John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds. Migratory waterfowl, most notably wild duck, are the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses, and these birds are also most resistant to infection. Domestic poultry, including chickens and turkeys, are particularly susceptible to epidemics of rapidly fatal influenza.

Avian influenza viruses rarely affect humans and do not normally infect species other than birds. The virus has on occasion, however, been isolated in humans, and in Vietnam, the H5N1 virus was isolated from a number of patients who died. There is, however, no evidence that the virus can be transmitted from poultry to humans other than by direct contact with infected birds. The risk from poultry meat to humans is negligible as the virus is destroyed during meat maturation, by cooking and by stomach acids.

The conclusion of a three-day conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, which was jointly organised by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations and the World Organisation for Animal Health is that while progress has been made in disease detection and in rapid response to the disease there is need for more vigorous control campaigns in the countries in south-east Asia affected by avian influenza. Extensive publicity campaigns are suggested as well as the principle of segregation of species on family production units. It is hoped that these measures and others will, with the injection of appropriate funding, aid in the reduction in the risk of the spread of the virus to non-avian species and humans in the region.

With effect from 23 January 2004, the European Commission invoked safeguard decisions to control the importation from south-east Asian countries that were approved to trade with the EU.

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