BATTAMBANG 2017, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a training workshop from 24-27 April in Battambong province, focusing on avian influenza risk assessment, in response to the increased number of reported influenza outbreaks in poultry in late 2017 and early 2018. The training gathered around 25 officials from animal health, human health, wildlife and academia.

The main purpose of the training workshop was to familiarize the participants with the risk assessment process and enable them to design and implement a basic qualitative risk assessment on avian influenza and other emerging animal and zoonotic disease. 

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was first found in Cambodia in 2004, the virus has since become endemic in the country. Cambodia is considered at high-risk of transboundary and endemic spread of high and low pathogenic avian influenza due to the extensive in-country and cross-border movements of people, poultry and poultry products.

To date, 56 human cases of HPAI/H5N1 and 58 poultry outbreaks, have been reported. Ten of those outbreaks occurred in 2017 and early 2018.

The FAO supports active avian influenza surveillance that is currently carried out by the Institute Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) and the National Animal Health and Production Research Institute (NAHPRI). It targets Live Bird Markets and poultry collection points since these are considered a key pathway in the HPAI epidemiology and of major public health concern, as hygiene precautions are limited and a large number of birds from different sources aggregate, including species able to maintain silent infection.

An effective, comprehensive and integrated approach is required for early detection, targeted prevention and rapid response to avian influenza. As explained by Mr Alexandre Huynh, FAO Representative in Cambodia, “risk assessment can guide the planning of targeted surveillance and risk management interventions in domestic animals, humans and wildlife.”

He also added that “by using data and expert opinion to systematically determine risk areas and pathways for zoonotic avian influenza virus incursion and spread, risk mitigation can be targeted and, especially in context where resources are limited, become more effective, thereby contributing to improved rural livelihoods, food security and safeguarded public health.”