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PARIS — Avian influenza, which has killed hundreds of millions of birds worldwide and infected mammals, says governments should consider vaccinating poultry to prevent the virus from becoming another pandemic. said the Director General of the World Animal Health Organization.
The severity of the current bird flu (commonly called bird flu) outbreak and the economic and personal toll it has caused has led governments to reconsider vaccination of poultry. However, some countries, such as the United States, remain reluctant, mainly because of the trade restrictions involved.
“We are coming out of a COVID-19 crisis where countries have realized the pandemic hypothesis is real,” Monique Elois, executive director of the World Organization for Animal Health, told Reuters in an interview.
“Now that almost every country with which we do international trade is infected, it is time to discuss vaccination, in addition to systematic culling, which remains the primary tool[to control the disease]. “Maybe it’s coming,” she said.
The Paris-based organization will hold a five-day plenary session starting Sunday to focus on the global control of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
A study by the World Animal Health Organization found that only 25% of member countries accepted imports of products from HPAI-vaccinated poultry.
The 27 member states of the European Union (EU) agreed last year to implement an avian influenza vaccine strategy.
France, which spent about $1.1 billion in 2021/22 to compensate the poultry industry for slaughter, will be the first EU member state to launch a vaccination program starting with ducks.
“It is our responsibility to take advantage of other tools currently available, such as vaccination,” said French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesnot. It is also to respond to the situation,” he said at the time of the establishment of the global organization. Animal Health General Session.
Eloit said the EU move towards vaccination could be followed by other countries.
“If member states like the EU, which is a large exporter, start moving in that direction, it will have a ricochet impact,” Eroit said.
“In light of our commitment to fighting HPAI, the USDA continues to research vaccine options that could protect poultry from this persistent threat,” the USDA told Reuters on Friday. rice field.
However, in an email response, he said he still believes biosecurity measures are the most effective tool for mitigating the virus in commercial herds.
The World Health Organization said the risk to humans from avian flu remains low, but countries should prepare for a changing situation.
Eloit said vaccination should focus on free-range poultry, mainly ducks, because bird flu is transmitted by infected migratory birds. She says it doesn’t make much sense to vaccinate broilers, which make up about 60% of the world’s poultry production.
The H5N1 strain prevalent in the current HPAI outbreak has been detected in more mammals, killing thousands of mammals including sea lions, foxes, otters and cats.
