USDA Confirms Newcastle Disease in Backyard Birds in Utah

The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed the presence of Newcastle disease in a small flock of backyard exhibition chickens in Utah. USDA says this is the first case of Newcastle disease in the state. The case is believed to be connected to the current outbreak of Newcastle disease in California, as three of the birds at the premises were recently moved to Utah from Los Angeles County, California. Since May of 2018, 299 cases of Newcastle disease have been confirmed in Southern California, primarily in backyard exhibition birds. Newcastle disease is not a food safety concern. However, the disease is a contagious and is a fatal viral disease affecting the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of birds and poultry. The disease is so virulent that many birds and poultry die without showing any clinical signs. A death rate of almost 100 percent can occur in unvaccinated poultry flocks.