Quarantine

QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS for rehabilitation facilities

Neonate area

The neonate area should be separate from quarantine and holding areas. If there is a generalized Newcastle’s warning or quarantine in place, all the below biosecurity procedures should be put in place. Strict control of entry and personnel is mandatory. NO VISITORS/NO UNTRAINED STAFF/NO UNAUTHORIZED


Non-quarantined hospital/treatment area

The hospital area is intended for injured and ill birds who have been through quarantine and need further care. It should be separate from quarantine and holding areas. If there is a generalized Newcastle’s warning or quarantine in place, all the below procedures should be put in place. Strict control of entry and personnel is mandatory. NO VISITORS/NO UNTRAINED STAFF/NO UNAUTHORIZED


Initial Intake area for quarantine

Preferably separate building from all others, controlled and limited access; no pet birds on premises; no poultry. This is for all birds except neonates. Ideally a separate hospital room for injured and ill birds should be available. The length of quarantine will be mandated by authorities. They may also mandate a no-movement, no-intake policy. All deaths should be saved for necropsy, and it may be mandated that a certain number will be required to be swabbed and tested for Newcastle’s virus at designated laboratories.

All caging be off the floor and on tables or countertops, no stacking


Standards per species

  • Cage size and number of birds per cage

  • Food

  • water

  • cage bedding/liner

  • 12/12 photoperiod

  • noise abatement

  • Privacy

  • Handling

Strict record keeping including origin and history of the birds, transport, health, veterinary, premises

Minimum testing appropriate to species at appropriate interval

No unweaned birds in same room, they need separate area

NO VISITORS/NO UNTRAINED STAFF/NO UNAUTHORIZED

A way of providing privacy if birds show excessive stress

Access to immediate veterinary care when needed

Veterinary inspection and confidential reporting

Inspection of transport to insure hygiene standards

Building with appropriate security and biosecurity

  • designated clothing

  • booties

  • gloves

  • footbath if required by authorities

  • n-and-out protocol: Clothing stays at quarantine or is discarded in trash at quarantine, trash in the room, used booties

  • in trash, doors disinfected with each entry/exit

proper and clean ventilation and climate control


Quarantine Supplies and Materials

Disinfectants Virkon may be recommended….or:

  • Synphenol II, Rescue for tabletop spray, floor

  • Synphenol II, Rescue tabletop spray, wipes, floor, laundry

  • no vinegar, windex, etc home remedies


Cleaning (Disposable EVERYTHING and biosecurity containers and disposal)

  • nitrile exam gloves: change between each cage and each chore

  • paper towels

  • dawn no-dye dish detergent

  • good liquid hand soap

  • no-dye no-perfume laundry detergent

  • disposable mop cloths

  • brooms and mops designated for each room

  • disposable food and water dishes

  • designated dish-washing area with designated bowls

  • dish washing procedure for absolutely non-disposable items:

  • dump food/water

  • rinse in hot water

  • wash in hot water and dawn

  • rinse in hot water

  • soak 1-2 min in disinfectant (Synphenol or Rescue or diluted bleach)

  • rinse

  • air dry

  • disposable cage, kennel, run liners: place newspaper in trash and squirt with disinfectant

  • Laundry procedure for absolutely non-disposable items:

  • dump debris and shake

  • hot water, detergent, and Rescue (according to directions) or bleach

  • hot dryer or direct sunlight >2 hr

  • disposable or non-organic perches (stainless, PVC)

  • Tabletop: spray with disinfectant as per instructions on bottle

  • Floor: Sweep debris, mop with disinfectant as per instructions on bottle, discard mop cloth

  • trash: remove each night, biosecurity disposal only


Housing

  • clean, new/non-damaged caging (washed, dried and disinfected) easily cleaned, stays in quarantine

  • clean, new “critter carriers” for injured/special needs

  • “puppy pads” instead of towels if possible

  • clean new newspapers

  • roll butcher paper

  • clean new perches for each cage (no organic perches) plastics or stainless; each bird keeps its own perches

  • Food/water containers

  • disposable where possible

  • stainless or lexan only, numbered or identified and used with same cage/bird each time

  • autoclave if possible

  • Separate Footbaths for in/out: Synphenol (or bleach or whatever the government mandates) if no booties

  • Biosecure entry/exit isolation room protocols

  • Personal protective: specifics may be recommended by authorities

    • booties

    • exam gloves

    • designated clothing while on premises—no street clothes from outside

    • biohazard suits, disposable aprons and/or designated scrubs to be left in and not worn outside of quarantine

    • designated rubber boots, disinfected with each use and left in quarantine

  • earplugs

  • preferably shower and change clothes when leaving premises



  • Necropsy and Testing of suspect specimens

    • should be done ONLY by veterinarians and designated techs/assistants

    • all participants should wear complete and disposable PPE with complete disinfection of all areas of potential contamination

    • authorities may have specific recommendations

    • biohazard trash and disposal


QUARANTINE FOR CONFISCATED BIRDS

Individual confiscations will have specific instructions and protocols mandated by federal and state authorities. The following are general guidelines and would be subject to change depending on the governments’ instructions. The length of quarantine will be mandated by authorities.


Quarantine Protocols

Quarantine holding for confiscated birds will be housed in a separate building away from all other buildings and enclosures. Only highly trained and authorized personnel should be allowed entry, and they should not enter other areas of the facility during the shift. Strict decontamination procedures should be followed when they leave the quarantine area. All dead birds should be saved for necropsy. NO VISITORS/NO UNTRAINED STAFF/NO UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL


Security

Security protocols require that rigorous compliance and enforcement will be expected. Personnel should understand the importance of all forms of confidentiality and security. People who refuse to follow protocols are a risk to all birds, as well as other workers, in the facility, and to the eventual successful release of psittacines to the wild. The importance of security cannot be overstated and it is essential that everyone understands how serious it is.


