Aviemore, Scotland, 26 - 27 June 2007: The Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have convened the 2nd technical meeting in the series held by the Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds.

This year’s event will be a Workshop on ‘Practical Lessons Learned’ in relation to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in wild birds, which will be held in Aviemore, Scotland, from 26 to 27 June 2007.

The event is co-funded by the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), USAID and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and will gather members of the Scientific Task Force as well as national experts with experience of handling outbreaks.

The goal of the workshop is to provide a platform for active debate and direct information sharing on practical responses to Avian Influenza. The focus will be on reviewing recent experiences of dealing with outbreaks and on increasing reactiveness in the field to future cases, including topics, such as scientific evaluation, epidemiology, response strategies and coordination.

As the output of the workshop, it is planned to issue guidelines on the direct responses and measures to be taken to monitor the possibility of infection to and from wildlife. These guidelines should be drawn up through the direct input of all participants and later be widely circulated for use by a variety of stakeholders. As such, they should serve as a practical information tool when reacting to future outbreaks.

Note to editors

Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and wild birds
The Task Force was established by the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), in close cooperation with the Agreement on the Conservation of African Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) in August 2005. The Task force aims to bring together the best scientific advice on the conservation impact of the spread of avian influenza, assessing the role of migratory birds as vectors of the virus, and issuing advice on the root causes of the epidemic as well as technically sound measures to combat it and develop early warning systems. It aims to draw on expertise and collaboration between conservation scientists, hunters, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologists, land managers and other experts. The Task Force comprises 13 members and observers, including UN bodies, wildlife treaties and specialist intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)
SNH is a Scottish public body. Its task is to secure the conservation and enhancement of Scotland's unique and precious natural heritage - the wildlife, the habitats and the landscapes which have evolved in Scotland through the long partnership between people and nature. It advises the Scottish Executive and acts as government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e. Nature Reserves, National Parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and the role of wild bird in the spread of the virus
The HPAI virus subtype H5N1 infecting poultry, other domestic animals, wildlife and humans almost certainly originated from the mutation of a low or non-pathogenic virus on poultry farms in East Asia. The virus then spread rapidly within and between farms, taking advantage of local practices in the feeding, housing, slaughtering and trade of domestic ducks, chickens and geese. Lack of hygiene, overstocking and mixing of different domestic animals greatly increases the risk of spreading the infection. Movements of people (e.g. farmers, veterinarians, and even journalists and tourists) and legal and illegal trade in caged birds are factors in the spread. It is clear that trade in domestic poultry has been a crucial factor, even for the transmission of avian influenza over long distances and across continents. However, numerous species of wild birds, especially waterbirds, have been proven to be susceptible to infection by HPAI H5N1. Close contact between wild birds and poultry can lead to cross-infection, from poultry to wild birds and from wild birds to poultry. The loss of wetlands around the globe may force many wild birds onto alternative sites like farm ponds and paddy fields, bringing them into direct contact with chickens, ducks, geese, and other domestic fowl. Additionally, species that live in and around poultry farms and human habitations may serve as “bridge species” that could potentially transmit the virus between poultry and wild birds. However, recent samplings of 5000 wild water birds in African wetlands support the view, since no evidence of HPAI H5N1 was found, that wild birds probably play a relatively minor role in the spread of avian influenza. This view is consistent with the fact that the northward migration of wild birds from Africa to Europe in the northern spring of 2006 did not cause any major outbreaks.

For more information on the workshop please contact:
Francisco Rilla, Information Officer,
UNEP/CMS Secretariat (for contact details click here)

For more information see:
http://www.aiweb.info