|
|
FAO has been supporting a range of surveillance activities in Viet Nam. These activities have resulted in a better understanding of HPAI epidemiology including risk factors for disease incidence and reservoirs of infection. Improved epidemiology and understanding of disease allows for better use of the finite control resources such as targeting vaccination against higher risk populations.
Highlights of FAO surveillance activities :
Enhanced Passive Surveillance
A critical factor in achieving disease control is the early detection of suspected outbreaks. FAO in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health is supporting community awareness to promote early reporting of suspicious cases, with prompt investigation and diagnosis. Hotlines have been set up with extensive advertising on local television and radio and the use of promotional materials such as calendars, posters and leaflets.
Importantly, a holistic approach to poultry health is being promoted by the provision of funds to carry out differential diagnosis of disease outbreaks other than only testing for H5N1. Diseases such as Newcastle disease, duck plague and pasteurellosis all occur commonly and it is important for HPAI control that not only are these ruled out but that if they are present that appropriate advice in disease control can be given to the farmer.
Community Active Disease Surveillance
Early detection of suspect disease outbreaks with prompt investigation and diagnosis is mandatory to reduce the threat to human and poultry health. FAO has successfully piloted Community Active Disease Surveillance as a novel way to enhance the disease surveillance and the early detection of outbreaks at the commune level. Animal health workers conduct regular informal interviews with key informants to identify and then verify rumours of disease; key informants include veterinary pharmacists, feed shop owners, public health workers, village heads and farmers.
Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training
One of the limiting factors in disease control is the lack of understanding of the epidemiology of the disease and often the lack of qualified epidemiologists. FAO has been working with the Hanoi University of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Health to develop a course in field epidemiology. The Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (AVET) course is made up of classroom and field activities and covers topics such as infection dynamics, sampling methods, surveillance approaches, outbreak investigations, laboratory testing, managing disease control programs, communication and scientific report writing. Through the AVET training programme, epidemiological skills will be made available in Viet Nam for better management of not only HPAI but also other important infectious diseases such as foot and mouth disease, PRRS disease and rabies.
Improved Information Management
Efficient information management with appropriate analysis and reporting is key to making the most of outbreak and surveillance data and ensuring that the disease situation and disease epidemiology is well understood. DAH has introduced the TAD-Info data management system with the support of FAO. TAD-Info is a unique veterinary data management system that has been specifically designed to provide data management and decision support to national veterinary epidemiology units. Since its introduction TAD-info has become the official livestock disease reporting system of the Government of Viet Nam for HPAI, PRRS and other priority diseases.
Wild Bird Surveillance
Transmission of H5N1 from wild birds to poultry is the most likely source of the epidemic strain of H5N1 and the transmission of epidemic H5N1 back into migratory wild birds is the probable cause of the intercontinental spread of infection. Wild birds are traded widely across Viet Nam, both for food and as pets. In collaboration with the Department of Animal Health and the Wildlife Conservation Society, FAO has carried out the first comprehensive Surveillance study of avian influenza in the wild bird markets in Hanoi. The findings indicated possible presence of Influenza A virus in wild birds but involvement of H5N1 could not be established.
Risk Assessment
A risk-based approach supports effective allocation of resources for optimal disease control. With the Department of Animal Health, FAO has been developing capacity in risk analysis training regional and provincial staff.
Cost-Effectiveness of Surveillance
FAO is supporting a comprehensive review of the achievements and lessons learned from disease surveillance and vaccination monitoring. This assessment will provide an overview and description of donor supported surveillance and will result in a cost-effectiveness assessment of surveillance approaches. This will guide future resource allocation decisions on optimal surveillance approaches
|
|
|