AVIAN INFLUENZA
Letter from Lord Rooker, Minister of State
for Sustainable Farming and Food, Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs
I am writing to a selection of interested Peers[69],
and Ben Bradshaw to MPs, to update you all on a number of issues
and developments relating to avian influenza ("bird flu").
I hope this will aid greater understanding of the key challenges
faced in this area and co-operation to educate members of the
public you come into contact with who may have concerns in this
area—particularly the poultry owning public.
There are a number of significant uncertainties
surrounding the future risk that we will be facing from avian
influenza but a higher risk period for the UK of an outbreak of
high pathogenic avian influenza is the Autumn as migratory birds
return from their summer breeding grounds.
RISK ASSESSMENT
According to the latest qualitative risk assessment
carried out by international animal health experts at Defra: HPAI
H5N1 situation in Europe and potential risk factors for the introduction
of the virus to the UNITED KINGDOM which was published on the
Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/monitoring/pdf/hpai-h5n1-developments060706.pdf
The geographic spread of H5N1 means that
there is a constant risk of its introduction to the UK, and we
have measures in place to mitigate this risk. However, experience
from the last year shows that there is an increased risk of the
introduction of H5N1 to the UK during the wild bird migration
season. While this risk is likely to continue during this autumn,
it is less likely that the virus will move direct to the UK without
being detected in the rest of the EU first. Any increase in the
spread of the virus within the EU will increase the risk to the
UK.
SURVEILLANCE
An updated and revised strategy to screen wild
birds for the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza
was initiated in September. Defra's targeted surveillance strategy
will involve sampling for the disease in areas which have higher
numbers of migrating waterfowl and larger poultry populations.
The programme, being introduced for the autumn
migration of water birds from more northerly latitudes, will have
three main elements:
— Testing of live birds (which are
then released);
— Testing shot birds (shot as part
of normal legal wild fowling activities); and
— Testing certain species of dead wild
birds found in designated areas.
Species thought to be a greater risk for introducing
avian flu, in particular ducks, geese, swans, gulls and waders,
will be targeted. Screening for the virus will take place in designated
surveillance areas where a sample of reported dead birds will
be collected and tested. Unusually high numbers of dead birds
will continue to be investigated throughout the UK as in previous
years. This is a separate survey to ascertain the causes of these
deaths.
The survey is a strategic targeted survey and
not all birds will be collected. The likelihood of a wild bird
that is found dead being infected with avian influenza is very
small. Thousands of samples have been tested already but there
has so far only been one case of highly pathogenic H5N1 detected
in a sample from a dead swan found at Cellardyke in Scotland in
April.
It is normal for a proportion of wild birds
to carry low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses so it would
not be unusual to detect some LPAI viruses over the course of
the survey. These are normally of little significance to human
or animal health.
BIOSECURITY
In response to the level of risk officials in
the Department have used the summer period to reinforce key messages
on biosecurity and surveillance amongst poultry owners
as well as members of the public ahead of the Autumn migration.
A wealth of materials has been produced providing comprehensive
advice on what signs to look out for which could indicate presence
of the bird flu virus in poultry (respiratory distress, swollen
head, dullness, a loss of appetite and a drop in egg production)
and how to keep premises biosecure to prevent incursion of the
disease whether it be from contact with wild birds, other animals,
people and equipment on the premises where the birds are kept.
Should you like more information there is an
order form attached with this letter for posters and publications
on all issues concerned with protecting poultry from bird flu
including how to register on the GB Poultry Register which
will help the department better communicate with poultry owners
should the need arise to warn of heightened risk to their birds
and the need to take additional action such as isolating birds
from wild birds.
VACCINATION
In addition we are constantly working to improve
our ability to respond to avian influenza. In view of uncertainties
in the nature and spread of the virus, we are obtaining a supply
of 10 million doses of avian influenza vaccine for potential
use in poultry and other captive birds, as part of sensible contingency
planning. This is in addition to the 2.3 million doses obtained
earlier in the year for any preventative vaccination of zoo birds.
I should stress that this does not change our policy on the use
of vaccine against avian influenza. Although currently available
vaccines do prevent mortality, they do not prevent birds from
becoming infected and shedding the disease and they also potentially
mask the disease and slow down the time taken to detect it. For
that reason, we do not intend to use general vaccination ahead
of an outbreak or as an immediate disease control response.
However, during an outbreak we will keep the
need for vaccination under close review depending on the circumstances
at the time. The decision to vaccinate will be based on expert
veterinary, epidemiological and scientific advice of the most
effective method of disease control. Good biosecurity, surveillance,
early reporting, rapid action and culling are the most effective
ways of preventing and tackling disease. However, as well as obtaining
a supply of vaccine, we are also working with stakeholders on
the details of a vaccination delivery plan so that we have all
disease control options available to us.
TEXT AND
EMAIL ALERT
SERVICE
Finally, following good advice from the Efra
committee we are offering you the opportunity to be alerted to
the latest developments on bird flu. We regularly send email updates
to stakeholders when there are any significant developments. If
you would like to receive similar updates then please send your
contact details to Ian Hill in Defra at the following email address:
Ian.Hill@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Also in order to minimise any delay in our ability to notify you
should there be an avian influenza incident in your area, then
please also send Ian your mobile or other contact details.
FURTHER ADVICE
If you or people you come into contact with
wish to find out further information about avian influenza, the
latest information and comprehensive guidance can be found at
www.defra.gov.uk
and by ringing the Defra helpline on 08459 33 55 77.
20 October 2006
69 The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
for Northern Ireland will send their own letter out. Back
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