France - Vaccination against highly pathogenic avian influenza starting in October 2023, mandatory for all commercial duck farms

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04/06/2023—expertise


5 min
VETERINARY DRUGS
ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE



Avian influenza: 3 vaccination scenarios for poultry


The recurrence of health crises linked to avian influenza and their increasing scale require the strengthening of preventive actions in French poultry farms. Vaccination of poultry is thus envisaged, in addition to the biosecurity measures already in place on farms. To help the public authorities establish a vaccination strategy that could be implemented as early as autumn 2023, ANSES is proposing three preventive vaccination scenarios. They aim to protect the poultry sectors and limit the spread of the virus by prioritizing, according to the means of vaccination available, the types of farms and the species to be vaccinated.


A crisis of unprecedented magnitude

France, like many other countries in the world, has experienced several major crises of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in recent years. That of 2021-2022 was particularly severe, leading to the elimination of more than 21 million poultry and jeopardizing the French avian genetic heritage. In addition, endemization (persistence of the virus throughout the year) in wild birds in many places in the national territory is now strongly suspected.
Vaccination of poultry should be considered with a view to complementing the implementation of preventive biosecurity measures in the field such as confinement of animals, limitation of transfers of birds, disinfection or change of clothing and equipment. from one farm to another, etc. To date, only one vaccine for hens (species Gallus gallus) has a marketing authorization in France. Applications for marketing authorization or temporary authorization to use vaccines for several poultry species have recently been submitted and are currently being assessed by the National Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products (ANMV) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Adopt a preventive vaccination strategy

An emergency vaccination strategy is not considered scientifically relevant. The Agency proposes that the vaccination strategy to be put in place in autumn 2023 be carried out on a preventive basis and that it has several objectives:

1. anticipating epizootic outbreaks in order to avoid a massive spread of HPAI from contaminated homes;
2. protect the poultry sectors by preserving the genetic heritage present in the territory and, therefore, the ability to restart production after a possible epizootic.

In general, vaccinating the most exposed poultry will also limit the multiplication of the virus and the risk of mutation to prevent it from adapting to mammals and humans.
“We did not opt for emergency vaccination because of the excessive delays between the vaccination of the animal and its protection against the virus, the delay for this immunity having been estimated at 3 to 4 weeks. In addition, vaccinating animals in the midst of an epizootic tends to increase the flow of people to the farms and therefore the risk of biosecurity breaches and the introduction of HPAI into these farms" specifies Caroline Boudergue, assistant to the Head of Unit Assessment of risks related to the welfare, health and nutrition of animals and vectors at ANSES.

Prioritize the types of livestock and the poultry species to be vaccinated

To construct this strategy, three scenarios are proposed with regard to the risks of introduction and spread of HPAI. These scenarios were established using a graduated approach, depending on the means available for vaccination:

1. Scenario 1 : vaccinate the animals on the farms providing selection and multiplication for all sectors (see box). This step has the advantage of requiring a limited number of doses of vaccine. It also makes it possible to protect the French poultry sectors from the impacts of a new epizootic by preserving the genetic potential as well as the ability to put animals back into production farming after the epizootic;
2. Scenario 2 : vaccinate, on production farms, waterfowl (ducks and geese) ready to force-feed and other waterfowl reared outdoors, turkeys reared outdoors and future laying pullets intended for the outdoors. The objective is to limit the extent of epizootics by targeting the productions most at risk of introduction and spread of the virus. This scenario requires greater availability of vaccines than scenario 1;
3. scenario 3 : if the availability of vaccines allows it, vaccination of palmipeds for roasting and turkeys raised in confinement (in buildings), meat galliforms raised in the open air other than those listed for scenario 2 and laying hens raised in outdoors.

Four conditions to be met to ensure the effectiveness of these scenarios

The effectiveness of the proposed scenarios is based on the following assumptions and conditions:

1. in autumn 2023, the epidemiological context is identical to that which exists today (H5N1 viral strain similar to that which circulated during the 2022-2023 season);
2. the supply of vaccines available makes it possible to vaccinate each of the species and induces collective immunity;
3. the vaccine strategy is consistent with the time taken to acquire immunity after administration of the vaccine and with the duration of vaccine protection;
4. the vaccination strategy is compatible with farming practices, particularly from a logistical and economic point of view.

A decision support tool

The purpose of this work is to help public authorities and professionals in the poultry sector to build a vaccination strategy.

In this opinion, we have voluntarily taken into account the only scientific aspect to meet the health objectives . It is now up to the competent authorities to take up the subject and decide on the measures to be taken according to other criteria such as the reality on the ground, the financial aspect, the availability of vaccines, the regulations, the human resources necessary to vaccination, etc.



CAROLINE BOUDERGUES


DEPUTY HEAD OF THE ASSESSMENT OF RISKS RELATED TO ANIMAL WELFARE, HEALTH AND FOOD AND VECTORS UNIT AT ANSES


Vaccination, one measure among others

Finally, the Agency recalls that vaccination is only one of the tools for combating HPAI. Proper application of biosecurity measures in poultry farming remains the most effective measure to prevent the introduction and spread of HPAI within and between farms. These measures therefore remain essential and vaccination does not replace them.

