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

欧洲是世界上最大的禽肉和禽蛋生产国和禽肉产品出口国之一。疾病爆发是家禽业的主要威胁。禽流感（AI）被列为首要挑战，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）。高致病性禽流感病毒株引起严重感染和高死亡率。H5和H7类型的高致病性禽流感和低致病性禽流感是须呈报的疾病，即法律规定须向政府当局呈报的疾病。信息的整理使当局能够监测疾病，并对可能爆发的疾病发出预警。欧洲成员国开展监测方案，涉及禽流感H5和H7亚型的疫情应向世界动物卫生组织报告。然而，不仅LPAI H5和H7以及HPAI亚型对家禽业构成威胁。几种非H5/H7亚型如H3和H9可以是非常致命的，并且这些菌株的感染也可以导致严重的生产损失。除了经济后果之外，这些致命的不可报告的LPAI（nn-LPAI）亚型通过引起严重的临床症状、高死亡率以及-在控制爆发的情况下-扑杀患病和/或健康的鸡群而对动物福利具有重大影响。禽流感是一种人畜共患疾病，过去的流感大流行是由至少部分来源于禽流感病毒的病毒引起的。因此，对公众健康的影响可能是巨大的，如果nn-LPAI与人畜共患病的潜力没有得到充分控制。FluNuance联盟旨在开发一种用于强毒nn-LPAI菌株的诊断工具或鉴定系统。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，以及它们如何与它们的宿主，鸡和野生动物的代表：野鸭，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对家禽业造成的潜在风险，反之亦然。因此，家禽生产将受到这些病毒的威胁较小，从而减少对动物福利的负面影响，并减少被扑杀的家禽数量。如果新出现的nn-LPAI具有高度的人畜共患病潜力，则大流行的风险将降低。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。

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'.