Avian Flu Endemic in Southeast Asia, and Inevitable in Europe

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Avian Flu " Endemic " in Southeast Asia, and " Inevitable " in Europe

Thursday January 5, 10:52 am ET

 

http://biz./prnews/060105/ukth008.html?.v=43

 

 

LONDON, January 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Avian flu is now so widespread in poultry

flocks in many countries in Southeast Asia that it is endemic, and will be very

difficult to eradicate over the next decade, according to a new report from

Informa, Avian Flu: The role of animal health companies in its control and

eradication. Moreover, the report makes it clear that it will almost certainly

spread to commercial poultry flocks in Europe during 2006.

" Backyard rearing of ducks is widespread in much of Southeast Asia, and these

flocks provide an ideal reservoir for the avian flu virus " according to the

author of the report, Richard Bowles. " Many countries have also found it

difficult to implement effective biosecurity measures. This is because of

under-resourced state veterinary services and the nature of local farming, which

in rural regions is dominated by backyard poultry reared for home consumption or

sale at the local markets. It has thus proved impossible to eradicate the

disease in the poorer countries in the region, including Indonesia, Viet Nam,

Thailand and China " .

 

Consequently, the report concludes, many of these countries will find it

impossible to eradiate the disease over the next decade, with backyard duck

flocks acting as sources of re-infection in areas where the virus has been

eradicated by culling.

 

Avian flu is also highly likely to spread from Southeast Asia, westwards to

Europe in 2006, with the most likely source of infection being migrating birds.

The entire commercial poultry flock in Europe will be at risk, with free range

poultry being particularly vulnerable.

 

In addition, the longer the current outbreak of avian flu in poultry continues,

the greater the chances of the virus jumping the species barrier and infecting

humans, thus creating a pandemic.

 

Means of control

 

The main means of defence in both Europe and Southeast Asia is surveillance and

biosecurity, with measures taken to identify new outbreaks as soon as possible,

and enforced culling of infected and 'at risk' flocks. British farmers are thus

concerned that there will be a repeat of events in 2001 when large numbers of

farm animals (in this case mainly cattle) were culled and burned to control and

eradicate foot and mouth disease.

 

Vaccines against avian influenza are available, but widespread vaccination makes

it difficult to confirm that the virus has been eradicated and this can lead to

the loss of export markets. In most western countries the preferred method of

control is complete eradication by culling. China, having failed to eradicate

the virus through culling, has opted for nationwide vaccination of its poultry

flock. This means that it is committed to vaccinating 14 billion birds in 2006.

However, there are risks with this strategy and there are doubts about its

feasibility. " A nationwide vaccination programme can lead to increased infection

as the vaccination teams move from farm to farm and, in rural areas, from

village to village, carrying the virus on their clothes and equipment " says the

reports author. " And there are doubts about the ability of the government to

complete this project due to potential shortages of trained staff and vaccine

stocks. The nationwide vaccination programme may develop into a more targeted

regional programme as the central Chinese government struggles with the

logistics of vaccinating 14 billion birds a year " .

 

The information in this press release is taken from the Animal Pharm report

Avian Flu: The role of animal health companies in its control and eradication,

published in January 2006 by Animal Pharm Reports, part of Informa, priced

GBP395/ $830. For more information, contact Lucie Mazoit on

+44-(0)20-7017-6850.For editorial information:

 

Richard Bowles, Product Manager

Animal Pharm Reports

Telephone: +44-(0)20-7017-6852

Email: Richard.bowles

Website: www.animalpharmreports.com

 

For product information:

Lucie Mazoit, Marketing

Animal Pharm Reports

Telephone: +44-(0)20-7017-6850

Email: lucie.mazoit