Flutrop CIRAD Avian Influenza

France has declared its first H5N1 HPAI cases on the 14th of february 2006 on 3 common pochards found dead in the Dombes area (South-West of the department). 55 other cases have further been identified within the Dombes area. 4 other cases have been localised in Ain. ©

And 1 in Bouches_du Rhône. Therefore, a total of 62 wild birds have been found infected with H5N1 in France between February and March 2006. Moreover, an isolated case of domestic poultry H5N1 infection has been confirmed within a turkey flock in Versailleux (Ain) on the 24th of February 2006, close to the location of infected wild birds.

After one year without any signs of the disease, 3 young swans were found dead in a swamp at Assenoncourt (Moselle department). The dead birds were confirmed positive for HPAI virus H5N1 on the 05th of July 2007.

Figure 1: Location of wild birds positives for H5N1 HPAI infection in France (Updated July 2007)

Download pdf :

The new french legislation implemented on the 05th of February 2007 describe the different risk levels of France depending on the wild birds cases. Preventive measures are associated with each of the 6 risk levels. Moreover, the 46 humid areas as defined by ONCFS (National Office of Hunting and Wild Life) are defined “at risk” as soon as neighbouring countries have declared HPAI cases. Those specific risk areas are extended to the bordering communes if HPAI cases are notified within France (98 communes in total).

Figure 2: location of the french 98 humid zone "at risk" for HPAI infection © ONCFS

CIRAD is part of a project called BIOSCOPE funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR). This project is coordinated by INSERM and INRA and aim to set up in Corse-Mediterranean a living observatory for zoonotic diseases alert network

CIRAD is part of the project steering committee, lead on by the Poultry Technical Institute (ITAVI) on modelisation of AI epidemiological risk regarding domestic poultry with exterior acces..