1. Avian Influenza Epizootie:
Dr Bernard Vallat
Director General
World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE
Avian Influenza Epizootie:
“Where Do We Stand in 2007”
Comments (with copyright) / Commentaires (soumis au Copyright) :
Snowdon Lecture
July, Australia

2. Objectives of the OIE
1. To ensure transparency in the global animal disease and zoonosis situation
2. To collect, analyse and disseminate scientific veterinary information
3. To provide expertise and encourage international solidarity in the control of animal diseases
4. Within its mandate under the WTO SPS Agreement, to safeguard world trade by publishing health standards for international trade in animals and animal products
5. To improve the legal framework and resources of national Veterinary Services
6. To provide a better guarantee of the safety of food of animal origin and to promote animal welfare through a science-based approach
Comments (with copyright) / Commentaires (soumis au Copyright) :

3. Avian Influenza H5N1 asian strain: sequence of events
: confined to South East Asia
2005: spread to Central Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe
Beginning 2006: first infection African Continent (Nigeria) and Middle East
2006: Spread into Western Europe (mainly wild birds)
2007: Endemic countries and re-occurrences

4. Avian influenza: sequence of events in 2006
In total 47 countries reported infections: Asia (15), Africa (8), Europe (24)
Most countries succeeded in eradicating the disease
However in some countries the disease became entrenched: Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt, and possibly certain zones of Bangladesh and China

5. HPAI JAN-JUN 2006: ongoing and resolved (including non H5N1)

6. HPAI JUN-DEC 2006: ongoing and resolved (including non H5N1)

7. Avian influenza: re-occurrence and new infections from end 2006 until June 2007
Re-occurrence in Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Pakistan, Laos, Russia, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany and France (wild birds)
First occurrences in domestic birds only in UK, Bangladesh, Ghana, Kuwait, Togo
Risk of development of new entrenched countries (Bangladesh)

8. HPAI JAN - JUL 2007

9. Behavior of the current H5N1 “Asian strain”
Spread through 3 continents
Role of migratory waterfowl
Role of commercial exchanges
Difficult to control in countries unable to rapidly detect and control the virus
The widespread over 3 continents is unprecedented
60 countries infected since end of 2003
Stability of the strain: no human to human transmission
REMINDER: H5N1 can be low pathogenic (8 genes are involved)

10. Economic and social consequences
Poultry sector is relatively small in the overall economy
Poultry sector as a percent of GDP
Estimated direct losses, c % of GDP

11. Economic and social consequences
Little impact on East Asian growth overall …except Thailand

12. ‘Cost of Illness’ and Preventive Costs in a potential Human Influenza Pandemic

13. OIE & FAO Strategy from Beginning: To Minimize Threat at Animal Source
Early detection and early warning (exponential cost if not respected)
Rapid and transparent notification
Rapid confirmation of suspects (laboratory efficiency is necessary)

14. OIE & FAO Strategy from Beginning: To Minimize Threat at Animal Source (cont)
Rapid response
containment, management of poultry movements, increase biosecurity and humane stamping out disinfection
use of vaccination when available and if appropriate
Improvement of governance including legislation and resources
Strengthening public and private component of Veterinary Services

15. Some Important Lessons learned
Early detection and rapid response has prevented establishment of disease in the majority of the infected countries
Delayed detection and response has led to entrenched disease (Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt)
strong governance and efficient national chain of command are essential

16. Some Important Lessons learned (Cont)
The competition in resources for animal disease control and pandemic preparedness complicates the implementation of efficient control strategies
Compensation is crucial to encourage transparency and biosecurity measures
Vaccination can limit spread but used alone and without permanent monitoring it does not eliminate H5N1
Authoritarian policies to change poultry production systems are often inefficient and can be dangerous

17. Some Important Lessons learned (Cont)
All governments follow WHO recommendations even if not science based
No proven human transmission from the consumption of poultry products
Different strategies to control the virus can be efficacious (e.g. Vietnam and Thailand)
Each country should develop the strategy based on their own situation
The role of public and private veterinary networks is crucial

18. Main constraints to HPAI control
Competition on resources and between administrators
Chain of command – Decentralization
Weakness of national veterinary services
Weakness of private sector organisation and industry
Disincentives for reporting disease (no compensation legislation)
Limited ability to control livestock movements (involment and resources of public force)
Constraints to implement biosecurity measures (including stamping out and carcass disposal)
Difficulty of implementing vaccination (cold chain)

19. Main constraints to HPAI control (Cont)
Poor laboratory diagnostic capacity and capability
Continuing threat of transboundary spread (reintroducing threat)
HPAI infections may have become established in wild water bird populations (re-infections)
Uncertainty of continued donor support
Gaps in knowledge (vaccination, epidemiology in wildlife)

20. Main constraints to HPAI control (Cont)
Source: Responses to Avian and Human Influenza Threats July-Dec 2006

21. Positive Trends
Mortality of wild birds is currently strongly decreasing
Less outbreaks in domestic poultry in most newly infected countries
Countries are able to detect and resolve outbreaks quicker
Species other than wild birds and poultry have not yet been involved in the transboundary spread of the virus
Availability of international funds

22. Positive Trends: improvement of AH objectives
Source: Responses to Avian and Human Influenza Threats July-Dec 2006

23. Positive Trends: increase in lab capacities
Source: Responses to Avian and Human Influenza Threats July-Dec 2006

24. Pandemic Potential No human cases without animal outbreaks present
All countries worldwide should be able to detect early and control the virus quickly at its animal source
Improvements and investments in Veterinary Services to address this concern are also relevant for responding to future emerging and re-emerging diseases linked with globalization and climatic changes

