Conference 7.286::pet_birds

    It seems that many animals can harbor some form of an aids type
    virus.  There are many.  I had a cat that I adopted from the pound
    and she got extremely sick.  We saved her with antibiotics, but
    found that what she had was a virus which was a strain of the AIDS
    type virus.  There are many many strains supposedly, most of which
    are not harmfull to people as was the case with my cat.  I've had
    the cat for several years now and am still kicking!
    
    I'm taking my Cockatoo in for a checkup and will run this past my
    vet.  I'll let you know what she says.

    I can't remember what it is called but this is a desease that is
    specific to Cockatoo's.  When I was thinking about getting another
    bird my vet said that she would not get a Cockatoo because of this.
     
    There is nothing they can do for the bird if it comes down with
    it.  
    
    Mark
    
    

    AIDS means acquired immunine difficency disease...
    
    these diseases are not unique to humans or even to mammals.
    
    Any animal that relies on an immune system is vulnerable
    to a virus attack that destroys the immune system.
    
    Viruses, however, are *very* specific as to the species of
    organism that they infect. A viruse that infects birds has
    on the order of 0 probability of affecting a primate mammal.
    
    Bonnie

RE: Aids in Birds?

There is no AIDS in birds.  Chimps can be infected, and they are being
used to test AIDS treatments.  There is speculation that AIDS might
have evolved from a similar disease in Green Monkeys.  I have never read of
anything else. 

However, there's a nasty bird disease which is sometimes referred to as 
"AIDS in birds" because it involves the immume system.  My wife was inspired by
this discussion to do some reading and write the following tome. 

-Steve Ruzich

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Beak and Feather Rot, Cockatoo Beak and Feather Disease and Psittacine Feather
and Beak Disease, (PFBD) are all the same disease. It is an auto-immune disease
presumed to be caused by a virus or viruses.  It is most often seen in
cockatoos, although other psittacines can get it.  PFBD kills white blood cells
making the bird unable to fight off even minor infections effectively. This
progressively weakens the bird, usually the secondary infections are the first
signs of the disease, (respiratory problems, lethargy, etc.). 

One of the initial symptoms may be a loss of powder on a cockatoo's feathers,
(this isn't always a sign of PFBD!  Don't panic!).  Lesions, feather loss, beak
damage and eventually feathers and beak appearing to "rot" are some of the
other symptoms.  The bird's feathers break, are replaced by deformed feathers
or may not grow back at all.  Feathers, beak and skin become painful. 
Eventually, the beak may fall off.  The bird is unable to maintain its own body
temperature without extreme supportive care/hospitalization.  The bird becomes
unable to eat on its own and usually dies of secondary infection, illness or
malnutrition. The only way to validate if the bird has PFBD is by microscopic
cell examination of blood and feather follicles. 

Some wild birds caught that have PFBD have had herpes lesions which is possibly
where the AIDS tie comes from.  Also, PFBD is an immune system disease much
like AIDS.  It does not appear that PFBD is curable; there are some reports of
birds going into remission, but that appears to be rare. 

Cindy Ruzich