Professor Ian Brown, Head of Virology at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Director of the OIE/FAO International Reference Laboratory for avian influenza, swine influenza and Newcastle disease and a One Health Poultry Hub co-investigator, presented on ‘The role of vaccination in the future control of high pathogenicity avian influenza: challenges and perspectives’ in an International Veterinary Vaccinology Network (IVVN) webinar earlier this week. The event was chaired by IVVN board member Professor Brian Perry.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been the cause of a panzootic (i.e., an outbreak of an infectious disease of animals that spreads across a large region, or even worldwide). During the past 20 years the virus has spread trans continentally affecting all types of poultry production systems, from small backyard flocks to large commercial systems. The impact on global food security is a concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Vaccinations have been deployed for control for some time, but more holistic global solutions are required to reduce the spread of disease and ultimately eradicate infection.

Watch the webinar recording