25. Pandemic Potential

26. Short term actions (animal field)
Prevent further spread of disease amongst poultry
Direct technical assistance to newly and endemic infected countries
Sanitary measures and vaccination when appropriate (including exit strategy)
Compensation mechanisms
Increase communication and awareness
Support preparation of national integrated contingency plans
Emergency audit of Vet Services

27. Short and Medium Term Actions
Improvements of the Veterinary Services in developing countries in association with public and private partners
Evaluation and definition of actions with the evaluation tool “PVS”
Gap analysis
Preparation of projects, including compensation mechanism and animal vaccines strategic stocks
Implementation
Identify key gaps in knowledge by research initiatives

28. Longer term actions Permanent lobbying
Permanent follow-up of the Veterinary Services (including budget) in developing countries in association with public and private partners
Capacity building in the livestock sectors
Research programs

29. Good Governance worldwide
Needs Presented
Needs Presented
in the
OIE/FAO program on
Good Governance worldwide

30. Good Governance: Veterinary Services
Crucial need for appropriate legislation and strict implementation through appropriate national animal health systems allowing:
Early detection
Transparency, Notification and
Rapid Response to animal disease outbreaks
Building and maintaining efficient (epidemio) surveillance networks and territorial meshing covering the entire national territory, potentially for all animal diseases, including zoonoses and emerging diseases, is a responsibility of all Governments
If one country fails, it may endanger the entire planet
Veterinary Services are an International Public Good

31. of Veterinary Services
The OIE - PVS Tool
PVS: a tool for
Good Governance
of Veterinary Services

32. OIE international standards:
The PVS background
OIE international standards:
Chapter 1.3.3: Evaluation of Veterinary Services (which include public and private components)
Chapter 1.3.4: Guidelines for the Evaluation of Veterinary Services
Development of the PVS tool with support of IICA and the WTO/STDF mechanism
Development of the OIE World Animal Health and Welfare Fund (to implement PVS and regional capacity building programs)
Comparison with IHR of WHO

33. PVS Procedure Training and certification of OIE experts
Draft PVS Country Report
OIE Peer Review
Final PVS Country Report
Acceptance by the Country
Gap analysis
Investment preparation (national and international channels)

34. HPAI: OIE standards improvement for safe trade
Update Terrestrial Code Chapter on avian influenza in 2004 to improve notification and protect importing countries
Development of specific recommendations for most important commodities being traded
Update of the surveillance guidelines and Introduction of compartmentalisation concept

35. Development of Guidelines on the implementation of AI Vaccination
To guide countries in their decisions whether to implement vaccination programs or not
To establish detailed guidelines and a decision tree for the application, monitoring, precautionary measures of vaccination strategies
Agreement for global virtual vaccine bank for between OIE, EC, AU/IBAR and Donors

36. Vaccination program: Country situation
Epidemiological situation
Poultry production systems
Logistical factors (vet services, cold chain)
Diagnostic capacity
Strategy Monitoring
Financial Resources
Should be part of overall contingency plan and contain exit strategy

37. Global OIE Emergency Vaccine Bank
Started as vaccine bank for Africa in
collaboration with AU/IBAR/PACE and EC
Provides free (strategic) stocks of vaccines to countries
OIE manages the vaccine fund
Delivery of more than 20 million doses of vaccine worldwide
Virtual bank concept based on selected provider commitment

38. Other OIE priority activities
Establishment of laboratory twinning projects
Improve notification of the disease
Improve sharing of strains and samples

39. OIE/FAO Network for Avian Influenza (2005)

40. OFFLU: main objectives
To offer veterinary expertise to Member Countries to assist in the control of AI
To exchange sequence data and virus strains within the network, and to share such information with the wider scientific community;
Early detection of new virus strains and sharing of these strains with the WHO reference labs to support early preparation of human vaccines
Collaborate with the WHO Influenza Network on all issues on the animal-human interface
Identify gaps and develop research on avian influenza (AI)

41. Scientific Committee Dr I Capua (Italy) (Chair) Dr D Alexander (UK)
13 internationally recognized AI experts Europe, America, Asia, Oceania
Dr I Capua (Italy) (Chair)
Dr D Alexander (UK)
Dr S Marangon (Italy)
Dr D Swayne (USA)
Dr D Senne (USA)
Dr I Brown (UK)
Dr P Selleck (Australia)
Dr H Kida (Japan)
Dr J Naranjo (Chile)
Dr H Chen (PRC)
Dr G Koch (Netherlands)
Dr C Bunn (Australia)
Dr F Roger (France)

42. Scientific Collaborators
Steering Committee
WHO
Influenza Network
Scientific Collaborators
Secr
Scientific committee

43. OIE Laboratory Twinning Concept
Resolution General Session OIE 2002: Need for partnerships between OIE reference labs and collaborating centres with developing and in transition countries
Need for high quality veterinary services including laboratories
Need to increase the number of Reference Laboratories in certain regions of the world to allow a more rapid detection and diagnosis of disease

44. OIE Laboratory Twinning Concept (Cont)
Objectives
To assist laboratories in developing or in transition countries to build their capacity and scientific expertise
These laboratories can become OIE reference laboratories in their own right
To enable the laboratories to provide scientific advice to the Veterinary Services to be able to apply to OIE International Standards
To get a better geographical spread of expertise
To build a veterinary scientific community in developing countries

45. Priority Partnerships
FAO
WHO
UNSIC
UNICEF
Regional Organisations
World Bank EC
Private Sector
Bilateral Donors
CVO’s
NGO’s
Policy makers
Citizens

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