Raising African swine fever awareness in Eastern Europe Since its entry into Georgia back in 2007, African swine fever (ASF) has progressively spread throughout the region, despite all prevention and control efforts, first affecting the Caucasus countries, then the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, and since last year, the European Union (the Baltic States and Poland). The spread of ASF has mainly followed the pig and pork market chains, but also wild boar has been involved in some instances. Within the pig sector, the backyard settings play the most important role in the spread and maintenance of the disease...[Read more]
H5N1, H7N9 and beyond: FAO investigates avian influenza virus diversity, geographical spread and risks at the human-animal interface Over the past two years, the world has witnessed an increase in emergence of novel avian influenza (AI) subtypes, such as H5N2, H5N6, H5N8, H7N9, H10N8 – to name the few making headlines. AI is a disease of poultry, able to incur devastating losses to the poultry industry and threaten poultry-dependent livelihoods. Some AI viruses are zoonotic and can infect humans, sometimes causing severe disease and death. It is feared that such viruses could gain the potential to transmit easily between humans and lead to a pandemic. Adaptation of AI viruses is made possible by their constantly changing genome, either through mutation of genes...[Read more]
FAO and OIE International Conference for the Control and Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) 31 March - 02 April 2015 (Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire)
Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a widespread, virulent, and devastating disease of small ruminants with significant economic, food security and livelihood impacts. The disease is caused by a morbillivirus closely related to the rinderpest virus (globally eradicated in 2011). PPR is considered as one of the top most damaging animal diseases in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. PPR is also one of the priority diseases...[Visit the conference website - Read concept note] Recent publications/newsletters
FAO China ECTAD Highlights ::: January 2015, Vol. 72 In this issue: Agreed plan for China FETPV in 2015; Visit to Poyang Lake area to understand the eco-system and preliminary value chain for poultry; Advanced veterinary epidemiology training on risk-based surveillance and risk analysis for Chinese university academics; Upcoming activities...[Read more] Upcoming events · 3rd International One Health Congress 15-18 March 2015 (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Visit conference website · Spatial Risk Assessment Workshop 19 March 2015 (Weybridge, UK) · Annual Meeting of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine 25-27 March 2015 (Ghent, Belgium ) Visit conference website Interesting links · FAO Audio Interview on Peste des Petits Ruminants English - French - Spanish · "Una Salud" - Rabia Bovina (Proyecto FAO TCP/RLA/3501) Boletín informativo no. 2 ::: Marzo 2015 Read newsletter |