Aviculturists and veterinarians in various areas noticed an increase in disease outbreaks after bird mart events. A plan to test for disease organisms at such marts was formulated by these two groups. They decided to use the advanced DNA and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology, due to its extreme sensitivity and accurate parameters. This testing method, when performed properly, does not give false positives. If the test is positive, the organism is there. Unfortunately, a negative does not mean the organism is not there.

Testing began in 1998. Diseases tested for were limited to polyomavirus, psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) and Chlamydia (psittacosis), as these were the only DNA probes available for environmental testing. Research Associates in Milford, Ohio, (Dr. Dahlhausen and Dr. Radabaugh) processed the materials. Sample collection was simple. Using a sterile culturette swab, an individual rubbed the tip across a tabletop or floor in the "bird event" area. In order to prevent bias, the same procedures were used at each event. Swabs were only taken from tables or areas where live birds were not being displayed; in other words, only at tables with vendors selling supplies, not vendors selling birds.

May, 1998	PBFD positive	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia negative
May, 1999	PBFD positive	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia positive
October, 1999	PBFD positive	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia negative
October, 1999	PBFD positive	Polyoma negative	Chlamydia negative
December, 1999	PBFD positive	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia negative
March, 2000	PBFD negative	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia negative
March, 2000	PBFD positive	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia negative
March, 2000	PBFD positive	Polyoma positive	Chlamydia negative

These startling results are indicative of the dangers of taking birds to marts to sell and then returning home with the unsold birds and placing them back into the collection or going to a mart to purchase a healthy bird. The bird brought to the mart may have been very healthy, but at the mart it may have been exposed to one or more disease pathogens that later result in an outbreak of the disease. It is important to recognize that the disease pathogens are in the air, as well as on virtually everything in the area. People and birds may not have entered with these disease pathogens, but they definitely leave with them. Many people are unaware that PBFD and polyomavirus are extremely hardy and may remain stable for upward of one year. A single bird mart can expose thousands of birds to disease. Of all the bird marts tested, not a single one was found to be free of disease. "People come looking for bargains, real or perceived, but the bad news is the diseases are free!" said Dr. Phalen of Texas A&M.

Considering the tremendous disease risk, it is inadvisable to buy or sell young birds at bird marts. Considering the great risk posed to bird breeders' collections and to pet bird owners' companion birds, it is not prudent to visit bird marts or purchase items there. (Anything bought from a store or mart should be thoroughly disinfected. — Ed.) (Information for this bird mart warning was provided by Ernie Colaizzi, [Phoenix, Unlimited in Texas], who directed the sample collection and wrote a follow up report on the results.)