1. Biological threats to animal health and food security
Dr Gastón Funes
Deputy Head
Regional Activities Department
Biological threats to animal health and food security
Comments (with copyright) / Commentaires (soumis au Copyright) :
EU Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
San José, Costa Rica
January 2007

2. OIE: World Organization for Animal Health
Founded in 1924 – predates the UN
167 Member Countries
Headquarters in Paris
An intergovernmental organisation
I do not think that all of you are really familiar with the OIE and its objective which is important to understand the activities of the OIE and place them in the right perspective.
Since the OIE is an intergovernmental organization the operating expenses are paid by member country contributions

3. 167 Member Countries ( 2006)
Five permanent Regional Representations: Bamako, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Sofia and Beirut
Sub-regional Offices: Gabarone (Africa), Panama (America), Brussels (Europe), SEAFMD Coordination Bangkok.
Five Regional Commissions: Africa, America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Middle East

4. Why are we worried about the prevention and control of major animal diseases and zoonosis?

5. Zoonotic potential of animal pathogens
60% of human pathogens are zoonotic
80% of animal pathogens are multi-host
75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic
80% of agents having a potential bioterrorist use are zoonotic pathogens
Nearly all new human diseases originate from animal reservoirs
Diseases can now spread faster across the world than the average incubation period of most diseases

6. General classification of threats related to animal diseases
Animal to animal transmission
Direct economic impact – agroterrorism
Diseases exotic to country
Diseases eradicated at high cost
Diseases with specific vaccines needed for control
Animal to human transmission
Diseases with pandemic potential
Diseases with high/sudden human mortality
Diseases with slow but progressive human illness/mortality
Rinderpest

7. Most common causes of infection
Incidental (‘Normal’/expected)
External (Uncontrolled/difficult to control)
Wild animals, migratory birds
Ilegal trade
Deliberate spread - Agroterrorism

8. Some of the more important diseases of concern to Latin American and the Caribean Region
Potential economic disasters (animal health, food security)
Foot and mouth disease
Classical swine fever
Avian influenza
Rabies
Newcastle Disease
Botulism
BSE
Psittacosis
West Nile Fever
Brucellosis
New World Screwworm
Potential human health (zoonosis)
Avian influenza
Rabies
West Nile Fever
Botulism
BSE
Psittacosis
Brucellosis
New World Screwworm

9. Some of the more important diseases of concern to Latin American and the Caribean Region: involvement of wild animals
Potential economic disasters (animal health, food security)
Foot and mouth disease
Classical swine fever
Avian influenza
Rabies
Newcastle Disease
Botulism
BSE
Psitacosis
West Nile Fever
Brucellosis
Potential human health (zoonosis)
Avian influenza
Rabies
West Nile Fever
Botulism
BSE
Psitacosis
Brucellosis

10. Effective planning mechanisms for timely responses to an exotic disease incursion should be accorded to wildlife with the same degree of attention that is now given solely to domestic livestock.

11. What are the threats? Spreading pathogens from available sources
Spreading doubt/uncertainty – vaccines not working; service delivery poor; etc.
Introducing foreign/exotic pathogens
Causing alarm/panic – can state handle it?
Over-reaction – media ‘disease surveillance’

13. HPAI (H5N1): Countries infected between 2003 and April 2006
Wild birds
Poultry

14. Conjectured Status of FMD
Endemic
Intermediate, sporadic
Free with vaccination
Free. Virus present in game parks
Free

15. Increase of poverty: Loss of production; Disruption of food supply
Animal diseases: economic and social consequences
High economic and social negative consequences: Impact on livestock industry; Disruption of trade.
Loss of livelihoods
Increase of poverty: Loss of production; Disruption of food supply
Human diseases (zoonosis)

16. What is International Public Good?
Animal health
Veterinary
Services
Animal Disease
Zoonosis
Human health
Poverty
Food security
Lack of trade

17. What is International Public Good?
Is international ownership
Is a conditional prerequisite
Is a buffer mechanism
Is a multi-disciplinary responsibility