Employees and volunteers should sign agreements or contracts which include security clauses. Training staff and volunteers in basic security measures is best practice. Security “clearance” and competence must be conditions of employment or participation. Regular updates or adjustments to security protocols should be scheduled, and security breaches should be presented to the staff, and examined in “debriefing” as a matter of course. Routine staff meetings can inform on day-to-day security procedures.


Data Security

Data generated from confiscations are legal documentation and may be considered evidence in forensic and legal investigations. Digital information from records should be securely stored in the cloud in addition to locally, or on portable drives, with limited and password protected access. Paper documents should be locked and secured when not in active use and entered as digital documents, or at minimum, scanned whole and stored in the cloud and/or on portable drives. Databases should be protected from theft or hacking, and secure access enforced. Data collection is not only important to the facility or organization, but to the overall global understanding and protection of psittacines. Data is valuable and should be treated as such. Personal, organizational and facility documents and records likewise require appropriate security measures.


Social Media, Communications and Public Relations

Confiscations should not be public knowledge and should not be shared on regular or social media. Forensic and legal procedures are vulnerable to information leaks, and justice might not be served. The importance of clear, concise, simple and strict protocols for social media, press communications, and public relations cannot be overstated.

Employees and volunteers must sign formal confidentiality agreements/contracts. Uncontrolled social media can lead to devastating impact on the facility through loss of legal cases resulting in return of the confiscated birds to the poachers, and through theft, biosecurity breach, negative publicity, etc.. In a worst case scenario it may lead to shuttering of the facility, loss of future collaboration and euthanasia of all psittacines on site.


DIAGNOSTICS AND SCREENING

Authorities and the supervising veterinarian will schedule testing as per individual scenarios. The following are general guidelines. Ill or abnormal birds may require more frequent and more varied testing modalities.

Viral infections of Concern: screening screening at intake and prior to release

  • Avian Influenza

  • Newcastle’s Disease Virus (Avian Paramyxovirus PMV-1)

  • Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (Psittacine Circovirus)

  • Avian Borna Viruses

  • Polyoma Virus(es)

  • Pacheco’s Disease (Psittacine Herpesvirus)

  • Psittacine Poxvirus

  • West Nile Virus

  • Encephalitis-related viruses

  • Other Vector-borne viral pathogens

Emerging diseases and local viruses of concern


Bacterial Infections of Concern: screening at intake and prior to release

  • Chlamydiosis

  • E.coli, Salmonella spp., other enteric and sewage-related infections

  • Pasteurella spp.

  • Mycoplasma spp.

  • Mycobacterium spp.

  • Borrelia and other spiral bacteria

  • Rickettsia spp.

  • Community acquired staph/strep/clostridial

Fungal: screening at intake and prior to release

  • Aspergillosis

  • Histoplasmosis

  • Blastomycosis

  • Cryptococcus

  • Candidiasis

  • Macrorhabdus

  • Dermatophytes

Parasitic: screening at intake and prior to release

  • external

  • Mites: feather mites, poultry mites, chigger mites, others

  • Ticks: hard (ixodid) and soft (argassid)

  • Lice: chewing

  • Blow flies/bots:

  • Hypoboscids

  • Fleas

  • Nest parasites: mites, ticks, hypoboscids,

  • internal

    • Helminths

    • Tapeworms

    • Other worms

    • Hemo/vectors

    • Toxoplasma, coccidia, hexamita/giardia/various protozoans

    • Vector-borne

Recommendations for Confiscated Psittacines IMMEDIATELY AT INTAKE

  • PCV, TP, visual of serum

  • CBC

  • Chemistries (as complete as possible but at minimum Uric Acid, SGOT, Glucose)

  • Special testing as appropriate to locale

  • Pathogen screening (minimum) PCR

  • Chlamydia psittacii

  • PFBD

  • Polyoma virus

  • Pathogen screening (ideal) PCR

  • Chlamydia psittaci

  • PFBD

  • Polyoma

  • Pacheco’s (Psittacine Herpesvirus)

  • Toxoplasma gondii

  • Mycoplasm

  • Borrelia

  • Aspergillosis

  • Protozoan screen

  • Local specialties

  • Gender DNA

  • Fecal analysis with direct swab in saline, stained with sedi-stain and float

  • Collection of external parasites

  • Choanal swab and cloacal/fecal/lesions swab for aerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity

  • Choanal swab and cloacal/fecal/lesions swab for anaerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity

  • DTM of skin lesions/plumage

  • UV scan

  • Thermal Imaging

  • Microchip

  • Photograph from at least 6 angles: both laterals, cranial, caudal, dorsal, ventral; and feet scutellation

  • Biometric measurements

  • Feather collection for isotopes

  • Genetic samples as required by researchers/collaborator


Ongoing

  • No less than weekly fecal analysis with direct swab in saline, stained with sedi-stain and float

  • No less than weekly photograph from at least 6 angles

  • Repeat testing of any abnormalities


Recommendations if potential zoonosis is suspected

  • All the above plus authority or agency suggestions as per outbreak

  • Examples: Newcastle’s Disease and Avian Influenza


Recommendations for pre-release to permanent placement

  • PCV, TP, visual of serum

  • CBC

  • Chemistries (as complete as possible but at minimum Uric Acid, SGOT, Glucose)

  • Special testing as appropriate to locale

  • Pathogen screening (minimum) PCR

  • Chlamydia psittacii

  • PFBD

  • Fecal analysis with direct swab in saline, stained with sedi-stain and float