Marek’s Q - visited infected flock!

[Acre4Me]

Today a friend took my child and I to visit a friend of theirs that raises chickens. We went to their hen house and admired the birds while walking around inside. We did not handle the birds, but were inside and around the henhouse for 20 min. Once we left, the friend shared that the chickens we saw were the survivors from an outbreak of Marek’s, and that now we will want to sanitize our shoes before we go home. We are visiting relatives, so are not at home to infect our chickens just yet.

Q1: how concerned should we be? I know it sticks around for awhile.

Q2: Will washing our clothes/shoes (in the washing machine) be enough?

Q3: anything else we should be aware of/know about before we are back home with our chickens?

 

[2 many chickens]

Wash everything, including yourselves and don't go around those chickens anymore. Everything should be fine. good thing she told you this.

 

[Folly's place]

If you drive far, your car might be okay. It wouldn't hurt to run it through the car wash! In addition to washing everything you both wore, and yourselves.
Don't invite her to visit your flock!!!
Being paranoid about biosecurity is a good thing!
When I go visiting, or visit a poultry show, I park away from the place, wear nothing that's been in my chicken yard, and wash everything when I get home.
Mary

 

[Ginmary]

Perhaps douse the bottom of your shoes with Lysol and let them sit for 5 minutes before washing them...

 

[rebrascora]

The disease is spread by infected dander dust which is inhaled to infect new hosts. As well as washing shoes, clothes, hair and skin before approaching your own flock you might also want to consider vacuuming your car. I would expect the car exterior to be clear even after driving a short distance but the interior could be contaminated from your clothes and then re-contaminate you next time you climb in.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks for the advice @2 many chickens, @Folly's place, @Ginmary, @rebrascora. We are here for several days,then fly home. Luckily my child was wearing inexpensive shoes, so we will throw them away before going home, and I was wearing sandals Everything will be washed too. I guess the main contamination concern will be the car interior of the car we are traveling around in while here, and so should wash everything we wear home again.

 

[Folly's place]

People, especially people who have Marek's disease in their flock, will tell you that "everyone has Mareks' disease'! I don't believe it, and have avoided it so far. Luck, not having near neighbors with infected flocks, and being careful, have worked for me.
I buy chicks from good hatcheries, and have them vaccinated against Marek's disease, and isolate them for two to three weeks before introducing them to my birds. I also have chicks hatched here, unvaccinated. When and if Marek's disease arrives here, they will get sick first, and I'll know.
Mary

 

[Acre4Me]

People, especially people who have Marek's disease in their flock, will tell you that "everyone has Marks' disease'! I don't believe it, and have avoided it so far. Luck, not having near neighbors with infected flocks, and being careful, have worked for me.
I buy chicks from good hatcheries, and have them vaccinated against Marek's disease, and isolate them for two to three weeks before introducing them to my birds. I also have chicks hatched here, unvaccinated. When and if Marek's disease arrives here, they will get sick first, and I'll know.
Mary

All good practices. Ours are not vaccinated, so we will know!