

• The primary control and eradication strategy for ND 

in domestic poultry is stamping-out.

– Stamping-out is the depopulation of all clinically affected 

and in-contact susceptible poultry.

– If the spread of ND outpaces the resources for stampingout, or if other factors direct the response away from 

stamping-out alone, emergency vaccination strategies 

may be considered.

• The response strategy will be supported by a 

coordinated public awareness campaign. 
ND Response Strategy

Stamping-Out Policy

• Primary strategy for control and eradication of ND in domestic 

poultry.

• Infected birds will be depopulated in the safest, quickest, and 

most humane way possible.

• Based on the epidemiology of the outbreak, prioritizing the 

poultry to depopulate first may be necessary.

• Where resources are limited, premises will be prioritized so that 

those with the highest potential for active ND spread are 

“stamped-out” first. 

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ND Response Strategy

Coordinated Public Awareness Campaign

• Engages and leverages State-Federal-Tribal-localstakeholder relationships to provide unified public 

messages for all audiences.

• Addresses the issues and concerns relating to food safety, 

public health, and animal welfare.

• Addresses issues and concerns rated to continuity of 

business, interstate commerce, and international trade.

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Response Critical Activities and Tools 

• Surveillance

• Diagnostics (Sample Collection, Surge Capacity, and Reporting)

• Epidemiological Investigation and Tracing

• Communications

• Health and Safety and PPE 

• Biosecurity

• Quarantine and Movement Control

• Continuity of Business

• Mass Depopulation and Euthanasia 

• Disposal 

• Cleaning and Disinfection 

• Vaccination

• Appraisal and Compensation

These critical activities are covered in more detail in the FAD PReP 

Standard Operating Procedures.
Supporting FAD PReP Materials

Strategic Plans-Concept of Operations Documents

• APHIS Foreign Animal Disease Framework: 

Roles and Coordination (FAD PReP Manual 1-0)

• APHIS Foreign Animal Disease Framework: 

Response Strategies (FAD PReP Manual 2-0)

• APHIS FAD Investigation Manual (FAD PReP 

Manual 4-0)

• A Partial Listing of FAD Stakeholders 

(FAD PReP Manual 5-0)

• Incident Coordination Group Plan

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Supporting FAD PReP Materials

NAHEMS Guidelines

• Health and Safety

• PPE

• Biosecurity

• Cleaning and Disinfection

• Mass Depopulation and 

Euthanasia

• Vaccination

12
Sources

• APHIS Website

– http://www.aphis.usda.gov/fadprep

• APHIS Intranet Website

– http://inside.aphis.usda.gov/vs/em/fadprep.shtml

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