6 Apr 2023
Analysis commissioned by the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock has called for broader communication and co-operation on the virus, and researchers say the vet sector has a critical role.
Allister Webb
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A new report has called for greater collaboration and communication among stakeholders to help manage the long-term risks of avian influenza (AI).
The paper, commissioned by the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) and compiled by academics from The University of Edinburgh, warns the danger of the virus is here to stay.
Latest Government assessments have reduced the risk of poultry exposure to the virus, without strong biosecurity measures being in place, from high to medium.
But scientists concede more work is needed to better understand what the future might look like, and CIEL officials say now is the time to start thinking of that future.
Mark Young, the organisation’s head of innovation, said: “The UK experienced the worst outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in 2022, both in terms of frequency and severity.
“With the disease showing no signs of abating, it’s vital the industry considers how we can live with the risk.”
The report, which is based on information available as of February, makes four main recommendations for action to help encourage the adoption of good practice:
CIEL hopes to have talks with Government officials about the findings of the report later this month, but said its role is crucial in taking the paper’s ideas forward.
Dr Young said: “For a number of these recommendations to be implemented successfully, there has to be improved communication and collaboration across the whole supply chain to ensure up-to-date information is disseminated to all those involved.”
The report urges producers, regardless of the size of their operations, to seek “expert input, from their vet and other advisors, about how best to assess, and mitigate risks of AI incursion on their own premises”.
The report’s author, Lisa Boden, said veterinary professionals and their associated bodies also had “a key leadership and communication role” in promoting public understanding, and compliance with any restrictions that are enforced.
Rules requiring keepers to house their birds indoors remain in force in England and Wales, although no such restriction is in place in Scotland and a similar requirement in Northern Ireland was lifted only for captive birds last month.
A total of 284 separate cases of the H5N1 strain of HPAI have been recorded at premises in England since the crisis began in the autumn of 2021, with slightly more than half of those, 149, occurring since the start of last October.
A total of 21 cases have been seen in Scotland, where an incident of the H7N3 strain of low pathogenic avian flu was also confirmed last month, plus five in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
But signs suggest the spread may be slowing, with only two new HPAI cases – both in England – confirmed since the beginning of March.
The latest Government assessments for Great Britain, issued through Defra on 4 April, also reduced the risk to poultry from high to medium in areas where biosecurity is poor and there are “substantial biosecurity breaches”.
The danger is thought to be low where good biosecurity measures are applied.
However, the risk is still deemed to be high for wild birds, with 15 confirmed cases recorded in the week ending 2 April – the highest weekly total for a month.
Meanwhile, the number of cases in non-bird species has increased to 23 since the initial outbreak, including two in common dolphins and one in a harbour porpoise. However, none have been recorded since late February.
But Prof Boden stressed the risk of the virus affecting humans – an issue that has been the source of some public concern in recent weeks – remains very low.
A recent report by an independent scientific advisory group, commissioned by Defra, made a number of recommendations for enhanced investigation, surveillance, data gathering and modelling to help address what it described as the “challenging” HPAI situation.
The document said clearer understanding is needed on questions such as whether the disease is or could become endemic in wild birds and the potential for farm-to-farm transmission.
It also called for “more representative” data about the poultry population to be gathered, and one area where a rule change could soon be seen relates to the requirements placed on keepers of small bird flocks.
A consultation on proposals that would compel all poultry keepers to formally register their birds with the APHA, regardless of how many birds they have, is ongoing and will remain open until the end of May.
Officials say the measure, which would replace the current requirement for keepers with 50 birds or more to register, will help spread messages about outbreaks and changing biosecurity requirements further.
A Defra spokesperson said: “We are committed to tackling the outbreak of avian influenza and are working with key partners to apply the very latest scientific evidence, best practice and keep the situation under review.
“We are clear that all operational livestock premises must implement strong biosecurity measures, report suspected cases immediately, and continue to work closely with the industry to ensure good flock management and husbandry practices are implemented by all bird keepers regardless of size or scale of their flock.”
