Viable treatment for Marek's Disease.

[RubyLady]

While I've updated the page occasionally, much more in depth trials are being conducted by over 300 flock owners collaborative efforts.

So...here's the findings. The Baicalin in Chinese Skullcap puts the virus in a latent state. We recommend a prophylactic dose added to feed for non-symptomatic birds in a positive flock. This is because as the thread title indicates... it's a treatment... not a cure... a treatment. But due to 300 people with different skill sets collaborating... we may be on to a cure, but it's dangerous and there's not testing that can affirm the virus is dead.

Well, you can't kill a virus. It's not a living organism. It's a piece of genetic code. You can deactivate a virus though and it would be nice to see what could deactivate a herpes virus. And yes, viral deactivation/inactivation can be proven or affirmed.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I remember reading sometime back I think here on BYC that some people have tried Acylcovir which is a popular human treatment for shingles and other forms of herpes in their chickens. The thing with it was that you have to titer out a dose per bird per weight and treat every bird every day with it. Sigh. Ad infinitum. I love my birds but......

I hope you keep updating about this. I would be interested to see how birds are doing 5 at 5 years of age.

Earlier this year I had a young cockerel, not quite a year old who suddenly presented with weight loss, no appetite. When he hadn't eaten for two days I put him down. After almost 7 years without a MD death he made me sigh and wonder if it was raising it's ugly head again in my flock. Luckily he was the only one to present with those symptoms but still. It's always around.

Thanks for posting this.

Several members have attempted Valacyclovir. It does abate the virus temporarily, but in every instance the virus eventually won. Weaning was not successful and increasing the dosage did work, but eventually the dose required to control the virus became more than the maximum tolerance for the chicken.

Research has been located showing Valacyclovir in combination with several compounds was effective in subduing the Marek's virus. However that research was only in a lab setting and one of the components is unaffordable and Valacyclovir is only available by prescription, making any possible trial unlikely.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Well, you can't kill a virus. It's not a living organism. It's a piece of genetic code. You can deactivate a virus though and it would be nice to see what could deactivate a herpes virus. And yes, viral deactivation/inactivation can be proven

A virus is not immortal. It can be rendered inactive or unable to replicate and the cell it inhabits forced into apopsys.

But the average flock owner doesn't want a biology lesson. They want to know how to manage a flock that has tested positive.

As for testing... feel free to enlighten me as to how to test for a dead virus. I have an entire group of birds in three different states hoping to find a way to prove a positive bird is no longer positive.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I remember reading sometime back I think here on BYC that some people have tried Acylcovir which is a popular human treatment for shingles and other forms of herpes in their chickens. The thing with it was that you have to titer out a dose per bird per weight and treat every bird every day with it. Sigh. Ad infinitum. I love my birds but......

I hope you keep updating about this. I would be interested to see how birds are doing 5 at 5 years of age.

Earlier this year I had a young cockerel, not quite a year old who suddenly presented with weight loss, no appetite. When he hadn't eaten for two days I put him down. After almost 7 years without a MD death he made me sigh and wonder if it was raising it's ugly head again in my flock. Luckily he was the only one to present with those symptoms but still. It's always around.

Thanks for posting this.

We located research that indicates Marek's is susceptible to heat. It only survives 4-8 months at room temperature. However below 30°C it can survive indefinitely. But extended exposure to temps 37°-45 °C can also kill the virus in the environment. Finding the study was a fluke and we only found the one. But it was the first definitive answer found.

If you're in a hot climate, it's possible that your flock has been exposed to a new strain.

 

[Karenfluff]

I must say I'm not a fan of the Marek's vaccine.

The vaccine can help control the formation of tumors, but it does not prevent infection from the virus. The vaccine may suppress clinical symptoms. It does not prevent shedding.
There's been a LOT of threads over the years with folks having sick vaccinated birds, necropsy revealed a main cause of decline was Marek's. And to be fair, unvaccinated birds have become sick and died as well.

However, if one already has Marek's within their flock, then vaccinating chicks might be beneficial, but it is crucial that vaccinated chicks not be exposed (need to be completely quarantined) for a minimum of 2wks. This would be hard to do in a backyard setting.


