Goose Astrovirus: No Specific Treatment Available
There is no specific antiviral treatment for goose astrovirus infection; management is entirely supportive, focusing on maintaining hydration, nutrition, and preventing secondary bacterial infections.
Critical Context
The provided evidence focuses exclusively on Chlamydia psittaci (psittacosis/avian chlamydiosis) in companion birds, which is a completely different pathogen from goose astrovirus. These guidelines are not applicable to astrovirus infections. The research evidence on goose astrovirus 1, 2, 3 demonstrates this is a novel viral pathogen causing fatal visceral gout in goslings, with no established treatment protocols.
Disease Characteristics
Goose astrovirus is a recently identified pathogen (first reported 2017) that causes:
- Fatal visceral gout with urate deposition on internal organs, particularly heart, liver, and kidneys 1
- High mortality rates in 4- to 21-day-old goslings, with 100% mortality in infected goose embryos 1
- Systemic infection with virus detected in all representative tissues and shedding up to 12 days post-infection 1
- Kidney damage as the primary lesion site, with hemorrhage, congestion, edema, cell necrosis, and inflammatory infiltration 2
Supportive Care Approach
Since no antiviral therapy exists, focus on:
Immediate Management
- Isolate infected birds immediately to prevent spread to healthy goslings
- Maintain hydration through oral or subcutaneous fluids if birds are still drinking
- Provide nutritional support with easily digestible, high-quality feed
- Minimize stress by maintaining optimal temperature, reducing handling, and ensuring quiet environment
Secondary Infection Prevention
- Monitor for bacterial complications given the immunocompromised state and tissue damage
- Consider broad-spectrum antibiotics only if secondary bacterial infection is suspected (not for the virus itself)
- Maintain strict biosecurity to prevent introduction of additional pathogens
Environmental Control
- Thorough disinfection of housing and equipment using appropriate disinfectants
- Remove and properly dispose of deceased birds immediately
- Prevent contamination between age groups and flocks
Prevention Strategies
Biosecurity Measures
- Vertical transmission occurs from breeding geese to goslings via eggs 4, making breeder flock management critical
- Screen breeding flocks for astrovirus, as asymptomatic carriers exist 4
- Quarantine new birds for 30-45 days before introduction to existing flocks
- Implement all-in/all-out management systems when possible
Flock Management
- Avoid mixing age groups to prevent transmission from older carriers to susceptible goslings
- Maintain optimal nutrition and husbandry to support immune function
- Monitor breeding geese regularly, as high prevalence exists in symptom-free flocks 4
Prognosis and Limitations
- No vaccine is currently available for goose astrovirus
- Mortality can be very high in affected goslings, particularly those under 3 weeks of age 1
- Co-infections worsen outcomes, particularly with goose parvovirus 2
- Recovery is possible in some birds with supportive care, though the virus replicates systemically 1
Important Caveats
The evidence base for goose astrovirus treatment is extremely limited, consisting only of recent research publications describing the pathogen. No clinical treatment trials or established protocols exist. The disease appears to be self-limiting in some cases due to host immune responses, particularly OASL activation 5, but this does not translate to actionable treatment recommendations. Management remains entirely empirical and supportive.