Jools Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I couldn't find a sticky anywhere here for Marek's Disease and while it's not that common, I thought it might be a good idea to have a reference to it. I've trawled through posts on another forum by breeders with first hand experience of the disease and have prepared this very basic summary from the information they provide. Mareks is a Herpes virus, causing tumors on the organs. There are different types of the disease and it frequently presents as a dropped wing or limping, best described in its most common form as creeping paralysis. The bird remains alert and will eat and drink for as long as it is able to get about, or if food and water is within reach, until it seizes up. Acute Marek's can be very rapid, resulting in sudden death. Mareks strikes at stress points - start of lay, moving house, predator attack etc, and it can be up to a fortnight before symptoms show. Since stress can be a factor, a visit to the vet could precipitate it. It needs a PM to diagnose accurately, live is best. Birds exposed to Mareks who don't get it are either already resistant, or will acquire resistance. Some breeds are thought to be more susceptible than others, such as Sebrights, Cream Legbars, Silkies etc. It is thought that it is spread in feather dander, so clean their housing thoroughly and use a dust free bedding. There are a couple of good references on other sites and the links to those are here: Marek's link 1 Marek's link 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
