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• Angel Wing
• Avian adenovirus
• Avian flu
• Bumblefoot
• Gallid herpesvirus 1
• Scaly leg

Angel Wing
Angel Wing or Slipped Wing is a disease that affects waterfowl, primarily geese and ducks. There are two basic theories concerning the cause of angel wing, both of which may be correct and both suppose the root cause to be overfeeding waterfowl. The first involves too much protein and the second involves too many sugars. Angel wing is not generally observed in waterfowl not residing near humans, and the disease can often be observed in areas where geese or ducks are excessively fed bread. To prevent angel wing, waterfowl should not be fed bread, popcorn or other human foodstuffs.

Angel wing symptoms include stripped remiges (flight feathers) in the wrist area, or remiges protruding from wings at odd angles. In extreme cases, the stripped feathers may resemble sickly blue straw protruding from wings. In adult birds the disease is incurable and usually leads to an early death as affected birds are rendered effectively or totally flightless. In young birds wrapping the wing and binding it against the bird's flank, together with feeding the bird a more natural diet, can reverse the damage.

Avian adenovirus
Aviadenovirus are viruses that affect birds; they represent one of four genera of the family Adenoviridae, the others being Mastadenovirus, Atadenovirus and Siadenovirus.
They are class I, non-enveloped, icosahedral viruses that are 74 – 80nm in diameter, having a double stranded DNA genome of approximately 26 – 45 kilo-base pairs (kbp) and a guanine/cytosine content of 53 – 59%.

Naturally acquired aviadenovirus diseases include enteritis, splenitis, inclusion body hepatitis, bronchitis, pulmonary congestion ventriculitis, pancreatitis, oedema and abnormal reproduction (Egg Drop Syndrome), depending on the species of bird infected.

Diagnosis of Aviadenovirus is the same as for all Adenoviruses, by viral isolation and serotyping also ELISA assay.

Avian flu
Avian flu (also "bird flu", "avian influenza", "bird influenza"), means "flu from viruses adapted to birds", but is sometimes mistakenly used to refer to both other flu subsets (such as H5N1 flu) or the viruses that cause them (such as H5N1).
"Bird flu" is a phrase similar to "Pig flu", "Dog flu", "Horse flu", or "Human flu" in that it refers to an illness caused by any of many different strains of flu viruses such that the strain in question has adapted to the host. "Avian flu" differs in being named after an entire vertebrate class with 8,800–10,200 species. All known avian flu viruses belong to the species of virus called Influenza A virus. All subtypes (but not all strains of all subtypes) of Influenza A virus are adapted to birds, which is why for many purposes avian flu virus is the Influenza A virus (note that the "A" does not stand for "avian").

Adaptation is sometimes partial or multiple so a flu virus strain can be partially adapted to a species or adapted to more than one species. Flu pandemic viruses are human adapted and also bird adapted. Being adapted to one species does not mean another species can not catch it; nor does it mean it can not adapt to another species.

Genetic factors in distinguishing between "human flu viruses" and "avian flu viruses" include:

PB2: (RNA polymerase): Amino acid (or residue) position 627 in the PB2 protein encoded by the PB2 RNA gene. Until H5N1, all known avian influenza viruses had a Glu at position 627, while all human influenza viruses had a lysine.

HA: (hemagglutinin): Avian influenza HA bind alpha 2-3 sialic acid receptors while human influenza HA bind alpha 2-6 sialic acid receptors. Swine influenza viruses have the ability to bind both types of sialic acid receptors.

The HA changes have not yet occurred in any sequenced H5N1 virus - even ones from humans that died from it and the PB2 changes don't stop it from being a flu virus adapted to birds (the definition of "avian flu virus").

