Newcastle Disease - Photo Session

Newcastle Disease
Photo Session

Clinical Description
• The bird is exhibiting mild depression with a reluctance to stand or move, typical early
signs of this infection.
• There are ruffled feathers on the dorsal neck, consistent with fever.
2 days P.I with Viscertropic
Velogenic NDV

• This bird is showing signs of mild depression.
• The feathers on the dorsal neck are ruffled, consistent with fever.
Velogenic NDV

• Depression and reduced feed and water consumption are some of the most consistent
early indicators of infection with Newcastle disease.
• Early depression typically is manifested as a reluctance to rise from sternal recumbency,
as seen here.
Velogenic NDV

• The bird is standing on its hock joints, a sign of generalized depression.
• There are ruffled feathers on the dorsal neck, consistent with fever.
Velogenic NDV

5 day P.I with Viscertropic
Velogenic NDV
• A large amount of watery diarrhea is a common finding in Newcastle.
• This diarrhea often has a greenish color, as seen here, due to the presence of bile.
• Additionally, diuresis results in an excessive amount of white urates seen in these feces.

5 day P.I with Viscertropic
Velogenic NDV
• A close-up view of the feces shows both the green bile pigment as well as the white
urates.
• This diarrhea is somewhat characteristic of Newcastle disease.

Pathologic Description
• The eyelids are swollen preventing them from fully opening.
• The eyelids are crusted with a small amount of yellow material.
• The ocular conjunctiva, visible along the lateral canthus of the eye, is injected and a
congested blood vessel is evident.
Morphologic Diagnosis
• Eyelids: Moderate acute diffuse catarrhal
blepheritis and conjunctivitis.
• Ocular signs commonly include edema of the eyelids, conjunctivitis, and ocular discharge,
all of which are visible in this photo.
Velogenic NDV

• The periocular region and eyelids are swollen and dried exudate is present on the lower
eyelid.
• The cornea is opaque, cloudy and slightly blue.
• This bird is also exhibiting respiratory distress, exemplified by the open-mouthed
breathing.
• Head: Severe acute edema.
• Eye: Severe acute conjunctivitis with corneal edema.
• One of the first signs of disease is often reddening of the periocular region and corneal
edema
2- 3 days P.I with
Viscertropic Velogenic
NDV

• The conjunctiva is diffusely red and swollen.
• Conjunctiva: Severe acute conjunctivitis with
hemorrhage
• Newcastle disease virus can occasionally infect humans, causing transient conjunctivitis
of the eyes.
• Clinical signs typically consist of conjunctivitis (redness and excessive lacrimation), eyelid
edema, and subconjunctival hemorrhage.
• The infection is self-limiting and there are no reports of human-to-human spread.
2- 3 days P.I with
Viscertropic Velogenic
NDV

• Watery diarrhea is a common finding in the viscerotropic form of ND infection.
• Soiling around the vent, as seen here, can be an important indicator of the presence of
diarrhea.
Velogenic NDV

• A close-up view of the feces shows both the green bile pigment as well as the white
urates.
• This diarrhea is somewhat characteristic of Newcastle disease
Velogenic NDV

• Edema of the eyelids typically produces an
“almond-shaped” appearance to the eyes.
Velogenic NDV

Velogenic NDV
• The eyelids are swollen preventing them from fully opening.
• The eyelids are crusted with a small amount of yellow material.
• The ocular conjunctiva, visible along the lateral canthus of the eye, is injected and a
congested blood vessel is evident.
• Eyelids: Moderate acute diffuse catarrhal blepheritis
and conjunctivitis
• Ocular signs commonly include edema of the eyelids, conjunctivitis, and ocular discharge.

Velogenic NDV
• There is bilateral swelling of the face, giving the head a “square” contour.
• The eyelids and the ocular feathers are covered by small amounts of yellow crust and the
eyelids are swollen.
• Subcutaneous tissue: Moderate acute diffuse edema.
• Eyelids: Mild acute catarrhal blepharitis
• Bilateral facial edema has produced a square-shaped face, best appreciated from this
vantage point.

• Low-quality, soft-shelled, roughened, or deformed eggs may also be observed in layers
infected with Newcastle disease.
• These deformities are especially evident in the egg pictured in the top center of this
photo.

