Highly pathogenic notifiable avian influenza (HPNAI) is a disease caused by influenza A virus. It is frequently fatal in poultry. Since late 2003, disease outbreaks caused by the Asian strains of HPAI H5N1 virus have ravaged the poultry industry with the death of over 200 million birds. The epidemic has spread from Asia to Europe and more recently to Africa. To date, more than 200 human fatalities have occurred. A clear understanding of the full epidemiology of the disease at the genetic and spatial/temporal level is critical for the management, control and eventual eradication of the virus. In this study, modern tools of molecular epidemiology (Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), molecular characterization and phylogenetic analyses), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, and other epidemiological tools were used to explore the outbreak of HPNAI in Nigeria. The molecular and spatial analyses both concluded that Nigeria was infected with multiple infections. The spread of primary outbreaks, which affected mainly sectors 2 and 3 of the poultry industry as described by Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, were strongly linked to trades, live bird markets, inappropriate disposal of carcasses and poorly implemented control measures. This work did not find a strong correlation between wild birds and HPNAI H5N1 in Nigeria. Some of the analyzed viruses showed genetic drift, and the implications of these for future epidemiology and ecology of avian influenza in Africa will need further evaluation. The option of vaccination and its implications were adjudged good, and its shortcomings were highlighted. Community initiative at fighting emergency diseases like HPNAI H5N1 was similarly advocated. The financial losses to the Nigerian poultry industry were estimated at around $680 million. The risk of the spread of infection was assessed using ecological niche modeling and the whole of West Africa is at risk of infection, should no concrete action be taken to halt the spread. In conclusion, useful suggestions were proffered to affected countries like Nigeria, and unaffected countries that are at risk of infection, so that Africa can be safe from the scourge of HPNAI H5N1. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Production Animal Studies / unrestricted

Abstract AI (Avian Influenza) it is originally a kind of epidemic disease infecting among the poultry, once the poultry are infected with the Avian Influenza, will cause high death rate and even the poultry do not die and recover may cause productivity drop : laying hens decrease egg production, breeders reduce hatchery, broilers have poor weight gain, therefore increase the farmers producing cost. And in order to prevent Avian Influenza farmers have to avoid infecting and use the right vaccines. But the Taiwan environment is open disinfectant can do not much . The directly effective method is to use the vaccines.But Taiwan no one produces the vaccines at present, the government has not allowed vaccines to import yet either. Even government allow to import but there are too many serum types of the Avian Influenza, and the types do not have cross protect , let farmers have no effective method to prevent the Avian Influenza. once the avian got infection the farmer losses much. The Avian Influenza happens for many years in the poultry, with the time and mutation of the virus, the Avian Influenza become to high pathogenic Avian Influenza (High pathogen Avian Influenza, is abbreviated as HPAI) and infect to the human being . The poultry industry is very important in the animal husbandry of Taiwan, occupy the important position in agricultural production. NowTaiwan farmers not only have to face the internal Avian Influenza infection problem but also to face the step that opens with the internationalization of accession to the WTO. The animal husbandry of Taiwan has produced and faced the serious impact. Though high pathogenic Avian Influenza did not happen in Taiwan yet, but some parts of the world release the case of infecting successively, some cases even cause death. World Health Organization (WHO, World Health Origanization) monitor and control tightly, and prophesy Avian Influenza will lead to the fact that prevails greatly. This research studies the past events in the animal livestock and finds the effect and change of the market. Also use SWOT to know present animal livestock situation.And then to know the changes of high pathogenic Avian Influenza happened in Taiwan (HPAI, High Pathogen Avian Influenza), Finally gives some recommend and strategy to G company. Key words: AI (Avian Influenza), HPAI, High Pathogen Avian Influenza, WTO, Animal production, Strategy

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-88).

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-88). Also available in print.

