AGRICULTURE REPORT - Officials Suspect Exotic Newcastle Dise

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Officials Suspect Exotic¹ Newcastle Disease² Killed Chickens in Brazil
By Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Tuesday, June 07, 2005

I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Exotic Newcastle disease is a viral infection that spreads easily among birds. The disease causes breathing problems in birds and often leads to death. Other effects could include loss of muscle control, digestive problems or a drop in egg production. The disease is not known to harm people.

Experts say the only way to fight exotic Newcastle disease is to destroy infected birds. Infected birds must also be kept away from any other birds. Quarantine measures are needed around affected³ areas in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.

In two thousand three, parts of California, New Mexico and Texas faced quarantines for exotic Newcastle disease. Currently⁴ no such quarantines are in place in the United States.

In late May, in Brazil, about five thousand chickens died from a disease on a farm in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The Associated Press reported that officials in Brazil did not make the news public for several days. The news agency⁵ said Brazilian health officials ordered the destruction⁶ of seventeen thousand chickens. They also ordered roadblocks around the farm, which is near the town of Jaraguari.

Officials were concerned about the possibility of bird influenza⁷. The h-five-n-one form of bird flu has killed more than fifty people in Asia, including thirty-eight in Vietnam. East Asian countries have had to destroy large numbers of chickens and other farm birds.

On June first, however, a Brazilian official told the Associated Press that the virus is not bird flu. He said testing continued but officials suspect that it may be exotic Newcastle disease.

 
Amazon Parrot
That disease can come from tropical⁸ birds like Amazon parrots. Infected Amazon parrots can carry the virus for up to four hundred days without showing signs of sickness.

The possibility of the spread of disease means it is important to keep farm birds separated from wild birds and pet birds. But, at the same time, officials also say that wild birds should not be destroyed in an effort to protect farm birds.

On May twenty-first, China informed the World Organization for Animal Health about the deaths of five hundred wild birds in Qinghai Province. Chinese officials said the h-five-n-one virus was responsible.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are on the Web at www.unsv.com. I'm Gwen Outen.

1 exotic   

adj.奇异的，异乎寻常的，外（国）来的，外国产

参考例句：

• There are some exotic words in English language.英语中有一些外来词。
• She likes to wear exotic clothes.她喜欢穿奇装异服。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

5 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

6 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

7 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

8 tropical   

adj.热带的，热带的，炎热的

参考例句：

• You must grow these tropical flowers in a glasshouse.你必须把这些热带花卉种在温室里。
• This disease is widespread in tropical areas.这种疾病在热带地区蔓延很广。