P.I with Viscertropic
Velogenic NDV
• These eggs have thin shells that are sometimes misshapen and easily broken.
• Egg shell: Malformation and hypomineralization.
• Many of the eggs shown here are rough, misshapen, and thin-shelled.
• These findings are often present in viscerotropic velogenic Newcastle and infectious
bronchitis infections, where fever stalls the normal movement of the egg through the
oviduct, causing deformed and defective shells.

Velogenic NDV
• Chickens infected with viscerotropic neurogenic Newcastle can exhibit a variety of
neurologic signs.
• Here, a bird displays torticollis, a lateral twisting of the head and neck.

Velogenic NDV
• Chickens infected with viscerotropic neurogenic NDV can exhibit a variety of neurologic
signs.
• Here, the bird displays torticollis, a lateral twisting of the head and neck.

Velogenic NDV
• Chickens infected with neurogenic strains of Newcastle disease, can exhibit a variety of
neurologic signs.
• Here, the bird displays torticollis, a lateral twisting of the head and neck.

Velogenic NDV
• The bird is unable to fully grasp the examiner’s finger.
• This suboptimal response to the perching reflex is an early indication of neurologic
problems.

Velogenic NDV
• Evaluation of the perching reflex shows a suboptimal response, an early indicator of
neurological disease.

• In Newcastle disease, large numbers of the flock may die suddenly, sometimes without
any prior signs of illness.
• The incubation time and severity of clinical signs depends on many factors including host
species, age, level of immunity (e.g. vaccinated vs. unvaccinated population), the
presence of concurrent infection, virus pathotype, and virus dose.

• This chick, infected with the neurotropic strain of Newcastle disease virus, is exhibiting
paralysis of the legs.

• In young birds, such as this one whose bursa is still prominent, edema and hemorrhages
of the bursal mucosa may be found on post-mortem examination.
Velogenic NDV

• There is edema and hemorrhage within the mucosa of the bursa.
Velogenic NDV

• The mucosa of the bursa has been opened to reveal edema and hemorrhages on its
surface.
Velogenic NDV

• The cecal tonsils are swollen, prominent and the superficial parenchyma contains
numerous ill-defined red foci.
• Cecal tonsils: Marked acute hemorrhage and edema.
• Velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle
disease. Necrosis of the cecal tonsils
produces marked hemorrhagic lesions,
as shown here.
• In the early stages of the disease, other
gastrointestinal lymphoid tissues
(GALT) are often hemorrhagic as well.
• Intestinal lesions tend to be most
severe in areas that have high
concentrations of lymphoid tissue,
such as the cecal tonsils.
Velogenic NDV

• Necrosis of lymphoid tissue at the cecal tonsils, as seen here, and throughout the
intestinal walls is used to help distinguish viscerotropic from neurotropic strains of
Newcastle disease in the field.
Velogenic NDV

• As seen through the serosa, there are severe hemorrhages on the cecal tonsils and the
mucosa of the rectum.
Velogenic NDV

• There are hemorrhagic lesions of the mucosa of the cecal tonsils, visible through the
serosal surface of the intestine.
• Although Newcastle disease can take a wide range of forms, in the viscerotropic strains,
lesions in the cecal tonsils are one of the most characteristic findings on post-mortem
examination.
Velogenic NDV

• The cecal tonsils have been opened, revealing extensive hemorrhages and ulcers in the
mucosa.
Velogenic NDV

• At the level of the ileocecal valve, there is an ulceration and hemorrhages within the
mucosa of the cecal tonsils.
Velogenic NDV

• There are hemorrhages, necrosis, and ulcerations of the cecal tonsil.
Velogenic NDV

• The cecal tonsils have been opened to reveal severe hemorrhagic ulcerations with
overlying fibrin deposition.
• There are also several hemorrhages in the mucosa of the rectum.
Velogenic NDV

• In viscerotropic velogenic NDV, hemorrhagic and necrotic lesions in the intestines tend
to be concentrated in areas with lymphoid tissue, such as the cecal tonsils.
Velogenic NDV

