Precautions must be taken to avoid an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease, a highly transmittable illness that could affect poultry in Iowa, ISU officials say.

If the disease spreads to Iowa and infects poultry, the effect on the industry and on the state’s economy would be significant, said John Miranowski, professor of economics.

“The potential impact on the Iowa economy if the disease does reach Iowa is $750 million,” he said.

The prevention of the disease is important to Iowa’s poultry farmers, as the state is the leading producer of eggs in the country, according to the Iowa Poultry Association.

An outbreak of the disease could result in a $185 million loss in egg sales, according to the association.

Although the disease has not been detected among Iowa poultry farms, it has been found in birds in California, Nevada, Arizona and other southwestern states.

Last month, California Gov. Gray Davis declared California in a state of emergency in the fight against the disease. It has already caused a considerable loss for poultry farmers.

The outbreak is the first time since the early 1970s that poultry has been affected. In the 1970 outbreak, 12 million birds were destroyed and the costs to California exceeded $50 million.

If the disease enters Iowa, it could affect up to 90 percent of a flock of turkeys or chickens, said Kim Reies, CEO of Elsworth Turkey. Reies said the federal government would quarantine an affected farm. As a precaution, Elsworth Turkey does not allow house birds or visitors to come in contact with its birds.

Reies said the disease has been traced to cock-fighting in Mexico and California.

The disease mainly affects birds, although humans can be infected with pink eye through exposure to the disease. It can be passed from bird to bird by sneezes or coughs. People working with the poultry may also carry it on their clothes and shoes, said Don Reynolds, associate dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

“[For poultry] the signs vary according to the strain of Newcastle disease and to the species of bird it infects,” he said.

The signs include sneezing, coughing and gasping for air, drooping wings, muscular tremors or paralysis.

Birds infected with the disease are often found dead with no previous signs of the sickness, Reynolds said. The onset is sudden.

Birds infected with the disease and those they are in contact with are euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.

“It is not probable that exotic Newcastle disease will enter into commercial poultry if bio-security measures are followed,” Reynolds said.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.