The best thing that anyone can do is research on their own and decide for themselves whether vaccination is the right choice for their flock(s). There are a lot of studies published and available, it just takes a lot of time to wade through them.

Dust or dander from infected chickens is particularly effective in transmission. Once the virus is introduced into a chicken flock, regardless of vaccination status, infection spreads quickly from bird to bird. Infected chickens continue to be carriers for long periods and act as sources of infectious virus. Shedding of infectious virus can be reduced, but not prevented, by prior vaccination. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/marek-s-disease-in-poultry


All MDV vaccines only prevent clinical symptoms, but do not prevent virus replication and shedding in the vaccinated host. While reduced shedding from vaccinated birds has been reported [87,88], these ‘imperfect’ vaccines still allow virus spread and evolution in the field, and are associated with the emergence of field strains with increased virulence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7139298/

These results show that currently available Rispens CVI988 vaccine virus is shed in significant quantities from vaccinated chickens and transmits effectively between chickens. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23901761/


https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17622613/

Finally some logic and common sense on here. Thank you. I also appreciate the OP

 

[Karenfluff]

That's good!
Often it's not known how much folks know about a subject, so this is why information is provided.
Just giving information, nothing more, nothing less.
I see that it's not welcome, so I wish you well.

I’m with you. Sounds like crop. Normally a common effect from sour crop etc. not the microscopic lungs

 

[Karenfluff]

That's good!
Often it's not known how much folks know about a subject, so this is why information is provided.
Just giving information, nothing more, nothing less.
I see that it's not welcome, so I wish you well.

Have you battled Mareks in your flock? We would not have Marek’s if it were for vaccinated chickens that I purchased after the breeder assured me they were unvaccinated. Contrary to recent online literature that has been either been altered in recent days or manipulated to all state the same thing.
If one is to understand the TRUTH about Any Information, then one best gave done their own science project so they can test for themselves what is true or not.
We have rode this ride out fully since we were forced into such a situation after my unvaccinated chicks contracted the disease from vaccinated ones.
I’ve done extensive research as to when this virus was discovered(1907), when it was isolated, when the first vaccine was invented, and when the mad scientists recreated and altered it. The Veterinarians simply repeat what they’ve too have been taught and sadly, many leaders who create the vaccines have nefariously altered ‘some’, but specifically Marek’s…
As any parent should, we all have an obligation to not blindly trust a system, but to truly understand a system for which we have ALL been conditioned to trust (me included) until one recognizes ‘something does not add up’.

Respectfully speaking, many of us who have encountered Marek’s in our flock, if we are being honest in reflection, it was contracted when vaccinated birds shed onto unvaccinated birds. Contrary to what the literature claims as the same literature literally words it all into one big circle by saying their “Live” vaccine does not shed onto an unvaccinated bird yet in the same context also claim how their leaky vaccine will NOT protect one’s chicken from getting the disease, from passing the disease, or prevent a bird from dying from the disease.

In reality, IF folks have the two status’ mixed, and the literature is authentic, then the two can cohabitate without consequence. Yet, that is not the case. You WILL see the effects to be greater as ones unvaccinated birds WILL show symptom's that will ultimately spread to most birds within one’s individual flock.

Furthermore, the literature also states most all flocks can determine they already have Marek’s, yet, since it was discovered in 1907 and the FIRST vaccine created wasn’t until “1970”, that clearly wasn’t competent enough they had to remake it and patent approved in 2009, chicken’s across the globe would already be extinct according the claims of how contagious the literature proposes the disease to be. Instead, they continue to claim all flicks have it.

Test the theories yourself if you dare. But NO birds will go unscathed if all you ever Have in your flock is vaccinated birds. You Will forever test positive for Mareks disease simply because you have Infected your own chickens with the disease upon vaccination and folks Will still see sudden death and or paralysis… yet the makers of the vaccines have dismissed ALL responsibility of their own vaccine that clearly cannot be perfected to eradicate such a disease after 116 years of such a threat.

