RALEIGH, N.C. (May 21) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commissioners voted at their May 14 meeting to require disease testing of commercially raised waterfowl intended for release into the wild. Specific testing requirements will become part of the Commission’s rules during the 2004 regulations cycle and will, if given final approval by the Commission, become effective July 1, 2005.

Breeders and importers of pen-raised mallards, and other domestically raised waterfowl to be released into the wild, must demonstrate that their flocks are free from avian influenza and exotic Newcastle disease before they can import or release birds in North Carolina.

“Protection of wildlife resources is our primary mission,” said Dick Hamilton, deputy director of the wildlife commission. “These two diseases are highly contagious to waterfowl and could imperil our wild flocks. We want to take precautions to ensure the health of wild ducks and geese.”

Only a portion of a domestically raised flock needs to be tested, according to flock size and other factors. Testing is a two-part process, starting with collection of blood samples from the test portion of the flock. If the blood samples are negative, the flock is given a clean bill of health. If samples from a flock are positive for avian influenza or exotic Newcastle disease, additional virus isolation tests must be conducted. No importation permit or propagation license will be issued until all virus isolation tests are negative for avian influenza and exotic Newcastle disease.

The Commission also is concerned about duck virus enteritis. This disease is also highly contagious in waterfowl and can have a high mortality rate in both wild and penned flocks. Although the Commission does not require testing for duck virus enteritis at this time, biologists and other staff will continue to explore issues related to testing for this disease.

Avian influenza is a viral infection of wild birds. The symptoms vary from a mild disease with little or no mortality to a highly fatal, rapidly spreading epidemic depending on the infecting virus strain, host factors and environmental stressors. Waterfowl act as a reservoir of avian influenza virus by carrying the virus in their intestinal tracts and shedding it in their feces. More avian influenza viruses have been isolated from ducks than any other species. Viruses that cause no obvious disease in waterfowl can quickly kill domestic poultry.

Exotic Newcastle disease infects both domestic and wild birds. More than 250 species of birds are susceptible to exotic Newcastle disease virus, including mallards and other captive-reared game birds. Exotic Newcastle disease is highly infectious and contagious with its most dramatic impacts on poultry. Exotic Newcastle disease is so virulent that infected birds may die without showing symptoms and death rates of close to 100 percent may occur in infected poultry.