Pandemic flu viruses have some avian flu virus genes and usually some human flu virus genes. Both the H2N2 and H3N2 pandemic strains contained genes from avian influenza viruses. The new subtypes arose in pigs coinfected with avian and human viruses and were soon transferred to humans. Swine were considered the original "intermediate host" for influenza, because they supported reassortment of divergent subtypes. However, other hosts appear capable of similar coinfection (e.g., many poultry species), and direct transmission of avian viruses to humans is possible. The Spanish flu virus strain may have been transmitted directly from birds to humans.

Bumblefoot
Bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis) is a bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction on the foot of birds of prey and rodents. This infection is much more likely to occur in captive animals than in those in the wild.

• Bumblefoot on Birds of Prey
  Bumblefoot is, perhaps, the largest cause of referral of birds of prey to a verterinary surgeon. Bumblefoot on birds of prey can be put into three broad types of the infection;

1. In the first type, a small reddened area, or sometimes a small shiny patch, can be seen on the foot. This is mostly caused by inappropriate perching (or perching for too long), or, less likely, by badly fitted furniture, such as jesses that are too small. To treat this type, one must change the fault in the husbandry, fly the bird regularly, and apply haemorrhoid cream to the effected foot.
2. The second type is more serious, where there has been some penetration has occurred. While treatment for the first type will help, it is likely that the bird will require antibiotics as well.
3. The third type involves the bird having severe distortion of the contours of the foot and/or the toes, resulting from the Bumblefoot causing considerable damage in the foot.

• Bumblefoot in rodents
  Bumblefoot in rodents is not necessarily associated with wire-floor cages, but more commonly with genetic factors, and/or an unsanitary living environment [1], although no conclusive evidence yet exists that would directly link this infection to these factors. Bumblefoot is so named because of the characteristic "bumbles" or lesions as well as swelling of the foot pad symptomatic of an infection. Topical antiseptics such as Blue-Kote in addition to oral or injected antibiotics may be used to combat the infection, which if left untreated may be fatal.

Gallid herpesvirus 1
Gallid herpesvirus 1 (GaHV-1) (also known as Avian herpesvirus 1)is a virus of the family Herpesviridae that causes avian infectious laryngotracheitis. It was originally recognized as a disease of chickens in the United States in 1926. The disease also occurs in pheasants. GaHV-1 is shed in respiratory secretions and transmitted by droplet inhalation. A previously unexposed flock will develop cases for two to eight weeks following introduction. The incubation period is two to eight days. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, head shaking, lethargy, discharge from the eyes and nostrils (sometimes bloody), and difficulty breathing. The name comes from the severe inflammation of the larynx and trachea. A diphtheritic membrane may form in the trachea, causing obstruction. Mortality is typically less than 15 percent. A vaccine is available, but it does not prevent latent infections.

The disease is usually referred to as Infectious laryngotracheitis or simply LT in the poultry industry. It is widely viewed as one of the most contagious viruses that affect the poultry industry. A confirmed case will usually result in the establishment of a quarantine zone around the farm. Inside this quarantine zone, poultry workers will avoid poultry farms to prevent the spread of the virus.

Scaly leg
Scaly leg is a disease of chickens and other birds. It is caused by a parasitic mite, Knemidocoptes mutans. The mite burrows under the scales in the bird's legs, but may also infect other areas, including the comb or wattles. The mite spends its entire lifecycle on the birds and is usually spread by direct contact.
Birds infected with scaly leg have raised or protuding scales, sometimes with a white crusty appearance. Scaly leg is extremely irritating to the infected bird, and in extreme cases can result in lameness.

The disease can be treated by soaking the afflicted bird's legs in soapy water mixed with diluted ammonia, and the encrusted areas scrubbed gently with a soft brush, followed by the application of an insecticide to kill the mites, usually oil based. Petroleum jelly (mixed with sulphur if available), or a commercial chest rub can be used — the mites are unable to breathe beneath the jelly.

Multiple treatments may be required to completely eliminate the mite, and pen, perches, and nesting areas should be sprayed. Ideally birds should be moved to a new area for at least a month to avoid re-infection from dropped scales that may remain infectious for up to 30 days.

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