Approaches to controlling, preventing and eliminating H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in endemic countries

At its peak in 2006, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) caused by viruses of the H5N1 subtype was reported in over 60 countries. Since then, most affected countries have eliminated the disease. However, in Bangladesh, the People’s Republic of China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Viet Nam, the virus has remained entrenched and these countries continue to be endemic for the disease.The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in association with national authorities, ha s developed a framework, based on experiences gained so far in endemically infected countries and covering activities that, if adopted, will help to move each country along the path towards virus elimination. Each framework comprises a mix of measures aimed at outbreak control and responses; gathering and analyzing information from surveillance, disease investigations and other epidemiological studies and market chain studies; and disease prevention and risk reduction.As the virus is unl ikely to be eliminated from poultry for some time the risk of emergence of a human pandemic strain from an avian virus will persist and will need management. The extended time frame until the virus can be eliminated provides opportunities for research into new and innovative measures for the control and prevention of H5N1 HPAI and other influenza viruses. This includes better vaccines that can be delivered easily to poultry production sectors; methods of developing virus resistance in poultry th rough genetic manipulation and selection; and universal influenza vaccines for humans that protect against different influenza virus subtypes, thus minimizing the threat posed by the virus to human health.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Animal Production and Health Division
Format: Book (stand-alone) biblioteca
Language:English
Published: 2011
Online Access:https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/I2150E
http://www.fao.org/3/a-i2150e.pdf
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