1. Keith Hamilton OIE Scientific and Technical Department, OIE Paris
Work as OFFLU Coordinator at OIE and also with lab twinning.
OFFLU is the Joint OIE-FAO network of expertise on animal influenza – is an open network with experts from a range of disciplines including diagnostics, epidemiology, bioinformatics
OFFLU established in 2005 in response to HPAI H5N1 situation to strengthen links within the animal health avian influenza lab network and with WHO – leading to improved collaboration and sharing of data within animal health network and with WHO
Now has expanded its mandate to include all animal IVs. Although this was triggered by recent A/H1N1 situation in people and the need to gather veterinary experts to discuss implications for pigs we had been thinking about expanding the mandate for some time.

2. OFFLU Objectives
To exchange scientific data and biological materials (including virus strains) within the network, to analyse such data, and to share the information with the wider scientific community
To offer technical advice and veterinary expertise to Member Countries to assist in the prevention, diagnosis, surveillance and control of animal influenza
To collaborate with the WHO influenza network on issues relating to the animal-human interface, including early preparation of human vaccine
To highlight animal influenza research needs, promote their development and ensure co-ordination.
Objectives
A major objective of OFFLU is to encourage people to share data with each wider scientific community to allow comparative analyses, better reagents, up to date test protocols, early warning etc
Support other countries through OFFLU representation in missions, CMC etc
OFFLU established so that info and material could be shared with human health network to allow early prep of human vaccine
Regular meetings of heads or RLs to share ideas and identify gaps

3. OFFLU contributors / technical activities
Steering Committee
Executive Committee
Secretariat
(OIE)
OFFLU scientists
OFFLU contributors / technical activities
There is a small core of INDEPENDENT people paid and unpaid that support the network and help coordinate its activities.
Structure changed in late 2007 to make it more functional – now an OPEN NETWORK. Got rid of the old scientific committee and list of collaborators
Steering Committee – decision making authority 4 people – chair Steve Edwards
Executive Committee – operational body – implements decisions of the St Committee
2 offlu scientists – 1 at VLA 1 at FAO - provide technical support, training, advice on dbs, analyses on publicly available data
Secretariat rotates and is currently based at OIE will rotate to FAO next
The main body is the scientists who provide the technical input and ideas.

4. OFFLU technical activities
Have a purpose
Provide results - answers, guidance, diagnostic reagents…
Strengthen links within the animal health network and with the human health network
Lead to exchanges of information and material
The idea of the technical activities is to get experts from the network to focus on specific technical issues or questions related to animal influenza
They provide some purpose to the network and help to strengthen links between experts whilst providing useful outputs

5. OFFLU technical activities
Each is a small group of leading experts from the network
Address pertinent issues or questions specific to influenza that are identified by experts
Function on a temporary or ongoing basis
Flexible
Small group 6-7 leading experts with a leader who coordinates the other members of the group
Its important that the topics are proposed by the experts who know what is achievable with constraints on their time.
There is money available to support meetings etc
They are FLEXIBLE – can bring in specific expertise from the network when needed

6. OFFLU technical activities
Biosafety and biosecurity*
Applied epidemiology*
Animal – human interface*
Diagnostic kits
Standard H5 sera
RNA standard*
Vaccination
Proficiency testing*
* activities which involve WHO
These are the 8 technical activities.
Bev Schmitt – dev guidance on minimum biosafety requirements
Cristobal – epi group – exists to provide consultancy on epi topics when needed – recently activated to hold a teleconference on surveillance issues for A/H1N1 in pigs aorund the HAI
Liz/Ilaria – organise events to address issues at the HAI – Verona meeting, will hold another similar meeting later in year
Marek – collating availbvale data to provide advice on pros and cons of commercially available kits
Ian – working with the other RLs in the network to come up with a standard antisera for H5
Timm – developing an RNA standard and will eventually share it with the other labs to validate
Peter – leads a group on vaccination – been giving advice to Indo and now Egypt on selection of suitable vaccine strains to match circulating field virus using antigenic cartography
Dennis – developinng a harmonised approach to proficiency testing.
Several involve WHO
MEETING IN SEPTEMBER TO REVIEW PREOGRESS

7. Collaboration with WHO
Ongoing
Several of the technical activities
Joint technical discussions (A/H1N1)
Reciprocal involvement in meetings
Good day to day dialogue
It is about the 2 networks collaborating, working closely together, sharing information, developing common approaches (where appropriate) and helping each other. It is not about 1 network absorbing the other.
Each network has specific and relevant expertise applicable to their field. The animal health experts deal with animal health issues and human health deal with human health issues and they work together at the human animal interface. Ensures appropriate expertise is applied to the right area and that activities are coordinated. For example diagnostics, surveillance…
Collaboration between animal and human health sectors is nothing new
OFFLU and WHO have been working together to formalise the collaboration relating to influenza and make sure this is taking place in as many areas as possible. OFFLU and WHO experts have also been actively looking for specific topics that would benefit from collaboration.
Good examples where this has happened are…

