Welcome to FLUTEST - Improved Avian Influenza diagnosis and early warning systems

In recent years, Avian influenza (AI) outbreaks have caused severe losses to the poultry industry, its stakeholders and, ultimately, to the EU taxpayer. In addition, the ongoing Asian H5N1 outbreak is a serious concern for food security and human health. It is estimated that since 2000, 200 million birds have died or have been culled following infection with influenza viruses subtypes H5 or H7. Approximately 50 million of these birds were from Europe. Importantly, human infections have also been reported in several of these outbreaks. In Asia, due to both social conditions and the particular characteristics of the H5N1 virus, the crossing of the species barrier represents a serious potential risk of a new human pandemic virus emerging.

Avian Influenza is a highly contagious trans-boundary animal disease (TAD), able to spread in a susceptible population in a short period of time. Therefore, the prompt identification of infected animals is crucial for control and eradication purposes. Diagnostic tests must be appropriate for the setting in which they will be used, be properly validated and ‘fit for purpose’.

The primary goal of FLUTEST is the joint development and application of technologies to combat AI infections. This goal is being achieved through the interaction of leading European institutes along with the collaboration of non-EU laboratories experienced in AI outbreak control and management. A review of the effectiveness of the current EU surveillance and early warning systems for AI will lead to the development of blueprints for improvements to these programmes in disease free periods and during outbreaks. The model includes criteria for harmonised diagnostic tests for on-farm outbreak investigation. To complement this study a range of diagnostic tools are being developed, evaluated and validated alongside the evaluation of a range of commercially available tests. This includes sophisticated laboratory based methods, high throughput techniques for molecular and serological testing, penside testing and simplified tests for use in laboratories with limited resources or experience. Efforts are particularly focused on the validation of tests for use on clinical materials derived from Anseriformes, other wild birds species and some selected mammalian species.

 

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