In addition, vaccination, if implemented, will require a reinforced surveillance protocol for vaccinated farms in order to detect and eliminate as quickly as possible those which nevertheless prove to be infected.

...
https://www.anses.fr/fr/influenza-av...tion-volailles

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Avian flu vaccine: "breeders are wary of too good promises" according to a veterinarian

France Blue Bearn Bigorre
Of Flora Catala
Monday, April 10, 2023 at 8:15 a.m. - Updated Monday, April 10, 2023 at 10:13 AM
By France Blue Bearn Bigorre

A first vaccination against avian flu is expected this fall in France: the State has already ordered doses and instructed the health authorities to establish possible vaccination protocols, until a vaccine is available.

The hope of a vaccine is materializing to overcome avian flu: France would like to be able to start vaccinating poultry before winter, starting this fall. Even if the experiments are still in progress, with results expected in the coming weeks, the State has already ordered 80 million doses , and ANSES, the national health security agency, has worked on three possible vaccination scenarios. , depending on the quantities of vaccines available

François Landais, veterinarian specializing in waterfowl and co-manager of the Abiopole clinic in Arzacq-Arraziguet , wants to believe in the outcome of these protocols: "nobody in the field imagines going through an additional crisis, one more winter, we have to being able to be a game changer and have that extra tool," he says. The health authorities plan to prevent rather than cure, that is to say preventive vaccination and not emergency. A better solution according to François Landais, "emergency vaccination does not seem realistic with a virus that is spreading far too quickly" .

Breeders between relief and questions

This vaccination, the Béarnais breeders are waiting for it resolutely according to François Landais, "they are in a psychological state which is sometimes very complicated, even if the winter went a little better in terms of health, it was very complicated. from an economic point of view here" .

Only, some breeders remain a little cautious . "Scalded cat fears cold water" points out François Landais. "The breeders have made enormous efforts, have taken additional measures from year to year, they have been promised each time that it would help to manage the situation, but that has not always been the case. So they are wary too beautiful a promise that would be made with vaccination, and they are right to do so. Vaccination is not a miracle solution, it is an additional tool" .

Vaccination does not mean that biosecurity measures will be lifted . They are "essential for the implementation of vaccination" explains François Landais. "One cannot work without the other. We can draw a parallel with the Covid vaccination: it does not prevent catching the virus, but makes the risk of dissemination much lower. The vaccine will make treated animals less contagious, less likely to spread the virus massively . "

As for the fears of consumers, who could be reluctant in the face of vaccinated meat , François Landais says he understands their fear, but insists that it is not scientifically founded. Vaccines are tested, analyzed, studied so that there is no risk. "We really need to have communication geared towards the consumer, towards citizens, and which dispel their fears" .

https://www.francebleu.fr/emissions/l-invite-de-la-redaction-de-france-bleu-bearn-bigorre/la-vaccination-contre-la-grippe-aviaire-n-est-pas-la-solution-miracle-selon-un-veterinaire-bearnais-6995262

[Mary Wilson]

Please See:

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/emerging-diseases-other-health-threats-alphabetical-i-thru-z/influenza-h5n1-bird-flu-tracking-outbreaks-forum/972522-avian-influenza

...Vaccination alone is not the solution to the control of HPAI if eradication is the desired result. Without the application of monitoring systems, strict biosecurity and depopulation in the face of infection, HPAI will become endemic in vaccinated poultry populations. Long-term circulation of the virus in a vaccinated population may result in both antigenic and genetic changes as has occurred with H5Nx (Gs/GD lineage), H7N3, H7N9 and H9N2 influenza A viruses ...

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May 11, 2023 Info +

Vaccination experiment on farmed mule ducks against an HPAI virus – Interim report

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty initiated an experiment in May 2022 to test vaccines on mule ducks to protect them from avian influenza. The objective is to have scientific proof as to the effectiveness and interest of vaccination against the virus.

The experiment is governed by an agreement signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, ANSES (Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ENVT (National Veterinary School of Toulouse), the CIFOG (Comité interprofessionnel des palmipèdes à foie gras), the laboratories that made two candidate vaccines available (Boehringer Ingelheim animal health and Ceva animal health), as well as the regions of Brittany, New Aquitaine, Occitanie and Pays de la Loire which contributed to financing.

This experiment took place in two phases: a first phase in field conditions and a second phase in the confined animal facilities of ANSES's National Reference Laboratory in Ploufragan (NRL).

An interim report presents the results of the field and animal facility component regarding the ability of the vaccines studied to confer clinical protection and reduce viral shedding. These first results show good efficacy of the vaccines tested on mule ducks.

This report will soon be supplemented by the results concerning the capacity of the vaccines studied to slow down the transmission of the virus within a population of vaccinated ducks.

Report - “Experimental evaluation of clinical protection and viral excretion”pdf - 2.15 MB

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Excerpt from the report:

4. CONCLUSION

Trials under field conditions have made it possible to assess the feasibility of vaccination under conditions
very close to the application in a commercial context. The vaccination protocols recommended by the
laboratories producing the two vaccine solutions could be implemented without difficulty
particular and without any undesirable effects. Serological monitoring revealed a
seroconversion from the booster (4 weeks), a peak at 8 weeks and a decrease in titers from
from the age of 10 weeks.

