Strengthening surveillance for avian influenza along border areas by using One Health approach, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand, 2015

Abstract

Backgrounds: Regarding to reports of incidence of human avian influenza and outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry around the world, strengthening surveillance for avian influenza by using One Health approach of multisectoral units along border areas in Ubon Ratchathani Province should be a corner stone to prevent, detect and response if the emerged of diseases could be across the borders. The study aimed to develop One Health network on avian influenza surveillance and survey prevalence of avian influenza among poultry along border areas in the 10 districts.
Methods: The study was conducted in the areas by implementing sentinel surveillance for respiratory syndromes at the hospitals, setting operational One Health centers in the districts, training stakeholders to prepare and response the outbreak of avian influenza, and collecting samples from cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs in poultry resided in communities and wild birds between January and August, 2015.
Results: The samples were tested for avian influenza by HA-HI test. In 11 human cases of severe pneumonia confirmed for etiological agent by PCR testing, there was no evidence of avian influenza. No samples from a total of 75 poultry and wild birds were found avian influenza. There were functional network of district One Health coordinating center in 10 districts and also expanded the network into Champasak Province, Lao PDR.
Conclusion: With this efficient network, it could raise awareness of emerging infectious diseases and re-emerging infectious diseases and brought to further preparedness and response in the future plans.