• The cloaca and the descending colon have been opened to reveal the mucosal surfaces.
The mucosal surfaces are covered by multiple, randomly distributed, well demarcated
defects that are covered by hemorrhage and slightly granular, pale yellow tags of deposits
of tissue.
• Colon and cloaca: Severe multifocal acute ulcers with
fibrinous colitis and cloacitis
• Birds that survive the first several days of the infection typically have more severe post-
mortem hemorrhagic lesions, as seen here.
Velogenic NDV

• Hemorrhages, erosions and ulcers, due to tissue necrosis, can occur anywhere along
the gastrointestinal tract. Here, an ulcer is present in the mucosa of the cloaca, with
overlying fibrin accumulation.
• To differentiate ingesta from fibrin, recall that ingesta should wash away easily while
fibrin will remain adhered to the mucosa.
Velogenic NDV

• The conjunctival mucosa is swollen, wet, and gelatinous and there is one large, poorly
defined, irregularly shaped dark red area as well as several smaller red foci that extend
onto the nictitating membrane.
• Conjunctiva: Severe acute diffuse edema and
hemorrhage
• Externally, this chicken had periocular edema.
• Here, the conjunctiva has been exposed through an incision to reveal the severe
subconjunctival hemorrhages associated with the external lesions.
• There are aggregates of lymphoid tissue present in the conjunctiva of the bird, making
this region a target for NCD virus replication.
Velogenic NDV

• The conjunctiva has been reflected back to show that the mucosa is swollen, dark red
and wet.
• Small red foci extend onto the nictitating membrane and the cornea is slightly cloudy.
• Conjunctiva: Severe acute diffuse edema and hemorrhage.
• Cornea: Mild edema.
• This image shows a variety of ocular and periocular lesions associated with the
viscerotropic strain of NCD virus.
Velogenic NDV

• Externally, this infected chicken had periocular edema.
• Here, the conjunctiva has been exposed through an incision to demonstrate the severe
subconjunctival hemorrhages associated with the external lesions.
• There are aggregates of lymphoid tissue present in the conjunctiva of the bird, making
this region a target for NDV replication.
Velogenic NDV

• There are severe hemorrhagic lesions in the conjunctiva.
Velogenic NDV

• The conjunctiva and infraorbital sinus have been incised to show the edema and
hemorrhages present on these mucous membranes.
Velogenic NDV

• Within this segment of the duodenum there is a discrete, purple, slightly swollen focus
within the wall.
• The lesion is being viewed through the intact serosa.
• The discrete nature of the lesion suggests that it is affecting one of the lymphoid
aggregates present in the intestinal submucosa.
• Duodenum: Acute, focal lymphoid necrosis
Velogenic NDV

• The embryo at the top of the image is
normal.
• The embryo at the bottom is diffusely
dark red and the skin is swollen and wet.
• The subcutaneous tissue of the head is
filled with blood and the blood vessels
over the body are prominent.
• Body as a whole: Severe acute hemorrhage and
congestion
• The hemorrhagic nature of viscerotropic
velogenic Newcastle disease virus is
evident in this photograph.
• Here, a chicken embryo (bottom) was
inoculated with the virus, causing whole
body congestion and hemorrhage.
Velogenic NDV

• Periorbital edema and ocular discharge, as seen here, may be associated with vvNCD.
Velogenic NDV

• The surfaces of these well developed ovarian follicles are covered by extensive dark red
areas and prominent blood vessels.
• Ovarian follicles: Severe acute hemorrhage and
congestion
• Velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease.
• The ovaries in this infected bird show marked hemorrhages.
• The egg production in such birds often drops dramatically.
• Even in birds that survive the acute infection, the reproductive system may be
permanently damaged and egg production may not return to normal.
Velogenic NDV

• The ovarian follicles are covered by prominent blood vessels and areas of red
discoloration.
• Ovarian follicles: Marked acute hemorrhage and
congestion
• Hemorrhagic follicles on the ovaries are commonly found in infected birds and are
accompanied by a drop in egg production.
Velogenic NDV

