Bio threats of animal origin in the 21st Century JOINT HEALTH, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD GROUP SEMINAR 4-6 December 2013, BUCHAREST ROMANIA Dawid Visser Scientific and Technical Department World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

Contents The OIE – background and vision Importance of animal pathogens with zoonotic potential – global context Capacity building Animal pathogens as bioweapons The Global Public Good Concept

The OIE – background and vision An intergovernmental organisation founded in 1924 preceding the United Nations Creation of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Creation of the United Nations 1924 2003 1945

178 Member Countries in 2013 Africa 52 – Americas 30 – Asia, the Far East and Oceania 36 – Europe 53 – Middle-East 20 OIE – 12 regional and sub-regional offices

Science-based standards Terrestrial animals, aquatic animals and bees Surveillance, control, trade, veterinary public health, diagnostics medicinal products, food safety, quality of veterinary services, legislation

Veterinary public health Animal welfare OIE Objectives of the Fifth Strategic Plan 2011-2015 OIE’s vision “A world that is safe and secure from the accidental or deliberate release of animal pathogens, including zoonoses”. Improve animal health Veterinary public health Animal welfare Consolidate the animal’s role worldwide

Fight pathogens at animal source to protect human health Animal pathogens with zoonotic potential 60 % of human pathogens are zoonotic 75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic 80% of agents with potential bio-threat are zoonotic pathogens Fight pathogens at animal source to protect human health Rift Valley Fever Brucella suis Glanders Rinderpest

Political instability Weak animal health care systems Elements contributing to emerging disease outbreaks Globalisation Climate change Urbanisation Rising demand for food Resistance to drugs Synthetic biology Political instability Weak animal health care systems

Natural disease events Possible origins of animal disease outbreaks Natural disease events Deliberate release (bioterrorism) – ideal bio weapons Breaches in laboratory bio-containment New and emerging diseases “Disease detection and control for a natural, deliberate or accidental release of animal pathogen or emerging pathogen is virtually the same”

Effective health systems protect against bio-treats OIE strategy to improve veterinary services Prevent and control spread of important animal diseases (including zoonoses) By setting international standards and guidance Enabling countries to meet these standards by strengthening Veterinary Services

OIE Reference Laboratories OIE Collaborating Centers Capacity building Actions to strengthen Veterinary Services globally OIE Reference Laboratories OIE Collaborating Centers OIE Laboratory twinning The OIE-PVS Tool and Gap Analyses Science-based standards

Maintaining global intelligence and expertise 241 -- OIE Reference Laboratories 37 – Countries 116 – Expertise covering 116 different diseases / topics

Centers of expertise sharing information internationally 43 – OIE Collaborating Centers 24 – Countries 42 – Expertise covering topics

Assessing VS ability to meet standards the compliance of VS with international standards Mission completed Mission requested Report Available

The OIE-PVS Tool and Gap Analyses Improving Performance of Veterinary Services through evaluation based on 46 core competencies To improve compliance with OIE Standards

Capacity building

Animal pathogens as bioweapons

OIE’s Biological Threat Reduction Strategy Reducing biological threats by strengthening, enhancing, and cross-linking existing health systems http://www.oie.int/en/our-scientific-expertise/biological-threat-reduction/ OIE’s strategy for bio-threat reduction addresses 5 key areas: Policies, advocacy, and communication Maintaining expertise and setting standards, guidelines, and recommendations International cooperation Global disease intelligence Capacity-building and solidarity

Collecting global disease intelligence OIE Member Countries must notify important disease information to OIE GLEWS Combines and coordinates the alert and response mechanisms of OIE, FAO and WHO – tracking rumours about diseases WHO-IHR

Engaging and coordinating with others Cooperation agreements with over 55 international organisations Biologic and toxin weapons convention UNODA Biosafety associations WHO OIE FAO Global Partnership against WMD IATA 20

The Rinderpest post-eradication phase In 2011 the world was declared to be free from rinderpest Second disease to have been eradicated (after smallpox) Potential bioweapon Virus held in 40-50 laboratories worldwide International commitment to destroy virus and maintain freedom Rinderpest remains a threat today - OIE and FAO taking forward actions – Joint Advisory Committee for rinderpest

Shipment of dangerous pathogens Prevention and control The Global Public Good Concept Veterinary services are global public goods Disease surveillance Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity Pathogen detection and characterisation Border controls Disease reporting Shipment of dangerous pathogens Prevention and control Education Research Biological threat reduction Failure of one country may endanger the entire planet

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