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New Year Message 2006 from AVIS College
There is now international concern that the disease could be spread by migratory birds to Africa during the period of northern hemispheric winter and then to Europe, when migratory birds return there during northern hemispheric spring and early summer. Were infection to reach Africa, there is some risk it might not be readily diagnosed in view of the weaknesses in the surveillance system and the widespread occurrence of Newcastle disease, with which it might be confused. From the human health perspective, the occurrence of human cases in Turkey has extended the theatre of concern beyond East Asia. The epidemiological complications of backyard chickens and close interaction and/or co-habitation between humans and poultry has further raised the threat of a possible mutation of the H5N1 strain or recombination between H5N1 and common Influenza A strains. This interaction might result in a new variant, able to spread readily from human-to-human. All these events have pointed to a risk of an influenza pandemic, which by January 2006 was rated by WHO at Phase 3 (out of 5 phases). Therefore, the Year 2006 has started in a state of serious uncertainty with respect to the outcome of the evolving epidemic of avian influenza. The AVIS College acknowledges the gallant effort by the international community coordinated by FAO, OIE, WHO and the World Bank in assisting those countries that are either affected by or at high risk from highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. We hope both leading up to and after the Beijing conference that the necessary resources will be mobilised to control the disease on a global basis. The AVIS College response has been, and will continue to be, to contribute on an ongoing basis towards the assembly, peer review, management and dissemination of any form of knowledge that assists in preventing, mitigating or managing this, and other high impact diseases. Thus the 2006 AVIS Avian Influenza program has been reconfigured not only to provide basic information about the disease but also to act as a portal or a one-stop point of access to the most critical contemporary information about major issues on the disease. Throughout the coming year the program will be reviewed and updated. Continuing with Innovation The 2006 editions of the AVIS programs, therefore, run into 5 main streams:
The management of high impact diseases starts from enhancing the capacity for early recognition of clinical signs and detection of the causal agent - whether virus, bacteria, protozoa or prion. The approach to the management of such diseases is increasingly holistic in nature, based on universally adopted risk management principles, and relying on close international collaboration. A Dashboard Collaboration We continue to extend our network of strategic alliances with centres of excellence in animal health. The new developments in this regard include a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Pretoria for joint development of multimedia training programs for postgraduate education. Another special relationship has also evolved with the Royal Veterinary College of the University of London. The AVIS College continues its program of consolidating strategic alliances with centres of excellence in the field of animal health and food safety. If your establishment is not already in our network we would greatly welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you in our goal of knowledge management in animal health and food safety. We wish all our partners, collaborating institutions and individuals, all those who have helped us in the AVIS project as well as all our esteemed readers A Happy and Prosperous 2006
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