An image shared on social media in the past days became the agenda in a short time. In the video, which was also brought up by the local media, a pigeon was seen with its head bowed in a group of worshipers in Mecca.
The video was shared with titles such as “The dove prostrating with the congregation” and became the agenda. But the truth of the matter was completely different. The pigeon seen in the video actually had a disease caused by a virus that threatened the ecosystem around the world.
Pigeon video that went viral on social media:
So what was the real deal?
The pigeon featured in the video had a viral infection called ‘PPMV1’, ‘Avian Paramyxovirus type 1’, the family of direct source virus ‘paramyxovirus’ or ‘pigeon plague’. The virus in question is known as a highly contagious and highly lethal virus among pigeons.
What is PPMV1?
PPMV1 was first discovered in Australia in 2011. While the virus has been detected in Europe and the USA to date, the source point of the virus is thought to be the Middle East.
Studies conducted to date indicate that a variant of the virus emerged in the Middle East in the 1970s, and the first isolation studies were carried out in 1978. However, it is estimated that the virus then spread to Italy and North Africa, and then spread to the whole world.
The virus is in the same family as ‘Paramyxovirus’, the viruses that cause measles and mumps in humans. The family describes viruses with ‘negative polarity’ single-stranded RNA.
What are the symptoms of PPMV1?
The virus, which is extremely deadly for pigeons, can cause the following symptoms in pigeons:
- Nervous system anomalies such as trembling wings, twisting of the head and neck
- Partial paralysis of the wings and legs (birds may fall during landing and may not be able to feed)
- Unusually wet and liquid stools (diarrhea), often greenish in color
- Silence, loss of appetite, and reluctance to move
How does the virus spread?
PPMV1 can be transmitted through pigeon-to-pigeon contact as well as indirect contact. Modes of transmission are known to include:
- Moving people from one diseased house to a different house (Clothing can be a carrier)
- Incorrectly administered vaccines, keeping empty vaccine bottles in the poultry house, incorrect dose applications of live vaccines
- Many other animals such as flies, mice, domestic mammals, rabbits and pest species are indirect carriers like humans
Does the virus infect humans?
The PPMV1 virus can very rarely infect humans. But the virus causes only moderate flu-like symptoms in humans.
Is there a cure?
There are various vaccine treatments against the PPMV1 virus. In addition, experts advise especially pigeon breeders to take the necessary biological and physical precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
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