The experimental trials reported were intended to verify that the two vaccines tested, used
under field conditions, were effective in mule ducks to provide protection
clinical and the decrease in viral excretion at 7 weeks and 11 weeks of age compared to a
challenge with an HPAI A/chicken/France/D2107428/2021 (H5N1) virus of clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype
virus that is still circulating in Europe today.

The few clinical signs obtained after inoculation of the test strain under the conditions
experimental methods used, including in unvaccinated mule ducks, can only obtain
few elements relating to clinical protection. Nevertheless, the only clinical signs observed
been in unvaccinated subjects.

The results of the serological tests used (ELISA against the NP and H5 proteins, or the IHA against
vaccine antigen for vaccine B) showed that these combined methods could be used
at lot level to differentiate between vaccinated and unvaccinated animals. The ELISA NP allows
to detect infections with avian influenza viruses and ELISA H5 or IHA, with the antigen
homolog of the vaccine virus, makes it possible to detect animals vaccinated and/or infected with viruses
avian influenza subtype H5.

Finally, and most importantly, with regard to the prospects for control of a
epizootic, the two candidate vaccines tested have demonstrated, under experimental conditions
used, their ability to significantly reduce the levels and duration of virus excretion
test, by the respiratory and digestive routes, in vaccinated subjects. Reduced excretion
observed, greater after virulent challenge at 7 weeks of age, remains significant at 11
weeks of age.

Following these first positive results, it is now important to assess the ability of the two candidates
vaccines to limit the direct and indirect transmission of the challenge virus in vaccinated animals,
in the context of transmission trials carried out at 7 and 11 weeks of age: it is indeed essential to
verify that the levels of shedding reduction reported here are sufficient to limit viral spread
in populations that would be vaccinated.

The transmission test at 7 weeks of age, already carried out and at the end of operation, will be the subject of a report.
separated before the summer. The transmission trial at 11 weeks of age, added to the work program of the
study agreement due to the first results obtained and presented here, will be carried out by
fall 2023.


https://agriculture.gouv.fr/experime...s-iahp-rapport

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Avian flu: vaccination could start in October according to the foie gras interprofession

By Joan of Butler
Monday, May 22, 2023 at 12:25 p.m.
...

The general manager of Cifog Marie-Pierre Pé was the guest of France Bleu Périgord this Monday, May 22. She mentioned the introduction of vaccination before the fall to fight against avian flu.

“The date of October 1 has been announced, we hope that it could be brought forward ,” said Marie-Pierre Pé, the general manager of Cifog, the interprofession of palmipeds with foie gras, on France Bleu Périgord on Monday. While cases of avian flu have exploded in the Gers and Landes in recent weeks, we should know in the coming days the government's vaccination strategy to fight against avian flu.

One of the solutions

There are still several steps to go through before the actual vaccination of the animals . The government has launched a call for tenders for the production of vaccines, the results of the experiments on poultry are also awaited. The strategy must also be refined : should the ducks, which are the most fragile, be vaccinated, or should the vaccination be extended to other species? The question of funding also needs to be defined. “When we have the first estimates, there is the cost of the vaccine, but also the cost of its administration by vaccinators and veterinarians, and also monitoring. There must be support for the first year. sector will not be able to support it alone" , maintains Marie-Pierre Pé.

The vaccine will not be a panacea either, explains Marie-Pierre Pé. "It's an additional tool in the toolbox that we have. Rule number 1 is still biosecurity" .

...

https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/agriculture-peche/grippe-aviaire-la-vaccination-pourrait-commencer-en-octobre-selon-l-interprofession-du-foie-gras-9489097

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Pascal Xicluna/agriculture.gouv.fr

May 25, 2023 Info +

Vaccination experiment of mule ducks in breeding against an HPAI virus






The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty initiated an experiment in May 2022 to test vaccines on mule ducks to protect them from avian influenza. The objective is to have scientific proof as to the effectiveness and interest of vaccination against the virus.

In May 2022, the French ministry of agriculture and food sovereignty started trials to test vaccines on Mulard ducks with a view to protection against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The purpose of these trials was to obtain scientific evidence as to the effectiveness and relevance of vaccination when dealing with this virus.

The experiment is governed by an agreement signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, ANSES (Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ENVT (National Veterinary School of Toulouse), the CIFOG (Comité interprofessionnel des palmipèdes à foie gras), the laboratories that made two candidate vaccines available (Boehringer Ingelheim animal health and Ceva animal health), as well as the regions of Brittany, New Aquitaine, Occitanie and Pays de la Loire which contributed to financing.

The trials were conducted under the terms of an agreement signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), ENVT (National Veterinary School of Toulouse), CIFOG (the interbranch committee for the duck and geese foie gras sector), the pharmaceutical firms supplying the two candidate vaccines (Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Ceva Santé Animale), in addition to the administrations of the French regions helping to fund the programme: Bretagne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie and Pays de the Loire.

This experiment took place in two phases: a first phase in field conditions and a second phase in the confined animal facilities of ANSES's National Reference Laboratory in Ploufragan (NRL).

The study was conducted in two phases, each comprising a series of trials in field conditions and a series of studies in experimental conditions in animal laboratory facilities in order to generate data on Mulard ducks relating to clinical protection and reduction of viral excretion, and to the ability of vaccines to slow transmission of the virus.