8. Sharing of information and material
OIE Resolution
Encourage the use of several publicly available databases
Ongoing collaborative projects and exchanges
Supporting shipment of materials
MTA available on OFFLU website
Role of the OFFLU Scientists
76th OIE general session Resolution adopted by all OIE Members – shows that the Int Community acknowledges the importance of sharing this information and material and that they are committed to it.
OFFLU position is that Scientists and especially reference labs should deposit sequences into publicly available databases as quickly as possible following sequencing and that the db should be of the Scientists choice. There are several dbs available, OFFLU does not specify a particular db, this is up to the scientists to chose, based on their preferences.
OFFLU publishes a list of dbs on website – if anymore become available – please let us know and if the owners agree we will post details.
An MTA is also available. In an ideal world this wouldn’t be necessary and OFFLU and its better not to get embroiled unless necessary.
OFFLU Scientists are employed to assist labs with sequencing and to help them deposit sequences in publicly available dbs

9. Communication
We really try to keep it simple as possible a means of sharing information and specific to OFFLU and influenza related activities of OIE and FAO.
We post the notes from the technical and steering comm. meetings, lists of public available dbs for sharing sequences, contact details of RLs, a list of labs which also specialise in SIV diagnostics
Once we have collated info on new protocols for detecting novel A/H1N1 we will post that on the website too.
There are 100s of sites out there providing technical information about AI

10. Expanded mandate of OFFLU
In response to novel influenza A/H1N1
To cover ‘animal influenza’ viruses
To address technical issues relating to swine influenza and novel A/H1N1
Share information about diagnostic protocols quickly
To collaborate with WHO - GIP and provide them with relevant information to minimise public health risks
This is something we had been considering for sometime.
With the arrival of novel H1N1 in people there was a need to mobilise veterinary influenza experts QUICKLY to provide information/technical advice to animal health sector and WHO. Specifically on:
diagnostics,
the possibility of infections in pigs,
surveillance in pigs,
joint WHO/OFFLU response to speculation about the origins of the virus (Gibbs – lab origin)

11. Expanded mandate of OFFLU
Technical consultations
Human animal interface aspects of the current A/H1N1 situation (OFFLU/WHO)
Laboratory diagnosis of novel A/H1N1 in swine (OFFLU/WHO)
Proposed origin of novel A/H1N1 (OFFLU/WHO)
Surveillance issues around novel A/H1N1 and the human animal interface (OFFLU/WHO)
Algorithm for laboratory detection
Nomenclature of ‘the virus’
Has been a real opportunity to show what the network of animal health experts can do when they pull together.
We have had several joint consultations with WHO, to provide advice to the human health sector from the animal health sector. We have also had some more focussed discussions to share information on the most up to date protocols to detect A/H1N1 in pigs and to differentiate it from other viruses and recently a more general discussion about surveillance.
The rapid mobilisation, quality advice and responsiveness has raised the profile of the animal health influenza network considerably and shown what OFFLU can do. WHO have been very appreciative of the involvement of OFFLU and Margaret Chan has personally this clear

12. OFFLU Key achievements 2008 -2009
OIE Resolution – ‘Sharing of avian influenza viral material and information in support of global avian influenza prevention and control’
Head of avian influenza Reference Laboratories meeting
8 technical activities
Practical guidance on minimum biosafety requirements for handling avian influenza viruses

13. OFFLU Key achievements 2008 -2009
Advice to Indonesia and Egypt on selection of avian influenza vaccine strains using antigenic cartography
Assessment of genetic sequence databases
Joint meetings and stronger links with WHO – GIP; Verona, technical activities, PCR meeting
Rapid mobilisation of experts for novel A/H1N1
Guidance on lab detection of novel A/H1N1 in pigs

14. Plans -2009 Maintain momentum with technical activities
Further technical discussions about novel A/H1N1; surveillance follow up to brainstorming, guidelines for lab diagnostics
Technical meeting of heads of RLs and SIV experts September inc. other networks
Another technical consultation at the HAI

15. ‘The OFFLU scientific contributors’ Elisabeth Erlacher Vindel
Acknowledgements
‘The OFFLU scientific contributors’
and
Steve Edwards
Gwen Dauphin
Liz Mumford
Ilaria Capua
Margarita Riela
Bhudipa Choudhury
Mia Kim
Kate Glynn
Elisabeth Erlacher Vindel
The people that we would like THANK the most are the experts in the network who dedicate their time to take part in meetings, consultations and work on the technical issues. Without these experts OFFLU would be nothing.
We’re very aware that people are giving up their time in a busy schedule and often at short notice.
Steve Edwards has had a tremendous influence on OFFLU and thankfully although he has retired from the OIE BSC he will stay on as chairman.
The rest of us get paid!

16. www.offlu.net offlu@oie.int
Please we are always looking for feedback on ideas for topics that the network can address, for contributors from other regions of the world who are not currently involved and on how we can do a better job.
So please feel free to catch me over the next couple of days, to us at the Secretariat or say something now.