18. OIE and the BTWC OIE in support of BTWC (2003, 2004, 2005)
Global surveillance and preparedness for rapid response
Inclusion of non-domestic animals (wild animals)
Animal diseases including zoonosis and food safety
Adherence to international animal health standards

19. Minimize Threat of Emerging Animal Diseases
Early warning systems
Early detection
Awareness
High quality Veterinary Services
Rapid and transparent notification
Appropriate national chain of command

20. Minimize Threat of Emerging Animal Diseases
New OIE World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS):
Transparency and Knowledge of Global Animal Disease Status
Minimizes Disease Spread

21. Minimize Threat of Emerging Animal Diseases
Rapid response
rapid confirmation of suspects
confinement and humane stamping out
use of vaccination when available and if appropriate
Governance, legislation, policies and resources, in compliance with OIE international standards

22. Vaccine banks Integral to contingency planning
Must be effective against prevailing antigenic strain
Effective against field strain/foreign strain
Animal and human preparedness
Turn-over time/cost of production
Quality control

23. OIE Approach Priority concepts International Public Good
Good governance and veterinary legislation
Well functioning infrastructure and resources of Veterinary Services
Early detection and rapid response
Surveillance, transparency, pathogen confinement
Stamping out under OIE welfare standards

24. Evaluation of Veterinary Services
PVS instrument
good governance
convincing govmts/donors to invest
official OIE assessment
endorsed by World Bank and donors
upon country request
confidential results
gap analysis, prioritized
evaluates
human and financial resources
early detection and rapid response
national chain of command
laboratory networks
technical innovation
alliances with private sector

25. How to evaluate a Veterinary Service
Needs to be based on OIE Code Guidelines
Articles to : evaluation criteria Article : questionnaire
The OIE :
With IICA: developed an evaluation tool “Performance, Vision and Strategy for Veterinary Services (PVS)”
With the World Bank and other potential donors: developed a model to help the VS present financial support requests according to donor specification
The OIE recommends that a VS evaluation is based on the OIE Guidelines as described in the Code.
These Guidelines were adopted by all the Members countries in May 2002.
IICA tool: feedback (communication in OIE seminar, WVC 2005, Minneapolis):
Awareness passive
Shared vision
Performance
Dialogue
Specific action active
Lower score = TRAINING (TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS)
Then = TRECEABILITY [idem AVila]
Additional insight / process:
Reprioritise investment
Up budget
Greater technical LEADERSHIP (versus technical expertise)
Alliance / partnership with the private sector are critical
No substitute for continuity and commitment
There is a decision point :
What is possible  investments and growth
Disengagement  continue the status quo.

26. International standards, guidelines and recommendations
Terrestrial Animal Health Code
Aquatic Animal Health Code
Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals
Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals

27. Partnerships Priority partnerships with FAO with WHO with WTO
with World Bank
with private sector representatives
with donors
with governments through OIE Member Countries Delegates to OIE
between veterinary and medical authorities
with NGO’s

28. OIE Collaborating Centres

29. OIE Reference Laboratories

30. Summary table of information on OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres in 2005
Total
Number
157 17
174
Countries 30 11 31
Diseases/
Topics 79 15 94
Experts
137
154

31. Regional Support Units
ECO/
SAARC
PACE-AU/IBAR
SADC
GCC
ASEAN
PAHO
OIRSA
IICA
Not possible to reach objectives from the offices in Paris or Rome,
Regional initiatives are extremely important

32. Agenda
Short term: infected and high risk countries
Medium term: at risk countries
Long term: all developing and in transition countries on request

33. Conclusion …
Ensuring good governance to address emerging and re-emerging animal disease threats
If the OIE standards and its network of disease surveillance and reference laboratories are correctly implemented by member countries, the threat of bioterrorism could be better managed.
The disease surveillance and reporting standards and procedures, currently advocated by the OIE, are adequate for the protection of Member Countries against the threat of a bioterrorist incident.

34. World Organisation for Animal Health
Thank you very much!
World Organisation for Animal Health
12 rue de prony
75017 Paris, France
Tel: 33 (0) – Fax: 33 (0)
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