Merck Manual

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Professional Version

Overview of Viral Encephalitides in Birds

By

Nicole Nemeth

, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Departments of Population Health and Pathology, University of Georgia;


Melanie R. Kunkel

, DVM, MPH, PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University

Reviewed/Revised Mar 2024

Encephalitis in poultry, farm-reared game birds, companion or other captive birds, and free-ranging wild birds may be caused by a number of arboviruses. These include eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus in Birds Eastern equine encephalitis virus (family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus) can cause disease in poultry, game birds, and wild birds. Neurological disease is the most common clinical... read more , western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus Western Equine Encephalitis Virus in Birds Western equine encephalitis virus (WEE virus) has many characteristics in common with Eastern equine encephalitis virus, including being in the same family (Togaviridae) and genus... read more , Highlands J (HJ) virus Highlands J Virus in Birds Highlands J (HJ) virus (family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus) is closely related to western equine encephalitis virus and can cause encephalitis in chukar partridges. Chukars exhibit... read more , Israel turkey meningoencephalitis virus Israel Turkey Meningoencephalitis Virus in Birds Israel turkey meningoencephalitis virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Orthoflavivirus) has been reported only in turkeys. It causes progressive paresis and paralysis with decreased egg... read more , and West Nile virus West Nile Virus in Birds West Nile virus (family Flaviridae, genus Orthoflavivirus) is a widespread, mosquito-borne pathogen maintained in nature in bird-mosquito transmission cycles. Dead-end hosts include horses... read more West Nile Virus in Birds (WNV). The term “arbovirus,” an abbreviation of arthropod-borne virus, is used to describe a virus that replicates in a hematophagous (bloodsucking) arthropod and is transmitted by bite to a vertebrate host.

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