The first report presents the results of the field and laboratory component concerning the ability of the vaccines studied to confer clinical protection and to reduce viral shedding.

The second report reports the results of the evaluation of the reduction of viral transmission by mule ducks vaccinated in breeding and then tested at the age of 7 weeks in an A3 containment level animal facility.

These favorable results provide sufficient guarantees to launch a vaccination campaign from autumn 2023.

The results indicate satisfactory effectiveness for the vaccines tested on Mulard ducks. See English summaries below.

Report - "Experimental evaluation of clinical protection and viral excretion" pdf (accessible document) - 2.15 MB

Experimental evaluation of clinical protection and virus excretion pdf - 550.41 KB

Report – “Experimental evaluation of the transmission of an HPAI A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus in a population of mule ducks vaccinated and tested at 7 weeks of age” pdf (accessible document) - 1.82 MB

Experimental evaluation of transmission among vaccinated ducks after challenge at 7 weeks of age pdf - 585.47 KB

https://agriculture.gouv.fr/experimentation-de-vaccination-des-canards-mulards-en-elevage-contre-un-virus-iahp

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05/26/2023—Research

Encouraging results for the vaccination of ducks against avian influenza

ANSES is co-publishing with the National Veterinary School of Toulouse, the results of two experiments carried out to test vaccines on ducks in order to protect them from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The two vaccines give similar results: they greatly limit direct transmission when the animals are in close contact and block indirect transmission, by air.

These experiments, developed under the governance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, were conducted by ANSES and the National Veterinary School of Toulouse (ENVT), in partnership with the Interprofessional Committee for Palmipeds with Foie Gras (CIFOG ), local authorities and pharmaceutical companies.

The studies were carried out in real field conditions, on the type of ducks used in France for the production of foie gras (mulard ducks), on experimental sites, to check the practical possibilities of implementation in breeding. In addition to this field phase, the studies included each of the experiments carried out in the A3 containment level animal facilities of ANSES's National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza located in Ploufragan (Côtes d'Armor).

The first experiment aimed to study the ability of vaccines to confer clinical protection and reduce virus shedding. The second experiment consisted of evaluating the reduction in viral transmission between vaccinated ducks.

The results of the two studies confirmed the decrease in the excretion of the virus in animals, whether by the respiratory or digestive route. They also made it possible to demonstrate control of the direct transmission of HPAI in the vaccinated animals and the absence of transmission by indirect contact, ie by airborne transmission under the experimental conditions used.

“ These vaccines are very effective. When the animals were not vaccinated, an inoculated animal infected another animal every two hours. Conversely, those who were vaccinated were hardly contaminated by their neighbor even in direct contact, in the same pen, with infected droppings . explains Béatrice Grasland, from ANSES's national reference laboratory for avian influenza.

This work was taken into account in the development of the vaccination action plan against HPAI announced on May 25 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

...

https://www.anses.fr/fr/experimentation-vaccination-canards-influenza-aviaire

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South-West: Professionals are calling for vaccination against avian flu, starting this summer

POULTRY Agricultural organizations want a vaccination campaign during the summer when since the beginning of May 81 farms have been contaminated in the South-West, half of them in the Gers

20 Minutes with AFP
Published on 05/31/23 at 10:55 — Updated on 05/31/23 at 11:34

They want preventive measures to ensure the survival of their farms. The agricultural organizations of four departments of the South-West are calling for a vaccination campaign against avian flu this summer to guarantee the "survival" of poultry and duck farms in the region, where the virus is circulating again.

The chambers of agriculture of Gers, Landes, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the foie gras interprofession (Cifog) and the interregional association of lean poultry in New Aquitaine (Airvol) have published a joint press release on this subject. All are asking the government for a "deployment" of the vaccine "in the heart of summer", for contributions from the State and communities for the management of this vaccination, as well as a "depopulation of all palmipeds" in a radius of three kilometers around breeding farms.

“The survival of poultry sectors”
“The challenge now is indeed the survival of the poultry and waterfowl sectors in the South West, their thousands of jobs, their history, their heritage which are on a thread, ready to break”, alert these organizations. After several years of successive crises caused by avian flu, the virus has been circulating again since the beginning of May in the region, with 81 infected farms, more than half of them in the Gers, according to the latest count from the authorities.


Two vaccines tested in France have already proven to be "very effective" on ducks bred for foie gras, the health security agency ( Anses ) reported last week, paving the way for a national vaccination campaign . . According to the Ministry of Agriculture, this could take place "as early as the fall of 2023" , the vaccination strategy to be finalized in June. During the previous epizootic in 2022-2023, six million poultry were slaughtered in France according to the ministry, after 22 million in 2021-2022.

https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/4039124-20230531-sud-ouest-professionnels-reclament-vaccination-contre-grippe-aviaire

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Avian flu: the vaccination campaign expected for October

The vaccination campaign against avian flu should start during the month of October, said Monday, June 5 the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau during a trip to Gironde.

Published on 06/05/2023 at 12:02 p.m.

