Diapositive 1

1
FAO-USDA/APHIS Wprkshop in the framework of
Regional Animal Centre of Bamako
Inception Workshop Western and Central Africas
National Veterinary Laboratory Network for HPAI
Diagnostics LCV, Bamako, Mali, 3-7 décembre 2007
West and Central Africa Veterinary Diagnostic
Laboratory Network for HPAI
B. Seck
2
General Context
February 2006 Nigeria reported first African
outbreak of Asian lineage No clear
documentation of its point of entry. Within 3
months H5N1 virus spread throughout the country
and across the sub-region, enhanced probably by
both the legal and illegal trade of infected
poultry and poultry products. Today nine (9)
other African countries reported H5N1 Egypt,
Niger, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire,
Sudan, Djibouti, Ghana and Togo In most of
areas, the disease remained localized , being
apparently eradicated in some cases. Despite
control efforts, infection persistent in Egypt
and Nigeria.
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H5N1 Crisis in Africa (2)

• After its first appearance in Nigeria, the HPAI
  H5N1 virus spread throughout the country and
  across the sub-region and confirmed within 3
  months in 7 countries Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
  Côte dIvoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Niger, Sudan.

• 2007 Ghana (14 April) Togo (6 June).

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1. General Context

• Key roles of poultry farming in Africa
• Income-generating activity
• Source of valuable animal proteins for the diet,
  
• Important socio-cultural role in many societies.
• Easily transportable commodity serving as gifts
  or currency

• Despite these key roles
• Limited data that describe the epidemiology and
  genetic characteristics of avian viruses
  circulating in the African poultry population.
• On February 2006 In WC Africa AI lab diagnosis
  capabilities limited to NVRI, Vom ISRA, Dakar
  Bingerville, Côte dIvoire
• Even rare data on Newcastle disease virus.

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2. Problems to be addressed
Time interval between first HPAI suspected cases
and official notification of H5N1 to OIE ranged
from 15 to 34 days.

• Delays mainly attributable to
• Absence of diagnostic infrastructure and
• Reluctance of airline companies rapid courier
  services to forward samples to reference
  laboratories, all located outside of the region

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2. Problems to be addressed
Delays in OIE notification of A/H5N1 outbreaks in
poultry in west Africa
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2. Problems to be addressed

• With current deficiencies in surveillance systems
  and diagnostic capacities in many African
  countries, the actual distribution of HPAI H5N1
  virus might still be underestimated.

• HPAI H5N1 viruses have been shown to be capable
  of acquiring mutations that increase their
  affinity and virulence for the human host.

• Monitoring of these genetic mutations is crucial
  to our understanding of the virus pathogenicity
  and to detect mutations that could lead to
  potential pandemic strain

• Current lab capacities in W C Africa compromise
  such monitoring of H5N1 viruses possibly
  circulating in Africa.

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Justification

• Availability of local infrastructures crucial to
  allow HPAI virus detection where it is
  circulating in Africa for
• local disease surveillance and control, and for
• Monitoring of genetic changes for early warning
  of possible emergence of pandemic virus strain.

• Will also be instrumental in supporting regional
  approaches for more effective responses to other
  transboundary and/or emerging animal diseases.

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6. Network Intervention Design
Achieve a step-by-step modular upgrading of
national diagnostic laboratories for AI and thus
established diagnostic capacity necessary to
support AI national surveillance and control
programme.
For sustainability purposes, upgrading taking
place in framework of coordinated subregional
laboratory network facilitating technical
support, data, information and experience sharing
between the subregion laboratories.
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Network Intervention Design

• FAO Tech Coop Programme TCP/RAF/3016 with
  additional funding from France and Sweden
• Laboratory training sessions for 48 trainees
  from 25 countries
• Bamako, March 2006
• Dakar, June 2006
• Garoua, Cameroon, November 2006
• Supply of basic laboratory equipments

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Network Intervention Design

• Site visits for rapid assessment
• Laboratoire National de lElevage de Niamey of
  Niger (Feb.2006)
• ISRA Laboratory of Dakar, Senegal (June 2006)
• Laboratoire National Vétérinaire of Cameroon at
  Garoua (March and October 2006)
• Central Veterinary Laboratory of Accra in Ghana
  (May 2007)
• Abuko Central Veterinary Laboratory in Gambia
  (September 2007)
• Fendell Laboratory of Liberia (October 2007)
• Teko Central Veterinary laboratory of Sierra
  Leone (October 2007)
• Lomé Veterinary Laboratory of Togo (November
  2007)
• Bohicon and Parakou Veterinary Laboratories of
  Benin (Nov 2007)

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Network Intervention Design

• In depth Laboratory assessments
• Laboratoire National de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
  (April 2006)
• Laboratoire Vétérinaire du LANADA at Bingerville,
  Côte dIvoire, (March 2007)
• Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire du Mali, Bamako
  (July 2007).

