Newcastle Disease Spreads Across Europe: Here's What You Should Know About The Viral Infection

Newcastle disease is highly contagious and can cause respiratory trouble, drop in egg production, and even 100 percent mortality in severe outbreaks.

05 Apr 2026, 09:22 · www.ndtv.com

Show
Quick Read
Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed

Newcastle disease surged in Europe in 2026, affecting poultry supplies and farms
Poland and Germany faced major outbreaks, with over half a million birds culled in Poland
The virus spreads via wild birds, contaminated equipment, and farm workers' clothing

Did our AI summary help?
Let us know.
Switch To Beeps Mode

Newcastle disease has surged across several European countries in 2026. This has pushed poultry authorities into emergency mode and raised concerns about poultry supplies. The virus, which mainly affects chickens and other poultry, has spread from Eastern to Central and Southern Europe since early in the year. Poland has become the worst-affected country, with dozens of outbreaks reported on commercial and backyard farms and over half a million birds culled. Germany is also facing outbreaks, including a large farm in Brandenburg where around 3,26,000 laying hens had to be slaughtered. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Spain, Poland, Germany, Czechia, Lithuania and Slovakia have all reported fresh cases.

Newcastle disease is highly contagious and can cause respiratory trouble, drop in egg production, and even 100 percent mortality in severe outbreaks. Many infected farms were vaccinated, highlighting that the virus can still enter through wild birds, contaminated equipment, vehicles or farm workers' clothes. Authorities are imposing strict movement bans, culling infected flocks, and tightening biosecurity to slow the spread.

What Is Newcastle Disease?

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects poultry and wild birds worldwide. It is caused by virulent strains of avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1) and it poses significant economic threats to the poultry industry due to high mortality rates. The infection manifests in three forms based on strain virulence:

Lentogenic (mild)
Mesogenic (moderate)
Velogenic (highly virulent, often just called "Newcastle disease").

Velogenic strains cause the most severe outbreaks, attacking respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems, with mortality up to 100% in unvaccinated flocks. The virus thrives in confined settings like commercial chicken farms, spreading rapidly among birds. While it is not a major human health risk, if properly cooked. In rare cases, it may cause mild conjunctivitis in handlers without protective gear.

Symptoms Of Newcastle Disease

Symptoms vary depending on strain and bird species but often appear suddenly.

Respiratory signs: Gasping, coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and rales (abnormal breathing sounds)
Nervous signs: Tremours, drooping wings, twisted necks (torticollis), paralysis of legs/wings, circling, and spasms
Digestive issues: Greenish diarrhoea and dehydration
Reproductive effects: Sudden drop in egg production (up to 100%), soft-shelled or misshapen eggs with watery whites
General signs: Ruffled feathers, swollen heads, depression and sudden death without prior symptoms

In mild infections, birds may recover but become carriers, shedding virus intermittently.

Transmission Methods

The ND virus (NDV) is shed in high amounts via faeces, respiratory secretions, saliva, and urine, making direct bird-to-bird contact the primary route of spread. The virus can also survive weeks in cool environments, on feathers, and in dried discharges. Here are some ways the virus gets transmitted to humans.

Direct exposure to infected birds' droppings, nasal/ocular secretions, or aerosols from coughing/sneezing.
Indirect mechanical spread via contaminated shoes, clothing, equipment, vehicles, feed, water, or hands.
Vectors like wild birds, rodents, insects, or cannibalism in flocks.
Outbreaks accelerate in dense poultry operations, with fomites (contaminated objects) carrying virus between farms.

Ways To Prevent The Infection

Effective methods of control combine vaccination, biosecurity, and surveillance. This can help prevent most outbreaks in vaccinated populations.

Vaccination:

Routine use of live or inactivated vaccines (e.g., B1 or LaSota strains) via drinking water, spray, or eye drops and booster schedules as per local guidelines.

Biosecurity measures:

Limit farm access, use footbaths, change clothes/shoes, disinfect vehicles/tools
Control wild birds, rodents, insects with netting, traps, and screens
Quarantine new birds for 21-30 days and avoid mixing
Sanitation: Daily cleaning, proper litter management, quality feed/water and full disinfection post-outbreak

Surveillance and reporting:

Monitor flocks, report suspicions immediately to authorities for culling/quarantine in outbreaks. Self-quarantine during suspicion and halt movements.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Show full article

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world