The avian influenza virus H5N1 could become entrenched in chickens and domestic ducks and geese in parts of Europe, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Thursday.
The agency stressed that healthy domestic ducks and geese may transmit the virus to chickens and play a more important role in the persistence of the virus in the region than previously thought. H5N1 surveillance in countries with significant domestic duck and geese populations should be urgently increased.
FAO's warning followed the detection of H5N1 in diseased young domestic ducks by German scientists.
"It seems that a new chapter in the evolution of avian influenza may be unfolding silently in the heart of Europe," said FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer, Joseph Domenech. "If it turns out to be true that the H5N1 virus can persist in apparently healthy domestic duck and geese populations, then countries need to urgently reinforce their monitoring and surveillance schemes in all regions with significant duck and geese production for the presence of H5N1."
"Europe should prepare for further waves of avian influenza outbreaks, most probably in an east-west direction, if the virus succeeds in persisting throughout the year in domestic waterfowl. This heightens the need for increased surveillance and monitoring of possible virus circulation in domestic ducks and geese," Domenech said.
Based on its experience in fighting avian influenza around the world over the past three years, FAO considers that risk assessment, surveillance and virus search strategies should be reviewed, Domenech said.
Countries with significant domestic duck and geese populations in Western and Central Europe as well as the Black Sea region should consider the incidence in Germany as a wake-up call and should not limit the virus search to chickens. Good surveillance is already in place in many European countries and the European Commission has issued in 2007 very comprehensive guidelines.
After Asia and Africa, Europe could become the third continent where the H5N1 could become endemic in some areas, FAO warned.
Source:Xinhua
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