Regional European Training Course on “Advanced Molecular diagnosis and characterization of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)” co-sponsored by EU ConFluTech Project to be held from 21 September to 2 October 2009 at the IAEA Laboratories in Vienna.
The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as “bird flu”, is caused by the infection with some strains of Influenza A virus. The different strains of this virus are classified into subtypes on the basis of their two external proteins namely haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). Techniques used for the diagnosis of avian influenza (AI) aimed at demonstrating, first, the presence of the causal virus in pathological samples and then assessing its pathogenicity. Indeed, only some HPAI strains of AI, belonging to the H5 or H7 subtypes, cause outbreaks. The current AI outbreak, which started in Asia in late 2003, was caused by a virus of the H5 subtype and was further characterized as of the N1 subtype (HPAI-H5N1) which is fatal in humans.
Usually, from the pathological sample, the virus is first isolated in embryonated fowl eggs which, takes 4 to 7 days to complete. The subtype of the isolated virus is then identified by a battery of specific antibodies raised against the different H (H1 to H15) and N (N1 to N9) proteins which is carried out only in specialized laboratories. To confirm a subtype’s pathogenicity, the isolate is then inoculated into 4 to 8 week-old susceptible chickens. For the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), strains are considered to be highly pathogenic if they cause more than 75% mortality in inoculated chickens within 10 days. An alternative way to demonstrate the presence and to characterize the influenza virus in pathological samples is the specific detection of its RNA by nucleic acid amplification techniques (PCR and PCR sequencing, using either fluorescent or isotopic [P32, P33 or S35] markers). This molecular approach takes 1 to 2 days to complete. It is foreseen that this technology could be applied as an early warning tool.
Although the HPAI-H5N1 virus existed since 1996, the true crisis started in 2003 with the declaration that the disease was killing hundreds of thousand of chickens and ducks in ten countries. By the end of 2008, there have been 387 human cases with 283 fatalities (representing a mortality rate of more than 70%), and more than 400 million dead or culled birds. The economic loss to the Asian poultry sector is estimated to be as high as US$50 billion. Avian Influenza, due to HPAI-H5N1 subtype, is threatening the livelihood of hundreds of millions of poor livestock farmers, jeopardizing smallholder entrepreneurship and commercial poultry production, and seriously impeding regional and international trade and market opportunities.
The IAEA, through the Joint FAO/IAEA programme, is part of a coordination mechanism established through the UN System Senior Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza to make the international system as responsive as possible.
The two week training course aims at enhancing the participant’s knowledge on highly pathogenic avian influenza (advanced molecular diagnosis of the virus sub-types involved (nuclear and nuclear related serological and molecular technologies), characterization and phylogenetic analysis and the relationships of the virus sub-types. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the early detection and early reaction capabilities in Member States.
The course is open to twenty participants from the European Region (in particular CIS and Balkan countries) and countries participating in the ConFluTech project (Romania, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Greece, Bulgaria) which are considered at higher risk of avian flu outbreak. This advanced molecular diagnostic course is intended for participants with a Bachelor’s degree in veterinary, animal or biological science or equivalent, and with experience in basic molecular biology techniques. Participants must be actively involved in animal disease diagnosis. The training course will be conducted in English; participants should be capable of freely expressing themselves and follow lectures.