Do the math as it is mathematically impossible this disease was such a threat until they remade vaccines that began circulating in 2009 when the patent was approved and folks bought into such threats because they trusted a system rather than research for themselves where the facts don’t make sense.
This isn’t said to disrespect any honest keeping chicken folks who have every heart to do what they believe is best for their flock… it’s all any of us have wanted to do. But we should ALL want to hold the systems that we have trusted, accountable for the drugs they claim are trustworthy, when in reality, they are not.

I do not nor would ever wish this disease on anyone, ever. But since I am witnessing first hand how we contracted it and the great lengths we have financially taken to stop the spread, I assure you, the literature does not add up. I merely hope to help others be aware of the findings found in their documentation that has not been altered in recent days.

Blessings to all!

Well I am over the moon excited that you went off on a tangent because you educated me in what I had no clue about. I am not an advocate of the whackscene because it doesn’t work. Thank you so much for all the info!!!!

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Ok kids. It's been a while. I've been running a group on FB. It started out small. We're at 900 now, but most are new. Word is spreading fast. A bit too fast for me to keep up. But we are rolling up on 1 year of use by flock owners big and small and they are all over the country and a few around the world.

We have a solid protocol to subdue Marek's, but get this...it works on ALV, Newcastle and the preventative dose works to ward off Avian Flu as well.

Chinese Skullcap with a Baicalin content of 85%.

500mg daily for a minimum of two weeks. All Bantams and most hybrids require two doses daily. If you go over two weeks...taper down to 30mg daily as a prophylactic to prevent it flaring back up. The prophylactic dose also prevents the rest of the flock from getting it.

It only subdues the Marek's virus, so a maintenance/prophylactic dose is necessary. It does not treat the damage caused by the virus. The birds may require additional treatment or therapy to repair damage.

Seek a FB page called Positive About Marek's Disease and Avian Leukosis Virus. We have 1 year of grass roots research and trials and hundreds of flock owners using it to treat and prevent.

This is not a sales tactic. This is me not accepting the general consensus that my flock was doomed and putting my career researching medical records and research to personal use and proving the status quo wrong. And... Well... I believe this is my legacy... maybe

 

[Jhura]

I don't believe it is misinformation or a lack of desire to find a cure - but a lack of resources.

To the general public, a chicken is a pretty expendable animal. For those who don't have them, they wouldn't understand why you would necessarily want to try and save something that isn't really "a pet" and has a generally short life span.

This is why this site even exists. When you have a sick dog, you take it to a vet. When you have a sick chicken - you have to search for miles to find a vet who isn't necessarily an expert - who will generally tell you culling is the answer because again, people don't understand chickens. Instead, you see dozens of posts here a day seeking medical help for their ailing birds.

Chinese skullcap is an herbal antiviral with quite a bit of research done regarding its healing properties on humans. The general consensus is that it SLOWS progression of a virus, but won't eliminate it. Meaning the chicken will ultimately die the agonizing, slow death that you have mentioned here, but it may not happen right away. Not to mention, there are multiple different types of Mareks, with ocular Mareks (what I would suspect in Rouge) is on the lower end of the mortality scale, but still deadly.

Anyone who has had chickens for long enough has watched one wither away and die. I am certainly no exception. I am all about treating an animal to an extent, until I believe the treatments are being administered because I am feeling sad or emotional about the animal dying. This is when culling or putting and animal down becomes the only treatment they deserve.

And to the vaccines, just as in humans, it's a choice for the owner to make. I personally have never advocated for them and believe a natural immunity can be developed by a generational flock, but if at the least a vaccine brings a peace of mind to folks, I would encourage them to do what they see fit for their birds.

You mentioned you put it in their feed as well capsules for intensive therapy… Where do you source the high percentage of baicalin in bulk?

 

[milksheikh]

If you don't mind me asking, how are you giving that to the hen? Is it in a pill? And how did you come to that dose?
I have some on order but hadn't got as far as figuring out those two questions!
Thanks

I bought these for my sick girl; do you have any insight on how much I should be giving her? Each capsule is 250mg