Pigeon Paramyxovirus
 Pigeonparamyxoviruscausesdiseaseinpigeonsanddoves,andis
responsiblefordie‐offsofEurasiancollareddovesinColorado.
Species Affected in Colorado
 Eurasiancollareddoves(invasivespecies).
 Potentiallynativedoves(mourning
doves,band‐tailedpigeons).
Eurasian collared dove with PPMV-1. The bird is weak, resting
on its keel, and cannot fly. Photo credit: Allen Vitt, CPW
What to Look For
 Die‐offsofdoves,with3ormorebirds
founddeadinasmallarea.
 Sickbirdsthatdonotflyawaywhen
approached.
Cause and Transmission
Pigeonparamyxovirus(PPMV‐1)isendemic
intheUnitedStates,butwasfirstfoundin
wildbirdsinColoradoduringthewinterof2014whenitcausedadie‐offofEurasiancollareddoves.
PPMV‐1isaspecifictypeofavianparamyxovirusthatprimarilyaffectsdovesandpigeons.Outside
theUnitedStates,somestrainsofPPMV‐1haveinfectedbirdsotherthandovesandpigeons,
includingunvaccinatedchickens.Thereforeitisimportanttopromptlyreportdie‐offsforfurther
workup.PPMV‐1isspreadbydirectcontactbetweenbirds.Controlofthediseaseincludeslimiting
congregationofbirdsbyremovingbirdfeedersandbirdbaths,anddisposingofcarcasses.PPMV‐1
hasbeenisolatedfrommourningdoves,butlargedie‐offsofmourningdoveshavenotbeenreported.
Whilealldie‐offsofwildlife(3ormoreanimals/birds)shouldbepromptlyreported,evensingle
mourningdovedeathsshouldbereportedinareaswherePPMV‐1isactive.
Public Health Considerations
AlthoughPPMV‐1hasnotbeenreportedtoinfecthumans,otheravianparamyxovirusescancause
mildconjunctivitis(pinkeye)inhumansthathavedirectlyhandledinfectedbirds.Ifinstructedto
disposeofcarcassesbywildlifeauthorities,wearglovesoruseabagtopickupthecarcasses.
Disposeofthecarcassesinanoutdoor,closed‐liddumpsterandimmediatelywashhands.Birdsmay
becarryingotherdiseasesofconcern.Neverhandlesickorinjuredwildlife.Avianparamyxoviruses
arenotknowntocausediseaseinnon‐aviandomesticanimalssuchasdogsandcats,butother
diseasesmaybepresentincarcasses.Alwayspreventpetsfromeatingcarcasses.
Additional Information/References:
SchulerKL,GreenDE,Justice‐AllenAE,JaffeR,CunninghamM,ThomasNJ,SpaldingMG,andIpHS.2012.
ExpansionofanExoticSpeciesandConcomitantDiseaseOutbreaks:PigeonParamyxovirusinFree‐Ranging
EurasianCollaredDoves.EcoHealth(9)163‐170.DOI:10.1007/s10393‐012‐0758‐6