OIE Regional Meeting on Strengthening Animal Health Information Networking in Asia
and OIE/MAFF-Japan Symposium on Avian Influenza Control in Asia
(Tokyo, Japan, 13-14 November 2008)
Day 1- Meeting on Strengthening Animal Health Information Networking in Asia
OIE/Japan Trust Fund (JTF) Project for HPAI Control in Asia for 5 years from 2008-2012, covers three components of regional cooperation. One of the components of the project is to strengthening information networking in Asia. This meeting of Animal Health Information Networking aims at effective exchange of information among OIE Members. Aiming to disseminate updated information and knowledge on HPAI control, a symposium on “OIE/ MAFF-Japan Symposium on Avian Influenza Control in Asia” was also organized back to back with this meeting on 14-November, inviting prominent experts to present their research works.
The first day of the meeting was attended by 38 participants including official participants from 20 member countries and territories, Representatives from the OIE Central Bureau, FAO Regional Office, personnel of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and OIE Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific. Welcoming remarks were made by Dr Teruhide Fujita, OIE Regional Representative, Dr Toshiro Kawashima, OIE Delegate and Chief Veterinary Officer of Japan and Dr Gideon Bruckner, Deputy Director General, OIE Central Bureau, Paris.
Dr Fujita gave a brief account of the progress of the OIE/JTF Project for Strengthening HPAI Control in Asia. Dr Carolyn Benigno gave an overview of HPAI situation in Asia and activities of FAO towards improving country capacities. Dr Kenji Sakurai, Deputy Regional Representative of OIE Asia-Pacific who has tried to collect information from 24 member countries and territories and put together the information collected from 18 responded countries. He analysed and presented on the main constraints and problems and needs emphasized by the respondents, with regard to HPAI control.
During the following session, five selected countries reported their currently experienced HPAI outbreak situations. The five countries with their varied systems of environment, socio-economic and veterinary infrastructures have elucidated their control measures and the epidemiological analysis of the outbreaks, and measures adopted for prevention of new incursions. The session was followed by the discussion on the topic of animal health information networking in Asia, focusing on HPAI control. Through the suggestion, the final Meeting Conclusion and Recommendations of the OIE Regional Meeting on Strengthening Animal Health Information Networking was adopted by the meeting.
Conclusions and Recommendations(PDF)
Day 2 OIE/MAFF-Japan Symposium on Avian Influenza Control in Asia
The symposium was jointly organized by MAFF and OIE Asia-Pacific. The symposium was attended by the 132 participants. In addition to the participants in the Information Networking Meeting held on the previous date, animal health and environment authorities from Central and Local Government of Japan were also invited to the symposium. The Symposium made available four regional experts in the field of the HPAI to the audience to further enhance and update their knowledge of the disease. The four speakers are Professor Dr Hiroshi Kida from Hokkaido University, which is also an OIE Reference Laboratory for HPAI, Professor Dr Toshihiro Ito from Tottori University, who also chairs the Study Group on Japan’s Ministry of Environment on HPAI in Wild Birds, Dr Youn-Jeong Lee, Head of Avian Influenza Research, National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Services from Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea, and Professor Dr Hualan Chen from National Influenza Reference Laboratory, Republic of China which is also OIE Reference Laboratory for HPAI.
The Opening Remarks for the Symposium were given by Dr Teruhide Fujita, OIE Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Dr Gideon Bruckner, Deputy Director General of the OIE Central Bureau, Dr Masaru Umeda, Deputy Director General of Food Safety and Consumer Affair Bureau of MAFF Japan.
Prof Hiroshi Kida in his presentation explained the ecology of avian influenza virus; through his long years of study he adherent to the fact that viruses maintain evolutionarily static in their natural hosts. He pointed out that the virus changed with the acquisition of pathogenicity only when it infects other unnatural host like poultry. Referring to the isolates of various avian influenza, he pointed out that virus mutates more often when it has to replicate under the antibodies selection pressure. He, therefore, strongly favours stamping out measures in the control of HPAI. Vaccine should come as a last resort in addition to stamping out. He stressed that vaccine should not substitute stamping out in controlling the disease as the vaccinated population may favour the silent spread of disease. He also pointed out that preparedness for the pandemic should not only focus on avian influenza but also to include measures such as how to control the seasonal flu in human.
Prof Toshiro Ito in his presentation mainly pointed out that the virus isolated in the dead Whooper Swans in 2008 in Japan is genetically different from the viruses that caused previous outbreaks in Japan, winding up his presentation that comprehensive surveillance in wild birds is required for global control of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Dr Youn-Jeong Lee elucidated that the virus caused 2008 outbreaks in R.O. Korea also belongs to clade 2.3.2 which is different from the viruses of the previous outbreaks, from the available epidemiological evidences; she believes that the virus was carried by migratory birds to R.O. Korea. She also described in details the different genetic and pathogenicity properties of the viruses so far isolated in the country.
Prof Hualan Chen gave an evaluation of avian influenza viruses genotypes isolated in P.R. China. First the Goose/Guangtong/96 and later in 2005 two new genotypes, one is Qinghai lake and the other was detected in Xingjian province both belong to clade 2.2 group. In 2006 another group of virus which is referred to as Shanxi/Chicken virus was detected, which showed a huge gentic drift and antigenic difference to the Goose/Guangtong/96. Prof Chen’s second part of talk was on vaccine. She explained about the two main platforms for vaccine studies in China. One in inactivated vaccine using the seed virus established with the reversed genetic system. Another platform for vaccine is for recombinant NDV vaccine. She discussed the justification of vaccination strategy in China; huge population of domestic water fowls and small farmers in backyard poultry, active trade in live birds through live bird market, and three major flyways of wild birds over China, and concluded that complete control and eradication of avian influenza can only be achieved by combination of vaccination, improved biosecurity and extensive surveillance.
After the presentations by four speakers, a panel discussion followed. The session was moderated by Dr Teruhide Fujita. First he invited the individual panelists to make further comments and clarify some important issues. Next, he provided an opportunity for the panelists to take questions and interact with the audience in the Symposium.