Flutrop CIRAD Avian Influenza

In the context of the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Asian lineage H5N1 virus through Eurasia during summer 2005, concerns arose that this virus could be spread southward toward Africa in wild birds during fall migration. In November 2005, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) set up five regional Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCP) of Emergency Assistance for Early Detection and Prevention of AI, in five regions of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. These programmes were developed to provide on a country basis support for strengthening emergency preparedness against the potential introduction and progressive spread of HPAI H5N1 virus within these regions, specifically in relation to migration of and trade in wild birds, and the interface between wild birds and domestic poultry.

The FAO has been collaborating with national veterinary services, national wildlife institutions and international collaborating centres (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD); Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie; Royal Veterinary College, University of London; and Wetlands International) to strengthen field surveillance and laboratory diagnostic capacities through training and capacity building. A risk analysis procedure was implemented for the development of contingency action plans to strengthen early warning of and early reaction to HPAI introduction. These TCPs also aimed to promote the development of capacity for sharing HPAI disease intelligence through the establishment of information and technology network linkages within and between the regions, in relation to the development of a global system for HPAI surveillance.

In November 2005, the FAO set up five regional Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCP) of Emergency Assistance for Early Detection and Prevention of AI, in five regions of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. These programmes were developed to provide on a country basis support for strengthening emergency preparedness against the potential introduction and progressive spread of HPAI H5N1 virus within these regions, specifically in relation to migration of and trade in wild birds and interface between wild birds and domestic poultry.

The FAO has been collaborating with national veterinary services, national wildlife institutions and international collaborating centres (CIRAD, IZS delle Venezie, RVC - University of London, Wetlands International) to strengthen field surveillance and laboratory diagnostic capacities through training and capacity building. A risk analysis procedure has also been implemented for the development of contingency action plans, to strengthen early warning of and early reaction to HPAI introduction. These TCPs also aimed to promote the development of capacity for sharing HPAI disease intelligence through the establishment of information and technology network linkages within and between these regions, in relation to the development of a global system for HPAI surveillance.

Within the framework of these TCPs, a surveillance study was launched in early 2006, to evaluate if HPAI H5N1 virus could be perpetuated in wild bird populations in countries where HPAI H5N1 outbreaks have occurred or may occur considering the movement of wild birds. Objective was also to provide a technical support to national surveillance programmes through capacity building, and to standardise field procedures.

Pre screening analysis of surveillance samples on avian influenza in wild birds

Following recommendations from the first surveillance campaigns, all samples will be processed in the same laboratory for consistency of laboratory techniques, in order to standardise AI diagnostic procedures and optimise data interpretation. Initial HPAI screening will be conducted at CIRAD laboratory, where diagnostic capacities willprovide faster diagnostic response, for results to be delivered in a timely manner to recipient countries. Complementary diagnostic (type A confirmation and virus isolation attempt) will be conducted in IZS Padova OIE/FAO reference laboratory. In the samples collected on wild birds and received at CIRAD Montpellier, France (level 3 laboratory), the presence of genomic nucleic acid from type A Influenza viruses will be screened. Then, positive samples will be tested for the presence of H5 and H7 sub-type. In all H5 and H7 positive samples, pathotype will be assessed by sequencing the cleavage site.

List of partners for field surveys (pdf file):