Exotic Newcastle, a highly contagiousdisease of pet birds and poultry, has been confirmed in two
pet-bird dealer facilities in Maryland, and New York, the U.S.
Agriculture Department said.
    The department said no domestic poultry are involved in the
outbreak.
    State quarantines have been placed on the two facilities,
in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and Schenectady, New York.
    The most serious U.S. outbreak of the disease occurred in
1971-73 in southern California, where the disease spread from
infected pet birds to a dense poultry population and nearly 12
mln birds, mostly laying hens, were destroyed at a cost of 56
mln dlrs, the department said.
 Reuter
