Nigeria, four others are bird flu hot spots – Report

Poultry Birds

The strain of the avian influenza virus that is responsible for the bird flu pandemic is entrenched in Nigeria and four other countries, a new report has said. While the report, which was jointly produced by the United Nations and the World Bank, acknowledges the advances that have been made in the fight against the virus, it notes that affected countries need to improve their vigilance and levels of preparedness.

“The virus is considered to be entrenched or enzootic in parts of Indonesia, Egypt, Nigeria and (possibly) part of Bangladesh and China. Given the potential for wild birds to carry the virus over long distances, continued transmission of HPAI among poultry in any one country represents a threat to the world,” it says.

The Responses to avian influenza and state of pandemic readiness: the third global report was released last week as the forerunner of a global conference on avian influenza, which kicked off in New Delhi, India on Tuesday. Data for the report came from 143 countries, the authors say, and it shows that the virus have been re-introduced in some countries where it had initially been curtailed.

“These recurrences are not surprising as the virus continues to live undetected in migratory birds and wildfowl, and is spread through trade in poultry and other birds,” the report says.

The virus experts have said, is believed to be spreading among poultry and other birds and it has been found in an additional five new countries in 2007. This makes a total of 60 countries where H5N1 outbreaks in poultry or wild birds have been reported. “Recent outbreaks were detected in, amongst others, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ghana, France, India, Myanmar, and Togo,” it says.

The first case of avian influenza in birds in Nigeria was detected in 2005 and it led to the culling of thousands of birds in different parts of the country. Earlier this year, the first human fatality induced by the flu, a young woman in Lagos, was also recorded. However, government and poultry farmers have made efforts to convince Nigerians that the situation is under control.

While awareness of the virus is high, the report says, people’s perception of the risk of getting infected with it is low. Although no sustained human-to-human transmission has been reported so far, experts say the genetic material in the avian virus could mutate in a way that makes the virus capable of sustained transmission between humans.

The report says the uncertainty surrounding the possible mutation and transmission of the virus makes a strong case for continuous and adequate surveillance systems at local and national levels. With these, authorities will be able to rapidly detect and stamp out outbreaks at source and prevent the virus from spreading and becoming entrenched. “Because countries can expect to experience occasional or regular challenges from H5N1 (beyond the countries where the virus is entrenched), it is crucial that a medium-term strategy is adopted which focuses on strengthening and expanding the systems put in place over the past three years,” it says.

Examining the Nigerian scenario, the report lists the challenges facing the country in the fight against avian influenza in poultry to include, weak bio-security measures across the poultry sector; widespread backyard poultry rearing practice; continued operation of live-bird markets that do not promote bio-security measures; and cultural practices that result in use of live birds for rituals and co-habitation of birds and humans.

The report calls for a three-to-five year road map to be established urgently to “build on and strengthen efforts to date – and to drive inter-governmental action both for the control of avian influenza… and to ensure a better global readiness for future health crises.”

It also calls for greater cooperation among affected countries: Indonesia, for instance, has refused to share information with other countries. It has insisted that developed countries should agree that the samples will only be used for diagnostic purposes, not for commercial gain.

“Pathogens are becoming more mobile as a result of increases in international travel and trade as well as changes in ecosystems,” UN System Senior Influenza Coordinator, David Nabarro, said at the issuance of the report in New York. “They cause diseases that threaten the health and well being of the entire world population. The long-term security of the human race requires all nations to prepare together-so that when new disease outbreaks and pandemics do occur, responses will be adequate and meet the needs of all people and not just a fortunate few.”