Virulent Newcastle disease

Newcastle disease was first identified in Java, Indonesia, in 1926, and in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in 1927. However, it may have been prevalent as early as 1898, when a disease wiped out all the domestic fowl in northwest Scotland.[6]

The policy of slaughter ceased in England and Wales on 31 March 1963, except for the peracute form of Newcastle disease and for fowl plague. In Scotland the slaughter policy continued for all types of fowl pest.[7]

Interest in the use of NDV as an anticancer agent has arisen from the ability of NDV to selectively kill human tumour cells with limited toxicity to normal cells.[8][9]

Since May 2018, California Department of Food and Agriculture staff and the United States Department of Agriculture have been working on eliminating VND in South California and more than 400 birds have been confirmed to have VND.[10][11] On February 27, 2019, the California state veterinarian, Annette Jones, increased the quarantine area in Southern California and on March 15, 2019 and April 5, 2019, cases of VND in Northern California and Arizona respectively.[12]

The causal agent, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), is a variant of avian orthoavulavirus 1, a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. NDV belongs to the subfamily Avulavirinae, which infect birds. Transmission occurs by exposure to faecal and other excretions from infected birds, and through contact with contaminated food, water, equipment, and clothing.

NDV is spread primarily through direct contact between healthy birds and the bodily discharges of infected birds. The disease is transmitted through infected birds' droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth, and eyes. NDV spreads rapidly among birds kept in confinement, such as commercially raised chickens.

High concentrations of the NDV are found in birds' bodily discharges; therefore, the disease can be spread easily by mechanical means. Virus-bearing material can be picked up on shoes and clothing and carried from an infected flock to a healthy one.

NDV can survive for several weeks in a warm and humid environment on birds' feathers, manure, and other materials. It can survive indefinitely in frozen material. However, the virus is destroyed rapidly by dehydration and by the ultraviolet rays in sunlight. Smuggled pet birds, especially Amazon parrots from Latin America, pose a great risk of introducing NDV into the US. Amazon parrots are carriers of the disease, but do not show symptoms, and are capable of shedding NDV for more than 400 days.

Any animals showing symptoms of Newcastle disease should be isolated immediately. New birds should also be vaccinated before being introduced to a flock. An inactivated viral vaccine is available, as well as various combination vaccines.[3][14][15] A thermotolerant vaccine is available for controlling Newcastle disease in underdeveloped countries.[16] Schiappacasse et al 2020 demonstrates successful, complete inactivation of the virus in a space using a nonthermal plasma generator.[17]

Though the oncolytic effect of NDV was documented already in the 1950s, later advances in research into using viruses in cancer therapy came with the advent of reverse genetics technologies.[18] Later on it was Csatary LK and his colleagues to document anti-cancer effects in patients with brain gliomas.[19][20]

One of the main issues using NDV would be the host/patient immune response against the virus itself, which prior to the time of the reverse genetics technology, decreased the potential applicability of NDV as a cancer treatment.[18][21]

As of 2018 there had been several clinical studies into the use of NDV for cancer treatment, but the research quality was low and the outcomes inconclusive.[22]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newcastle disease virus.

• Current status of Newcastle disease worldwide at OIE. WAHID Interface - OIE World Animal Health Information Database
• Disease card
• Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK
• Newcastle Disease, Iowa State University, Center for Food Security and Public Health
• Newcastle Disease in Poultry, Merck Veterinary Manual
• Species Profile—Virulent Newcastle Disease, National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library. Lists general information and resources for Exotic Newcastle Disease.