For the control of highly pathogenic avian Influenza (#36)
The H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) has spread to 62 countries in Eurasia and Africa and well over a billion of birds have died from infection or been killed for the control purpose. Since avian influenza vaccine induces immune response to suppress the manifestation of disease signs but does not confer complete protective immunity against infection with viruses in individual birds, misuse of vaccine consequently allows silent spread of the causative viruses.
The other serious concern is that 602 people have been infected with the H5N1 virus, 60% of whom died in 15 countries since 2004 (as of 12 April 2012). It is noted that most of the human cases (87 %) are in China, Viet Nam, Indonesia, and Egypt where bird flu vaccines are used. It is also noteworthy that in Egypt, 167 human cases have been reported since 1996 when vaccination to poultry started. In Thailand, 25 human cases had been reported until 2006, when the government decided to concentrate to stamping out policy without the use of vaccine for the control of avian influenza, no human case has been reported thereafter.
H5N1 HPAIVs isolated from dead water birds in Mongolia and Hokkaido, Japan on the way back to their nesting areas in Siberia in April to May 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were genetically closely related to those isolated from domestic birds in China. It has been serious concern that these HPAI viruses may perpetuate in the lakes where migratory water birds nest in summer. In the intensive surveillance studies on avian influenza fulfilled in autumn of 1991-2009 in Mongolia and Japan, no HPAIV had been isolated from migratory water birds that flew from Siberia, indicating that the virus had not yet dominantly perpetuated in their nesting lakes in Siberia. Whereas, on 14th October in 2010, 2 H5N1 HPAIVs, that were closely related to those isolated from dead whooper swans in spring in 2009 and 2010 in Mongolia, were isolated from fecal samples of ducks who flew from Siberia to Ohnuma Lake in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan. Since then, the virus spread over Japan through wild water birds and 24 outbreaks of avian influenza occurred in chicken farms in 9 different prefectures in Japan until the end of March 2011.
Unless the H5N1 HPAIVs should be eradicated from poultry in Asia, the viruses must perpetuate in the lakes where migratory water birds nest in summer in Siberia and disastrous outbreaks of HPAI must occur in each Asian country every year. It is hereby strongly proposed to eradicate immediately the H5N1 HPAIVs from Asia by stamping-out without misuse of vaccine through international collaboration under the umbrella of One World One Health concept.
The other serious concern is that 602 people have been infected with the H5N1 virus, 60% of whom died in 15 countries since 2004 (as of 12 April 2012). It is noted that most of the human cases (87 %) are in China, Viet Nam, Indonesia, and Egypt where bird flu vaccines are used. It is also noteworthy that in Egypt, 167 human cases have been reported since 1996 when vaccination to poultry started. In Thailand, 25 human cases had been reported until 2006, when the government decided to concentrate to stamping out policy without the use of vaccine for the control of avian influenza, no human case has been reported thereafter.
H5N1 HPAIVs isolated from dead water birds in Mongolia and Hokkaido, Japan on the way back to their nesting areas in Siberia in April to May 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were genetically closely related to those isolated from domestic birds in China. It has been serious concern that these HPAI viruses may perpetuate in the lakes where migratory water birds nest in summer. In the intensive surveillance studies on avian influenza fulfilled in autumn of 1991-2009 in Mongolia and Japan, no HPAIV had been isolated from migratory water birds that flew from Siberia, indicating that the virus had not yet dominantly perpetuated in their nesting lakes in Siberia. Whereas, on 14th October in 2010, 2 H5N1 HPAIVs, that were closely related to those isolated from dead whooper swans in spring in 2009 and 2010 in Mongolia, were isolated from fecal samples of ducks who flew from Siberia to Ohnuma Lake in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan. Since then, the virus spread over Japan through wild water birds and 24 outbreaks of avian influenza occurred in chicken farms in 9 different prefectures in Japan until the end of March 2011.
Unless the H5N1 HPAIVs should be eradicated from poultry in Asia, the viruses must perpetuate in the lakes where migratory water birds nest in summer in Siberia and disastrous outbreaks of HPAI must occur in each Asian country every year. It is hereby strongly proposed to eradicate immediately the H5N1 HPAIVs from Asia by stamping-out without misuse of vaccine through international collaboration under the umbrella of One World One Health concept.