"I repeat, in October we will be able to vaccinate" against avian flu , said Monday, June 5 the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau to the press, on the sidelines of a meeting with representatives of the Bordeaux vineyards in Salleboeuf, about twenty km east of Bordeaux.

At the end of May, the chambers of agriculture of four departments of the South-West as well as the interprofessions of foie gras and lean poultry in the region had called for "a deployment" of the vaccine "in the heart of summer" to ensure "survival" local duck and poultry farms, remind our colleagues from AFP .

“I fully understand despair. If we can save a little time we will, but to say today, as before for the Covid-19 vaccine, that we can shorten the schedules is not serious, ”explained Marc Fesneau, listing the vaccine validation, manufacturing, deployment and storage processes, to be put in place before launching the campaign “in good order” .

Vaccines tested on “very effective” ducks
After several years of successive crises caused by avian flu, the virus has been circulating again since the beginning of May in Gers , Landes and Pyrénées-Atlantiques, with 81 infected farms, more than half of them in Gers, according to the count of the authorities at the end of May.

“Obviously, we passed the peak, because we took very strong measures, of this episode” , estimated the Minister of Agriculture Monday.

Two vaccines tested in France have already proven to be “very effective” on ducks bred for foie gras, the health security agency (Anses) reported on May 25, paving the way for a national vaccination campaign. "from the fall" , according to the first estimates of the ministry.

During the previous epizootic in 2022-2023, six million poultry were slaughtered in France according to the ministry, after 22 million in 2021-2022.

https://www.ouest-france.fr/sante/grippe-aviaire/grippe-aviaire-la-campagne-de-vaccination-attendue-pour-octobre-70eb5c46-0386-11ee-8620-049ca5c7a1cf

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Avian flu: The framework for vaccination clarified, additional precautionary measures

Up to 80 million doses of avian flu vaccine must be injected into ducks from October on "all commercial farms", the ministry said.

20 Minutes with AFP
Published on 7/17/23 at 10:25 p.m.

The Ministry of Agriculture announced Monday measures to limit the risk of spreading avian influenza while preparing the vaccination campaign and accelerating the compensation of breeders.

Up to 80 million doses of avian flu vaccine - two per animal - must be injected into ducks from October on "all commercial farms", the ministry said, naming both “Mulard ducks” (raised for foie gras) than “Barbary” or “Beijing”, throughout mainland France, excluding Corsica.

Vaccination is “prohibited” in breeding duck farms for all those whose production is intended for export in order “not to block certain commercial flows”. Conversely, for establishments targeting “exclusively national trade”, voluntary work will continue to apply.

The ministry has planned to bear 85 percent of the cost of the vaccination campaign, according to a statement.

He intends to "gradually reduce the density of ducks in farms" to "limit the risk of the appearance of a new epizootic wave" in 45 municipalities "the most densely populated in palmipeds", in the Pays-de-la-Loire region . and the department of Deux-Sèvres (New-Aquitaine).

From July, the introduction of new ducks on these sites should gradually be limited to vaccinated animals. And from October, all specimens will have to be. "Around forty" other sites "strategic for avian genetics" are also targeted.

Advances for affected breeders
\
The losses caused by the breeders will be “taken into account” by the ministry, it is specified in the press release. To “complete the compensation system”, the ministry also announces that advances will be available from Friday for the affected breeders, “up to 50% maximum of the estimated losses”.

In addition, in autumn 2023, subject to validation by the European Commission, compensation is planned for all "losses of gross operating surplus" linked to the avian influenza epizootic "as soon as this loss is greater than 20%" for operators. A revaluation of the compensation scales has also been announced.

During the 2022-23 season, some 10 million poultry were slaughtered, according to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture published at the end of June. Avian flu has not completely disappeared from France, however: some 17,500 turkeys were slaughtered in early July after an outbreak was declared on a farm in Airon-Notre-Dame (Pas-de-Calais). France has been at a “negligible” risk level since July 2023.

https://www.20minutes.fr/sante/4045894-20230717-grippe-aviaire-cadre-vaccination-precise-mesures-precaution-supplementaires

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03 August 2023
...
All you need to know on the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza vaccination action plan in France.

On 22 December 2022, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty launched an action plan on vaccination against HPAI. Its objective is to enable effective vaccination of poultry in autumn 2023 if all the conditions have been met.

The actors involved in implementing this action plan are as follows: the government administration, relevant public entities (ANSES, French Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products (ANMV), National Veterinary School at Toulouse), the interbranch trade bodies in the poultry farming industry and representatives of the veterinary profession and the veterinary medicines industry.

To date, several major milestones in the action plan have already been reached: publication of reports on the vaccination trials conducted in France on Mulard ducks; after issuance of a call for tenders in April for supply of 80 million vaccine doses, a first contract has been signed and approvalhas been given to the vaccination scenario.

