Flutrop CIRAD Avian Influenza

Since the first cases of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was detected in February 2006, the disease spread over 23 out of the 27 governorates and can be now considered as endemic in Egypt. 36 human infections have been confirmed positive, with 16 fatalities. Up to 30 million birds have been culled, causing an estimated of one billion USD loss to the poultry industry. The authorities are trying to control the situation with compulsory vaccination of poultries (inactivated H5N1 and H5N2 vaccines)

Egypt is part of the EPIAAF research project on epidemiology and evaluation of HPAI risk factors in Africa.

Within this project the following activities will be undertaken in Cameroon:

• standardised collection of HPAI information and putative risk factors at national level
• interviews at previous outbreak locations and non infected control sites with biological samples collection
• evaluation of risk factors linked to introduction, diffusion and persistence of HAPI
• spatial modelling to identify at risk zones
• recommendations on improvement of surveillance and control strategies