Egypt - International report blames unrest in Egypt for lack of H5N1 agriculture controls causing this season's outbreak

[sharon sanders]

An international report: not behind the weakness of the ability to contain ?bird flu? in Egypt stability

Friday 24-04-2015 17:49 | wrote: Metwally Salem



Report of the international delegation to monitor the situation of bird flu in Egypt, the lack of progress may be partly due to the lack of political, economic and social stability after 2011 as well, and the existence of barriers of mistrust between the veterinary sector commercial poultry services, and lack of coordination between the public and private sectors, as The farmers of small farmers are not part of the Association of Poultry Producers Union, and many of the private veterinarians independent works directly with the farmers and the cooperation between the private and the public sector is very weak.


The report prepared by the World and animal health organizations, food and agriculture, the US Center for control of epidemics and explained that community awareness in general programs exposed to ?weak?, among breeders after the revolution of 2011, due to poor implementation of the law and the application of regulatory measures, as well as the fear of economic losses and negative effects on the livelihoods.


And called on the international delegation from Egypt to control the disease and reduce the effects of H5N1 political commitment to strong support for the decisions that are difficult to implement in the provinces, stressing that it must be based Supreme National Committee as the highest responsible for the bird flu involving conservatives in the development of strategic responses, and coordination between stakeholders work fight for the protection of human first and second bird, and that is the right material support for funding from both the Ministry of Health and Agriculture.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/715842

machine translation

[sharon sanders]

Egypt: upsurge in H5N1 human and poultry cases but no change in transmission pattern of infection



3 May 2015 – The recent increase of people affected by the avian influenza virus H5N1 in Egypt is not related to virus mutations but rather to more people becoming exposed to infected poultry, according to a recent mission of six organizations assessing the H5N1 situation in the country.[1]
Since November 2014 to 31 March 2015, the period analyzed by the international mission, a total of 161 human cases and 48 deaths were reported. This is by far the highest number of human cases ever reported by a country over a similar period. There are indications that H5N1 is circulating in all sectors of poultry production and in all parts of Egypt.
The mission stressed that the way the influenza H5N1 virus is transmitted in Egypt appears to have remained stable despite the recent upsurge in numbers of human and poultry infections. While the risk for the current situation to escalate into an H5N1 pandemic does not appear to have been changed appreciably, the situation remains a cause for considerable concern.
“Based on all the evidence we have, we believe the upsurge is not explained by any changes in the virus itself,” said Dr Keiji Fukuda, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Security and head of the H5N1 investigation team in Egypt, “The most likely reason for the increase in cases is that more poultry in Egypt are infected by H5N1 and so more people are exposed to this virus. Coupled with insufficient awareness, behavioural patterns and inadequate precautions taken by humans when interacting with poultry this explains what we are seeing.”
For successful reduction of the negative impact on human health and associated economic and food security consequences, it will be essential to strengthen animal and human disease surveillance, biosecurity and disease control programmes, in a context of continued close collaboration between human health and animal health officials. This includes appropriate animal vaccination programmes through joint efforts by the public and private sector in charge of animal health.

The report found that:

• although human-to-human transmission cannot be excluded, the key epidemiological and demographic features of the recent human cases did not significantly change compared to those reported before the recent increase;
• there was no evidence for transmission from patients to health care workers during the upsurge;
• the vast majority of recent human cases – approximately 70% – had known exposure to infected backyard poultry;
• analysis of the genetic sequence data did not identify changes suggesting more efficient human-to-human transmission.

Although some of the apparent upsurge in cases might be a result of increased testing for H5N1 in humans, this cannot explain the whole picture. The upsurge of infections in poultry and the cases in people is likely been caused by changes in the economy and the poultry industry.
Many small farmers have turned to raising poultry for food and income in an unmonitored and uncontrolled farming sector. The implementation of a proper veterinary control strategy is being delayed by limited response capacity, weak public-private partnerships, sub-optimal vaccination strategies and low levels of biosecurity in most poultry production sectors. As a result of reduced compliance with intergovernmental standards on animal health and regulatory statutes at national level, both in poultry production enterprises or households, the H5N1 virus is likely more prevalent.
The report also notes that Egypt has already recognized the key features leading to the increase in disease, and has recently proposed important structures, sound policies and strategies. However, for them to be effective will require better implementation and concerted commitments at national, governorate and local level. For example:

• The role of the National Supreme Committee of Avian and Human Influenza (NSC) needs to be strengthened as the highest level of power, providing overall coordination and strategic direction in the control of avian influenza.
• The structure facilitating communication between human and animal health experts (public and animal health, epidemiology and laboratory units, alerting institutions) [http://www.who.int/influenza/human_animal_interface/EN_GIP_FourWay_HAI_2013.pdf], should be officially institutionalized.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MoALR) has two excellent laboratories that contribute significantly to the diagnosis and control of avian influenza; however, both laboratories could be more effective if laboratory diagnostics are more closely linked to rapid response interventions.
• Avian influenza control strategies developed in 2009 and 2010 have not been implemented, but address many of the current challenges. These strategies should be brought up to date and put into force.
• At the production level, it should be ensured that adequate and effective avian influenza vaccines of sufficient quality and aligned to the circulating virus are used in line with the World Organisation for Animal Health standards, where relevant, while preparing at the same time a vaccination exit strategy.
• Communication efforts have not been effective in changing risky behaviours. Efforts are lacking coordination and messages are not based on current risk assessments or participatory engagement. Since under-5 year olds make up a significantly higher portion of all confirmed H5N1 cases in Egypt (33%) compared to the rest of the world (15%), behaviour change communication needs to address the specific risk H5N1 poses to children in Egypt.
• The MoALR should concentrate on preventing virus spread within poultry populations, including: efficient and timely detection and reporting of virus transmission through active surveillance (including potential silent virus shedding in vaccinated poultry); preventing trade of infected animals; and linking all surveillance to rapid action by authorities, including safe disposal of infected birds. Close cooperation and consultation with the private sector would be critical for success.
• The Ministry of Health and Population should strengthen different areas, including: the electronic systems for timely sharing of data and information across all levels of the health sector; the sub-national laboratory capacity through additional laboratory training; monitoring of virus evolution and corresponding viral and antigenic properties to assist with pandemic risk assessment.

The report recommended that Egypt should make long-term investments in agriculture, veterinary services, health and rural communities to combat H5N1. Policies should be developed to engage the large number of unlicensed commercial and semi-commercial poultry farms in developing new means of implementing and assuring effective disease prevention and control.
Local poultry marketing systems should be modernized in a rational manner, which would increase both animal and public health safety, as well as profitability. Informal markets for buying and selling of sick poultry must be stopped. Alternative models for government purchases and safe destruction and disposal of potentially infected poultry should be rapidly implemented nationally.
Within 3 months, a two-year action plan that encompasses these recommendations and includes clear outcomes and indicators for monitoring will be developed by the ministries of health, agriculture and local development. The Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), WHO and OIE will support development of the plan, which will be presented to the NSC.

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[1] World Health Organization; United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE); United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; US Naval Medical Research Unit 3; UNICEF
Related links
WHO human-animal interface
World Organisation of Animal Health portal on avian influenza
Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN: avian influenza
Cumulative number of confirmed human cases of avian influenza A/(H5N1) reported to WHO
Media contacts
WHO

Christian Lindmeier
mobile: +41 79 500 65 52
tel: +41 22 791 19 48
email: lindmeierch@who.int
FAO

Erwin Northoff
+39 06 5705 3015
email: Erwin.Northoff@fao.org
OIE

Catherine Bertrand-Ferrandis
+33 (0) 1 44 15 19 72
email: c.bertrand-ferrandis@oie.int
Note for editors
From 8 to 12 March 2015, upon a request from the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, a joint expert mission representing the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US Naval Medical Research Unit 3 (NAMRU-3) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) met with key stakeholders and evaluated the current situation of H5N1 in Egypt. The team was to ascertain the reasons behind the rapid increase in human cases, and to provide concrete recommendations to reduce the number of human infections in the future.

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[1] World Health Organization; United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE); United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; US Naval Medical Research Unit 3; UNICEF


http://www.emro.who.int/egy/egypt-ne...-may-2015.html

[sharon sanders]

The link is not working now so....?