In this context, France intends to provide third countries with all necessary information for a full understanding of the vaccination action plan and with a view to this, several key elements have been defined (dated May 2023, being updated)

• 1. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): the French vaccination strategy...
• 2. Available vaccines that are effective against HPAI in circulation...
• 3. Execution of a programme of on-farm trials of vaccination of Mulard ducks...
• 4. A presentation of the scenario under consideration for vaccination against HPAI in France...
• 5. The reinforced post-vaccination surveillance programme...

https://agriculture.gouv.fr/tout-ce-quil-faut-savoir-sur-le-plan-daction-vaccination-iahp-en-france

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August 31, 2023

Press release

Avian influenza: Marc Fesneau meets breeders and the poultry industry in Vendée to confirm the operational launch of vaccination at the beginning of October


The Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty visited a duck farm in Vendée on August 31, a few weeks before the operational launch of the national vaccination campaign against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). During this trip, Marc Fesneau confirmed to professionals in the poultry industry that the schedule announced for the implementation of the vaccination campaign will be met at the beginning of October. Preparations for the HPAI vaccination campaign are entering their final phase. After the selection of the company responsible for producing the first order of vaccines (July 2023) and the sending of the official vaccination plan to the European Commission (August), the final steps will be taken during September: publication of the orders s technical and financial ministerial documents, instructions to services, operational sheets for field workers, progressive deployment of the information system for traceability and feedback of information.

Therefore, given the current state of preparation of the system, the first vaccination operations in duck farms will be able to begin the first week of October.

As a reminder, vaccination will be mandatory for all commercial duck farms (Pekin, Barbarie and Mulard) throughout France throughout the year. The minister confirmed that, for this first vaccination campaign, the State would cover 85% of the total cost of this project.

During his trip to a poultry farm in Vendée, he praised the work carried out as a team by State services, agricultural professionals and veterinarians to prepare the launch of this campaign.

Marc Fesneau thus recalled the State's unwavering commitment to managing the HPAI crisis and the national solidarity from which the sectors can benefit. Concerning compensation for breeders in the event of slaughter of animals , 86% of deposit requests were processed for the 2022-2023 crisis, for a total amount paid of 37.2 million euros. Concerning compensation for economic losses, the first advances on economic compensation intended for breeders located within regulated areas were paid at the beginning of August. As was announced, payments over time began during the summer and nearly 30 million euros have already been paid in order to provide cash flow support within 1,980 farms.

The minister also insisted on the innovative nature of the approach undertaken by professionals, financially supported by the State, to reduce, since July, the density of ducks on farms in order to limit the risk of the appearance of ducks. a new epizootic wave and thus guarantee the launch of the vaccination campaign in good conditions. In fact, no ducklings have been established in the 45 municipalities with the highest densities of duck farms in the Pays de la Loire region. This measure was also deployed around a certain number of strategic breeding sites for the preservation of avian genetics.

Finally, Marc Fesneau underlines the crucial role of the veterinary profession in the deployment of this campaign, both for the application of the vaccine and associated surveillance and for securing information and financial circuits.

“ I salute the enormous work that has been carried out in my departments to keep the calendar and I congratulate the professional sectors – both in terms of breeding and veterinarians – for their commitment and their involvement in the success of this upcoming campaign . As I announced, the State is there to support breeders on a health and economic level in this crisis which is affecting them very hard. The French poultry industry is a pillar and a pride of our gastronomic culture. »

Marc Fesneau
Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

To find out more : https://agriculture.gouv.fr/influenza-aviaire-le-plan-daction-vaccination-de-la-france



https://agriculture.gouv.fr/influenz...-debut-octobre

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Avian flu: four countries sanction French poultry for vaccination

By Marie-Josée Cougard
Published on September 7, 2023 at 7:16 p.m.
Updated September 8, 2023 at 5:53

Canada, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong no longer want French poultry. The decision to vaccinate ducks against avian flu casts opprobrium on the health security of the exporting country.

It didn't take long. France's announcement of its decision to vaccinate ducks against avian flu caused the borders of four countries importing French poultry to be closed. Vaccination therefore obviously does not act as a guarantee of security in commercial relations: the commonly held idea is that when a country vaccinates its animals, it is because it is facing health problems.

For some countries, including Japan, this is enough to close its doors. At this stage, according to our information, Tokyo has not yet announced a blockade of French foie gras, even though only ducks will be vaccinated. On the other hand, poultry from Bresse, which the archipelago is fond of during the end-of-year holidays, and all tricolor poultry products will no longer have access to the Japanese archipelago from October 1, the date of the first vaccinations ...

https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/conso-distribution/grippe-aviaire-quatre-pays-sanctionnent-la-volaille-francaise-pour-vaccination-1976301

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Translation Google

Avian flu: vaccination starts with still many questions for some breeders

From this Sunday, ducks will begin to be vaccinated in France against avian flu. A vast campaign is launched by the State. Faced with successive crises, many breeders were impatiently awaiting this vaccine. Despite everything, for some, its arrival is far from solving all the problems.

Article written by France Info - Aurore Richard
Radio France
Published on 09/30/2023 09:47

This is a first in Europe. France wants to vaccinate 64 million ducks against avian flu in one year and this campaign begins on Sunday October 1st . All commercial duck farms, in other words meat ducks intended for consumption ("Muscop" ducks, "Peking" ducks and Mulard ducks, those reserved for the production of foie gras) are concerned. This is an obligation throughout mainland France (with the exception of Corsica) and if the breeder does not respect it, he risks administrative and criminal sanctions.
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This vaccination campaign, led by the General Directorate of Food, was decided by the Ministry of Agriculture when nearly ten million poultry were slaughtered during the 2022-2023 season due to influenza highly pathogenic avian. The vaccine administered is that of the German laboratory Boehringer Ingelheim, which must supply 80 million doses to France. Two injections are planned. The first must be carried out on ducklings 10 days old and older, and the second, 18 days later.