• This ovary contains several large follicles that have become flaccid and shrunken.
• The blood vessels over many follicles are prominent and the ventral-most follicle is dark
red.
• Ovarian follicles: Atresia with hemorrhage and
congestion
• In chickens infected with velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease, ovaries frequently
have gross lesions.
• These may include hemorrhage and necrosis (causing discoloration) and follicles may be
flaccid and degenerative.
Velogenic NDV

• There is a small ulcer with mild hemorrhages in the mucosa of the ileum.
• In Newcastle disease, such hemorrhages and accompanying necrosis can occur anywhere
throughout the intestines.
Velogenic NDV

• There is necrosis and hemorrhages of the lymphoid tissue in the intestines, as seen
through the outer serosa.
Velogenic NDV

• The small intestine has an area of focal ulceration and hemorrhage.
Velogenic NDV

• The small intestine has hemorrhages and ulcerations.
Velogenic NDV

• Here, extensive hemorrhages were
found on the liver.
Velogenic NDV

• Pulmonary congestion and edema, as seen here, is sometimes observed on post-
mortem examination.
Velogenic NDV

• Some viscerotropic strains can produce severe lesions in the lungs.
• In this bird, there is pulmonary edema and extensive hemorrhages.
Velogenic NDV

• The glands are edematous and there are some areas of hemorrhages, consistent with
this strain of NDV.
Velogenic NDV

• This image was taken 5 days post experimental inoculation with viscerotropic velogenic
Newcastle disease.
Velogenic NDV

• The mucosal glands of the proventriculus are swollen and prominent.
• There are pinpoint red foci scattered along the tips of several glands.
• Proventricular glands: Acute diffuse edema and
multifocal hemorrhage
• In later stages of NDV infection, more severe hemorrhagic lesions beginning to
develop.
• Here, the glands on the mucosal surface of the proventriculus are beginning to form
hemorrhagic lesions.
Velogenic NDV

• There is hemorrhagic proventriculitis. Often, these hemorrhagic lesions cluster around
the esophageal-proventricular junction, as shown here.
Velogenic NDV

• There is hemorrhagic proventriculitis, with hemorrhages concentrated at the esophageal-
proventricular junction.
Velogenic NDV

• There is hemorrhagic proventriculitis.
Velogenic NDV

• The proventricular mucosa is diffusely red and swollen.
• The reddening is particularly prominent at the esophogeal/proventricular junction (right
side of image).
• Blood tinged fluid is present in the ventriculus (gizzard).
• Proventriculus: Severe acute mucosal hemorrhage and
congestion
• NDV can produce hemorrhagic lesions throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
• In this chicken, there are severe lesions in the proventriculus and gizzard.
Velogenic NDV

• There are severe hemorrhages in the mucosa of the rectum.
Velogenic NDV

• The spleen is enlarged due to severe splenic congestion and the spleen is mottled with
some white pinpoint lesions, caused by necrosis.
• Although Newcastle disease can take a wide range of forms, in the viscerotropic strains,
lesions in the spleen are one of the most characteristic findings on post-mortem
examination.
Velogenic NDV

• In viscerotropic strains of the virus, it is common to find lesions of the spleen on post-
mortem examination.
• Here, the spleen is enlarged and there are many multifocal white lesions caused by tissue
necrosis.
Velogenic NDV

• Pinpoint red foci are scattered along the mucosal surfaces.
• These foci are particularly dense in areas running parallel to the cartilaginous rings.
• Trachea: Mild multifocal petechia
• This image is from an acute outbreak, where many birds were suddenly found dead.
• On post-mortem exam, no severe lesions were found due to the rapid onset of the
infection.
• Only mild hemorrhagic lesions in the mucosa of the trachea were observed (as seen
here).
• In flocks unvaccinated for NDV, massive deaths within the flock may occur quickly,
without any prior signs of illness and few post-mortem lesions.
Velogenic NDV

• In viscerotropic velogenic NDV, congestion and hemorrhages may be observed in the
pharynx and proximal trachea, as seen here.
• These hemorrhages in the tracheal wall are typically not associated with free-blood in
the lumen.
Velogenic NDV

• Highly virulent Newcastle disease virus results in hemorrhagic lesions in the trachea.
• The tracheal lesions normally do not include free blood in the lumen.
Velogenic NDV

Newcastle Disease - Photo Session

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