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Laboratories Profile assessed according to
Facilities (Buildings, Equipment)
Personnel (qualified and sufficient)
Operational Budget
Equipment
Efficient Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Legal Status (Autonomous regular supplies of
reagents and consumables)
Access to information and Technology
Quality System (Compliance with quality assurance
principles-SOPs)
Regular flow of field samples
Regular Competency or Proficiency test
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Network Intervention Design

• Three (3) Laboratory Groups were identified and
  used to design the training programme more
  accurately
• Group 1 Laboratories Not likely to improve their
  AI diagnostic capacities in the short term
  Provision of basic training and material for
  proper samples collection and forwarding to
  advanced facilities.
• Group 2 Laboratories Shall be upgraded to carry
  out HPAI serology and molecular diagnostic.
• Group 3 Laboratories Having already AI molecular
  diagnostic competence, shall be strengthened
  (e.g. for AIV subtyping).

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Network Intervention Design

• A fourth group will be constituted later on from
  Group 3 laboratories to become Regional Network
  laboratories acting as centres of excellence or
  Regional Platform with international
  responsibilities.
• Key indicators of success in laboratory upgrading
  component
• Move of Group 1 laboratories into Group 2
  categories within 2 years
• and, later on, classification of all National
  diagnostic laboratories into Group 3
  laboratories.

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Modular upgrading scheme for laboratory
diagnostics for HPAI
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Network Intervention Design

• Networks Coordination (Networks Coordinators
  TA from identified regional lab) shall strive to
  set up a sustainable mechanism for networked
  laboratories capacity building through
• Training workshops
• Improved quality laboratory results for HPAI and
  other major animal diseases
• Promotion of Acceptance and application of
  veterinary diagnostic quality assurance and
  biosafety principles
• Improved dialogue and information sharing between
  subregion laboratories.

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Network geographic area

• 15 countries in west Africa Benin, Burkina Faso,
  Cape Verde, Côte dIvoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
  Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,
  Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) and
• 8 countries in Central Africa Cameroon, Chad,
  Congo, Dem. Rep. Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea,
  Central African Republic and São Tomé Principe.

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Where are we?
Network Inception Workshop 3-7 Bamako (Mali),
with 23 participating countries, funded by
USDA-APHIS
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cap-Verde, Central
Africa Republic, Chad, Congo DR, Congo, Cote
dIvoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea
Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger,
Nigeria, Sao Tome Principe, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Togo 23 countries
First Training Workshop of Group 1 Laboratories
27-30 December 2007, Dakar (Senegal), funded by
USDA-APHIS
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Teko Central Vet Laboratoire (Sierra Leone)
FAO project on going for renovation
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Fendell, Liberia after FAO renovation
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Abuko, Gambia
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Some More Advanced Facilities
Garoua
CVL Mali
Bingerville
Bingerville
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
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Network Intervention Design

• Modular Upgrading scheme of National Vet
  diagnostic laboratories so that
• Group 1 laboratories (Low level laboratories)
  would be able to properly store and forward
  suspected avian influenza samples, carry out
  classic serological tests and validated rapid
  quick tests
• Group 2 laboratories (mid level laboratories)
  would be in a position to undertaken basic avian
  influenza and other similar diseases preliminary
  and differential diagnosis by using PCR and other
  techniques compatible with their biosecurity
  status
• Group 3 laboratories will be able to carry out
  routine AI virus typing and subtyping
• Regional laboratory (ies) would be present to
  play leading role in network activities
  (technical support, acceptance of trainees
  etc...), and carrying out avian influenza virus
  isolation, molecular diagnostic (including
  subtyping), strain analysis (sequencing).