The French poultry sector has witnessed a remarkable decline in avian influenza cases, plummeting by 96% since the introduction of a large-scale vaccination initiative by the government two years ago, according to findings from the National Research Institute for Agricultural, Food and Environment (Inrae).
This month marked the commencement of the third phase of vaccinating thousands of ducks across farms with more than 250 animals. A noteworthy change in this phase is the government’s financial contribution, which has decreased to 40% of vaccine costs from 70% last year and 85% during the initial campaign.
A World First
October 2023 saw the launch of a pioneering vaccination campaign—the first of its kind globally—backed by both the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the European Commission.
According to the Department of Agriculture, “Vaccination has been recognised by WOAH as an additional tool for controlling the disease, one that must be founded on strict surveillance to demonstrate the absence of circulation of the virus. The implementation of vaccination should not negatively impact international trade, provided that member countries adhere to WOAH standards.”
As of now, France remains the sole EU country to adopt such a policy for avian influenza.
Sharp Decline in Avian Influenza Cases, but Risks Persist
The impact of vaccination is evident: only 11 cases of avian influenza were reported in commercial poultry, a staggering drop from 396 cases in the previous year and 1,378 cases the year before that, based on Inrae statistics. France was officially declared free of avian influenza in February this year and has maintained a low-risk status since May.
Nevertheless, the French animal health epidemiological surveillance platform (ESA) has cautioned that the threat of avian influenza from wild birds remains elevated. Notably, the United Kingdom documented over 70 cases in poultry during the summer months, highlighting the ongoing risk.
Scientific, Technical, Economic, and Husbandry Considerations
The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) was engaged ahead of the vaccination campaigns to assess various epidemiological scenarios in order to develop a strategy for vaccinating poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Anses’ evaluation provided a framework to prioritize target populations and geographical zones for vaccination. The strategic plan integrated scientific insights with practical considerations related to economy and husbandry, aiming to prevent future outbreaks while managing export impacts, operational feasibility, and associated costs of the vaccination campaign.
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