The Ministry of Agriculture indicates that this act must be supervised by a livestock health veterinarian, mandated by the prefects. Based on this principle, this official veterinarian can inject the vaccine but this is also the case for other practicing veterinarians, the breeders themselves, their employees as well as agricultural technicians. The need to be supervised by an official veterinarian may be a limit, according to Sylvie Colas, national avian flu referent for the Confédération paysanne. This poultry breeder in Lectoure in the Gers has also stopped breeding ducks in favor of chickens because of the difficulties caused by the avian flu epidemic.

“As we lack doctors, we also lack reference veterinarians in our countryside.”
Sylvie Colas, from the Peasant Confederation to franceinfo

“Of course, for large breeders which are integrated into so-called organized sectors, it is often the referring veterinarian who will supervise the technician for vaccination. On the other hand, for small independent breeders, it will be a difficulty to have a veterinarian who can come in a timely manner ,” she emphasizes.

In the Landes , in Mugron, Julien Mora, a duck breeder, has not yet contacted a health veterinarian to schedule a vaccination appointment but he is not more worried than that. "I'll have to take care of it. There will be a window in the first week of October ," said the man who is also the national avian influenza spokesperson for the Modef union (Movement for the Defense of Family Farmers). For Julien Mora, not all breeders will vaccinate at exactly the same time.

This breeder is more concerned about the time it will take him: “Vaccination is additional work, monitoring after vaccination is also additional work. For breeder-feeders like us who do everything, this are burdens to add to our organization . During vaccination, the task will be more or less long because you will have to catch each duck and then carry out a subcutaneous injection. And it will be necessary to start again 18 days later for the second dose, and so on for each batch of ducks throughout the year. The breeder, who "makes" up to 8,000 ducks per year, also wishes to be "trained" by the health veterinarian in order to be able to administer the vaccine to his poultry himself.

Mandatory post-vaccination monitoring

The post-vaccination surveillance mission also rests partly on the breeder. In particular, he will have to take samples from dead ducks. He will also have to schedule appointments with an official veterinarian every 30 days and at the end of each batch so that he can come and carry out analyses. Succeeding in managing everything is this aspect that concerns Julien Mora. “At Modef, it’s true, we have been asking for the vaccine tool for a long time,” he admits. “But here, the strategy is to vaccinate the ducks all year round.”

“Rather than doing something systematic, I wonder if it wouldn’t have been more relevant to do it based on risk periods.”
Julien Mora, breeder-feeder in Mugron, in the Landes to franceinfo

“We could have vaccinated for the winter and not necessarily for the summer when we experience fewer outbreaks of cases,” he adds .

Sylvie Colas, from the Confédération paysanne, also notes that avian flu does not only affect ducks. “Certainly, he was the first contaminated but chicken and laying hen farms were also contaminated and there, only the duck will be vaccinated. And we must not forget that the breeding ducks will not be vaccinated whereas in certain departments, they can represent 20% of production and they have been contaminated in the past, in Vendée and in Deux-Sèvres ,” she specifies.

“Vaccination is only part of the solution,” she continues. In the South-West, buildings are filling up as if nothing had happened last year and everyone is hoping that vaccination will solve the avian flu problem, so I hope there won't be too many disappointed breeders . " The vaccine is “ very effective ” in limiting the spread of the virus according to ANSES, despite everything, the Ministry of Agriculture explains that it is “a complementary prevention tool” .“On its own, the vaccine is not capable of 100% protection of a farm. Complying with preventive measures therefore remains imperative: biosecurity measures; health surveillance for early detection of the disease; control of the density of farms to limit the spread of the virus ,” write the authorities.
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Sylvie Colas, like Julien Mora, are mainly wondering about the support for this campaign. This year, the State is absorbing 85% of the total cost, or nearly 95 million euros (55 million euros for the vaccination part and 40 million for the surveillance part). According to the breeder, the remaining cost this year should be around 20 cents per duck: "We don't know what will happen tomorrow. Will there be the same support next year or will the State consider that this is too much for ducks of which we are not yet sure that they will not have avian flu?" . Julien Mora explains that if this remaining charge were to get closer to the 50 cent mark, “it would be potentially absorbable, with a rounded back”. On the other hand, if it were to exceed 50 cents, there would really be no other choice than to pass this increase on to the consumer.

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie/grippe-aviaire/grippe-aviaire-la-vaccination-demarre-avec-encore-beaucoup-de-questions-pour-certains-eleveurs_6087624.html

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Translation Google

October 2, 2023 Info +

Why is it necessary to vaccinate today?


The significant resources deployed each year to prevent epizootics of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) are no longer sufficient to protect farms effectively.
In recent years, HPAI has spread throughout the world, causing epizootics of unprecedented scale and posing a permanent threat to both wild and farmed birds, but also to certain mammals and animals. 'man.

The vaccination campaign launched in France offers a completely innovative additional shield to protect farms. It strengthens the prevention system already in force in metropolitan France (biosecurity measures, sheltering animals, surveillance, etc.) whose proper application remains imperative.

