As part of its Animal Production and Health Manuals series, FAO has just published two new manuals on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The first, entitled "Wild bird highly pathogenic avian influenza surveillance: Sample collection from healthy, sick and dead birds", by K. Rose, S. Newman, M. Uhart and J. Lubroth, aims to provide brief guidelines on the sampling methods to use when conducting wildlife surveillance, or a morbidity/mortality investigation. Topics covered include animal handling, proper methods for collecting and transporting diagnostic samples related to investigation of avian diseases such as avian influenza, West Nile virus and Newcastle disease. Chapter 9 deals with diagnostics, including e.g. use of molecular methods. The second, entitled "Preparing for highly pathogenic avian influenza", by V. Martin, A. Forman and J. Lubroth, is intended to assist national animal health authorities and other stakeholders consider the needs for preparing for a possible incursion of HPAI, to detect disease at the earliest opportunity and to respond as rapidly as possible to contain the disease. Chapter 4, dedicated to `preparing for an outbreak`, discusses, inter alia, use of recombinant vaccines and laboratory diagnosis. See the first and second manual or contact [email protected] for more information.

17/02/2007