FAO-OIE Global Strategy for the Progressive Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

The current panzootic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) caused by viruses of the H5N1 sub-type has now extended to over 60 countries. It has caused high mortalities in affected poultry flocks, with additional losses of income due to market disruption as a result of control activities and market shock due to consumer concerns for human health. For FAO, OIE and others concerned with safeguarding the livelihoods and ensuring the food security of communities in developing countries, this is sufficient justification in itself to mount a major campaign to prevent further spread of the disease, contain the disease within infected areas, and progressively work towards its eradication.

The concern for human health, particularly the potential threat of a human influenza pandemic, has drawn world attention to HPAI and stimulated donors to support HPAI control and, preparedness measures for a human influenza pandemic. It is generally accepted that the most important element in addressing the potential threat of emergence of a human pandemic influenza virus is to control HPAI in poultry, thus limiting opportunities for exposure of humans to the virus and minimizing the possibility for development, through adaptive mutation or reassortment, of a novel virus that can spread easily from human to human.

Following publication of the FAO Recommendations on the Prevention, Control and Eradication of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Asia in September 2004 (1), the FAO/OIE Global Strategy for the Progressive Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was first produced in November 2005 and revised in March 2007. Since then, there has been further spread of H5N1 HPAI and continuous international support, with a notable increase in activities funded through the generosity of a large number of donors, including national governments, international development banks, development agencies and international organizations, including FAO. In June 2007, a WHO/FAO/OIE technical workshop held in Rome provided an update on the global situation and direction for future work, including a shift in emphasis in countries with entrenched/endemic infection away from emergency measures to longer-term measures that address the factors in the poultry production and marketing systems that allow the viruses to persist.

The OIE/FAO publication, Ensuring Good Governance to Address Emerging and Reemerging Disease Threats – Supporting the Veterinary Services of Developing Countries to Comply with OIE International Standards on Quality (6) (last updated in September 2007), provides guidelines on good governance in relation to limiting the spread of epizootic diseases, including HPAI. Capacity building formed the main element for elaboration of strategies for the progressive control of HPAI in affected countries and prevention of the dissemination of the disease to unaffected countries.

Although there remain gaps in our knowledge, there has been an increased understanding of the disease during this panzootic, and experience with various control approaches has allowed refinement of strategies at the global, regional and national levels. The revised global strategy presented here is based on the experience and lessons learned from the involvement of FAO and OIE in the global control of H5N1 HPAI over the last four years. The revised strategy provides the long-term vision and goals, identifies priorities and strategic approaches, and proposes short-, medium- and long-term actions at national, regional and global level to control and ultimately eradicate the disease.

Global control is seen as unlikely in the short-term but progress towards enhanced control and prevention of this disease is expected even in places where H5N1 viruses remain entrenched.

This strategy has been developed by FAO and OIE – in collaboration with WHO and a number of experts from OIE/FAO reference laboratories – to give a clear vision for their approach, to communicate that vision to implementing partners, donors and other stakeholders and, to demonstrate how activities conducted by these international agencies will assist in the control and prevention of this disease.