1. Dealing with a virus that is now recurring.

• Long confined to Asia, the HPAI virus (whose strains can vary from one year to the next) now affects the entire world. Europe and North America experience epizootics every year and certain continents that have remained unaffected for a long time – such as South America – are now affected. With more than 58 million poultry slaughtered, the United States experienced one of the worst crises in its history in 2022/2023.
• In Europe, the frequency of epizootics has accelerated over the past ten years. While in 2012/2013, around twenty countries in Europe were affected by the virus, 34 were affected by the virus in 2022/2023. France is no exception. Affected sporadically in 2006 (Ain department) and 2007 (Moselle), France recorded a first major crisis in 2015-2016 in the southwest, which was repeated in 2016-2017. From 2020, epizootics become annual in metropolitan France.In 2020-2021, nearly 500 farms are contaminated (15 departments affected) and 3.5 million poultry slaughtered. The 2021-2022 crisis reaches an unprecedented level with 1,378 contaminated farms (mainly in the southwest and Pays de la Loire), for a total of 22 million poultry slaughtered. Although the 2022-2023 crisis proved less severe, it nevertheless led to the contamination of 402 farms, leading to the slaughter of 10 million poultry.
• The “seasonality” of the virus, usually observed, tends to disappear. Until now, the virus usually stopped circulating and contaminating farms between the end of spring and the beginning of autumn. In 2022, for the first time, the virus has become established permanently in sedentary wildlife and among migratory birds that spend the winter in France. That same year, the virus returned from Africa for the first time with spring upward migrations, whereas it was usually detected during autumn migrations, when animals leave the northern regions of Europe to go South.

2. Better protect livestock sectors and limit the cost of crises

Vaccination offers an additional line of defense in the protection system for livestock. It complements the measures already implemented, compliance with which remains imperative: compliance with biosecurity measures at all links in the sector; health surveillance guaranteeing early detection of the disease; a reduction in breeding density to limit the spread of the virus; sheltering animals to avoid contact with wild birds.
Vaccination expands the prevention arsenal and should make it possible to limit the overall cost (economic, human, financial, etc.) of crises. The repetition of epizootics has in fact greatly weakened the breeding sectors, placing many breeders in difficult economic and psychological situations. In response, the State was present during each crisis by strongly mobilizing its teams and national solidarity. The cost of the 2021-2022 crisis amounted to €650 million for public finances, to which are added the resources mobilized under the partial activity regime.
The vaccination campaign aims to strengthen the overall resilience of farms and limit the cost of crises.

3. Preserve public health: limit the risk of transmission to humans

Avian influenza viruses have the particularity of having a zoonotic potential: certain strains have the capacity to transmit the disease from animals to humans. This was the case in Asia in 1997, 2003 and 2004-2005, leading to several deaths, notably in Thailand and Vietnam. More recently, human cases have been identified, particularly in China. Health vigilance on this subject is extremely strong at the international level.
Vaccinating means better protecting animals, reducing the ability of the virus to circulate and mutate, and ultimately, limiting the risks of transmission to humans.

4. Why weren't poultry vaccinated against HPAI earlier?

• The absence of European authorization: vaccination against HPAI has long been prohibited by European regulations. It is now possible since the adoption of a European regulation on February 20, 2023.
• The reluctance of certain foreign commercial partners: until recently, analysis techniques did not make it possible to determine whether an antibody detected in an animal was caused by vaccination or contamination by a wild virus. For fear of introducing the virus into their territory, certain countries have long displayed a precautionary position by refusing to import poultry or products from poultry that have been vaccinated. Proceeding with vaccination meant taking the risk of seeing your export flows blocked.
  The new generation of vaccines is now changing the situation by offering a clear biological signature.
  These technical developments, combined with the need to develop new methods of combating HPAI, have gradually removed reluctance towards vaccination over the past 2 years. In May 2023, the World Organization for Animal Health (the equivalent of the WHO for human health) adopted a resolution calling for innovative solutions to combat HPAI, first and foremost vaccination.

https://agriculture.gouv.fr/pourquoi-est-il-necessaire-de-vacciner-aujourdhui

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October 2, 2023 Info +

Vaccination in practice: frequently asked questions for breeders and field workers

The vaccination campaign launched from October 2023 in mainland France will mobilize a significant number of field stakeholders for several months: breeders, health veterinarians, technicians, etc. Who should vaccinate? Who is exempt? How many injections are needed? What are the best practices to follow? Who covers the cost of the campaign?...
So many questions to which this FAQ provides answers, organized around 10 major themes. In addition to these frequently asked questions, operational sheets prepared by SNGTV are available by clicking here .

• 1. Compulsory and national vaccination
• 2. Exemptions and prohibitions
• 3. The vaccine used
• 4. Number of injections and age of animals
• 5. Implementation on farms
• 6. Post-vaccination monitoring
• 7. Cost and coverage of vaccination
• 8. Monitoring of the vaccination campaign by the State
• 9. Consumption of products from vaccinated animals
• 10. Preventive measures that must be maintained

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https://agriculture.gouv.fr/la-vaccination-en-pratique-foire-aux-questions-destination-des-eleveurs-et-des-acteurs-de-terrain