Orientador: Hélio José Montassier / Banca: Manoel Victor Franco Lemos / Banca: Ricardo Luiz Moro de Souza / Resumo: A nucleoproteína (NP) do Vírus da Influenza Aviária (VIA) é um importante alvo antigênico no imunodiagnóstico desta doença, devido à sua baixa variabilidade entre as diferentes estirpes do VIA, resultando em uma elevada reatividade cruzada, e por ser também uma proteína altamente imunogênica para hospedeiros vertebrados. Neste estudo, o gene codificador da NP do VIA foi parcialmente clonado e expresso em Escherichia coli como uma proteína recombinante fusionada ao polipeptídeo SUMO e uma etiqueta de poli-histidina para seu uso no desenvolvimento de um ensaio de ELISA indireto para a detecção de anticorpos específicos contra o VIA. A NP recombinante foi expressada na fração solúvel e foi mais facilmente purificada. Após análise em relação aos seus principais sítios de antigenicidade e caracterização por meio de Western blotting, a NP recombinante foi utilizada como uma preparação antigênica no ELISA indireto para detecção de anticorpos contra o VIA presentes em amostras de soro de galinha. A análise comparativa do teste desenvolvido no presente estudo com um ELISA comercial apresentou valores de 95%, 97% e 96,7% de sensibilidade, especificidade e acurácia, respectivamente e um índice κappa de 0,88. Os resultados permitem concluir que a NP recombinante do VIA desenvolvida neste estudo possui características favoráveis para ser aplicada como antígeno no ELISA indireto, constituindo-se em um método sensível e específico para o imunodiagnóstico da Influenza Aviária em galinhas / Abstract: The nucleoprotein (NP) of Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) is an important antigenic target for immunodiagnosis of this disease, due to its low variability among different AIV strains, resulting in high cross-reactivity, and the also highly immunogenic for vertebrate hosts. In this study, the gene enconding NP of AIV was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a recombinant protein fused to SUMO polypeptide with a polyhistidine tag and used to develop an indirect ELISA for the detection of AIV-specific antibodies. The recombinant NP was expressed in the soluble fraction and easily purified. After Analysis of the main sites of antigenicity and characterization in Western-Blotting, the recombinant NP was optimized as an antigen preparation for indirect ELISA to detect anti-AIV antibodies in chicken serum samples. The comparative analysis of this ELISA with a commercial ELISA showed values of 95%, 97%, 96.7% of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, respectively, and an agreement of k=0.88. In conclusion, the results indicated that the recombinant NP of AIV produced in this study is a good source of antigen for indirect ELISA and provides a sensitive and specific method for the immunodiagnosis of Avian Influenza in chickens / Mestre

published_or_final_version / abstract / Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Pathology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / Microbiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The global One Health movement has become firmly entrenched in both political and scientific discourse pertaining to emerging infectious diseases in the past decade. Since the discovery of the H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Hong Kong in 1997, the promotion of more holistic programmes for the control of emerging infectious disease has garnered “unprecedented support” in terms of donor funding and political mobilisation (Scoones 2010). Advocates of One Health argue that intersectoral approaches promoting better communication between the veterinary, medical and environmental disciplines at all levels of governance make not only sound economic sense, they are fundamental to the “new approach” required to address the growing disease threats of the 21st century. However, despite international endorsement of the One Health rhetoric, there is growing pressure to now “turn the rhetoric into reality” (Okello et al 2011). Using a multiple, embedded case study methodology, this thesis seeks to examine questions surrounding the practical implementation of One Health interventions, particularly in developing countries which experience limited resources and competing health priorities. Through examining the livestock and public health policy processes at both local and national levels in Uganda and Nigeria, I attempt to identify whether policy spaces exist for the formal inclusion of One Health approaches in future policy decisions. Furthermore, by scrutinising the current internationally dominant One Health narratives in light of global health governance perspectives and the emerging One Health Global Network, I question whether One Health can be better “packaged” to include endemic diseases and a more focussed sustainable livelihoods approach; arguably inciting greater motivation for developing countries to truly participate. Data from my three empirical chapters are presented in the context of three overriding “One Health propositions” for consideration; by questioning “whose world, whose health”, I aim to delve further into the issues of not whether, but how this “new health paradigm” can be operationalised, and how to address the potential gaps which may ultimately prevent One Health from becoming a truly global phenomenon.