September 22, 2005

European Food Safety Authority recommends measures against bird flu

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently identified scientific risks of bird flu entering and spreading among Europe's commercial poultry population. In addition, measures in response to the risks were also recommended in its report.

The EFSA report would be submitted to support discussions at the meeting of EU Chief Medical Officers and Chief Veterinary Officers on bird flu held in Brussels this week.

According to the report, the following risk factors were considered most important: 

• The potential mutation of low pathogenic bird flu viruses into highly pathogenic strains.
   
• Poultry contact with wild birds, mainly migratory waterfowl.
   
• Legal and illegal imports of live poultry and captive caged birds.
   
• Infected poultry products entering the animal feed chain.
   
• Contact with other poultry products including faeces, litter, feathers and down.

Of these factors, the EFSA was most concerned about the potential mutation of low pathogenic bird flu viruses into highly pathogenic strains. While EU legislation provided for notification and control of highly pathogenic strains, low pathogenic strains were not covered at the moment.

Some key recommendations by the EFSA included:

•  Low pathogenic strains such as H5 and H7 subtypes, which have been reported to mutate into highly pathogenic strains, should now be included in EU legislation. This would allow appropriate control measures against them.
   
• Densely populated poultry areas and free-range poultry kept near migratory bird areas were most at risk. Thus there was a need to tighten bio-security measures in order to ensure separation between wild birds and domestic poultry.
   
• Increasing awareness among farmers on all possible tools and measures that help in reducing the risk of infection.
   
• Tighter monitoring of free-range areas.
   
• Stricter import controls on live birds and other poultry to reduce illegal imports, which were potential sources of contamination.
   
• Development of early warning systems for early detection of low pathogenic bird flu.
   
• Setting safe distances between farms to reduce the risk of spreading the disease, especially in densely populated poultry areas.
   
• Drawing up contingency plans for mass culling of poultry in the occurrence of major outbreaks.