21-ICRAD Virulent Non-Notifiable Avian Influenza; Determinants of virulence of emerging viruses

21-ICRAD 不可通报的强毒禽流感；

• 批准号: BB/V019899/1
• 负责人: Lonneke Vervelde
• 金额: $ 51.66万
• 依托单位: University of Edinburgh
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FV019899%2F1
• 关键词: 21; ICRAD; Virulent; Non; Notifiable

Europe is one of the world's largest poultry meat and egg producers and exporter of poultry products. Disease outbreaks are a major threat for the poultry industry. Avian Influenza (AI) is listed as a top challenge and with that, is a major concern of the European and worldwide poultry industry. In poultry, the severity of AI virus (AIV) strains is classified into Highly Pathogenic (HPAI) or Low Pathogenic (LPAI). HPAI strains cause severe infections and high levels of mortality. HPAI and LPAI of the H5 and H7 types are notifiable diseases, i.e. diseases that are required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. European Member states conduct surveillance programmes and outbreaks involving AI H5 and H7 subtypes are notifiable to the OIE. However, not only LPAI H5 and H7 and HPAI subtypes form a threat for the poultry industry. Several of the non H5/H7 subtypes such as H3 and H9, can be very virulent and infections with these strains can also cause severe production losses. Besides the economic consequences, these virulent non-notifiable LPAI (nn-LPAI) subtypes have a major impact on animal welfare by causing severe clinical symptoms, high mortality rates and - in case of controlling the outbreak - culling of diseased and/or healthy flocks. AI is a zoonotic disease and past influenza pandemics were caused by viruses that were at least partly derived from AI viruses. Therefore, impacts on public health may be great if nn-LPAI with high zoonotic potential are not controlled adequately. The FluNuance consortium aims to develop a diagnostic tool or identification system for virulent nn-LPAI strains. To achieve this we will first have to understand why these normally low pathogenic viruses become more pathogenic and how they interact with their hosts, chickens and representatives of wildlife: mallard, geese and pigeon. This knowledge will allow us to better assess the potential risks that viruses from the animal reservoir imposes for the poultry industry and vice versa. As a consequence, poultry production will be threatened less by these viruses, thereby reducing negative impacts on animal welfare and decreasing the numbers of flocks that are culled. In case the emerging nn-LPAI has high zoonotic potential, the risk of a pandemic will be lowered. Thus, this proposal addresses the ever-increasing importance of the poultry industry and aligns with the consumers' demands for 'healthy food from healthy animals'.

欧洲是世界上最大的禽肉和禽蛋生产国和禽产品出口国之一。疾病爆发是家禽业的主要威胁。禽流感（AI）被列为首要挑战，也是欧洲和全球家禽业的主要关注点。在家禽中，禽流感病毒（AIV）毒株的严重程度分为高致病性（HPAI）或低致病性（LPAI）。 HPAI 菌株可导致严重感染和高死亡率。 H5 和 H7 型 HPAI 和 LPAI 属于法定传染病，即法律要求向政府当局报告的疾病。信息的整理使当局能够监测该疾病，并对可能爆发的疾病提供早期预警。欧洲成员国实施监测计划，涉及禽流感 H5 和 H7 亚型的疫情应向世界动物卫生组织通报。然而，不仅 LPAI H5 和 H7 以及 HPAI 亚型对家禽业构成威胁。一些非 H5/H7 亚型（例如 H3 和 H9）可能具有很强的毒性，这些菌株的感染也可能导致严重的生产损失。除了经济后果外，这些有毒的、不可通报的 LPAI (nn-LPAI) 亚型还对动物福利产生重大影响，因为它们会引起严重的临床症状、高死亡率，以及在控制疫情的情况下扑杀患病和/或健康鸡群。人工智能是一种人畜共患疾病，过去的流感大流行是由至少部分源自人工智能病毒的病毒引起的。因此，如果不充分控制具有高人畜共患潜力的 nn-LPAI，对公众健康的影响可能会很大。 FluNuance 联盟旨在开发一种针对强毒 nn-LPAI 菌株的诊断工具或识别系统。为了实现这一目标，我们首先必须了解为什么这些通常低致病性的病毒变得更具致病性，以及它们如何与宿主、鸡和野生动物代表（绿头鸭、鹅和鸽子）相互作用。这些知识将使我们能够更好地评估来自动物宿主的病毒给家禽业带来的潜在风险，反之亦然。因此，家禽生产受到这些病毒的威胁将减少，从而减少对动物福利的负面影响并减少被扑杀的鸡群数量。如果新兴的 nn-LPAI 具有很高的人畜共患潜力，那么大流行的风险就会降低。因此，该提案解决了家禽业日益增长的重要性，并符合消费者对“来自健康动物的健康食品”的需求。