Rome, May 30-31, 2006
International Scientific Conference on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds has been organized by FAO and OIE to exchange scientific information on AI and the role of wild birds, to assess the risk of the introduction of HPAI virus to yet uninfected areas as well as to propose mitigation and preventive measures.

The Conference will present state-of-the-art scientific knowledge in:
Ecology and virology
Surveillance, sampling and analysis
Risk analysis (migratory routes, disease dynamics, human risk and risk for domestic poultry)
Disease management
Scientists from all over the world will participate in this Conference in Rome, Italy 30-31 May 2006.
Due to the unexpected interest shown, FAO and OIE have arranged to hold the conference in one of FAO’s largest meeting rooms, thus creating additional posts for a limited number of last minute participants.
For practical reasons, FAO and OIE are unable to make open invitations but if you are interested in participating, contact us before 11 May 2006, 12.00 hours local time. Address all requests to Willem Schoustra, Conference Focal Point, at  
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please provide the following information ONLY:
1.     Name and degrees/qualifications
2.     Organization you work for and your title
3.     Type of organization (government, NGO, university, etc.)
4.     Your experience working with avian influenza, wild birds, disease diagnostics, ecology or other pertinent experience (no more than 2 sentences).
Wild birds’ role in HPAI crisis confirmed
But scientific conference fingers poultry business
 1 June 2006, Rome - Migrating wild birds have played and will likely continue to play a role in transporting highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, or bird flu, over long distances. This was among the main conclusions of a two-day international scientific conference called by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
But the conference, attended by over 300 scientists from more than 100 countries, also recognized that the virus was mainly spread through poultry trade, both legal and illegal
“Several presentations at the Conference, some supported by recent publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, implicated wild birds in the introduction of HPAI H5N1 virus at considerable geographical distance from known H5N1 outbreaks in poultry,” the meeting said in a concluding document.
Reservoir puzzle
But the participants admitted they could not resolve another of the key issues at the conference, which was the role of wild birds in the spread of HPAI to more than 50 countries on three continents, and whether wild birds should now be considered a permanent reservoir of the virus.
If they are such a reservoir, there is a strong likelihood they will carry the virus with them in subsequent migrations. Alternately H5N1 may subside naturally as infected animals die off, or it may mutate to a less aggressive form.
“This was one of the main gaps identified in our present scientific knowledge,” said Joseph Domenech, FAO’s chief veterinary officer. “We must therefore intensify our investigations.”
The conference noted that the current outbreaks of H5N1 virus in eight African countries appeared to be poultry-related and chiefly based on trade in poultry for human consumption, including illegal trade. However, it called for further analysis for a more complete understanding of how the virus was introduced

More investment
"There is a need to mobilize the international donor community to invest in the improvement of veterinary services in developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia,” Dr Gideon K. Brückner, Head of OIE's Scientific and Technical Department, said.
Wise investments here will promote early detection in wild birds and rapid response to disease outbreaks, Dr Brückner added.
H5N1 disease management would need to be based on improved biosecurity and hygiene at the production level, and in all poultry sectors, including minimizing the possibility of contact between domestic and wild birds, the conference advocated.
It called for the establishment of a global tracking and monitoring facility involving all relevant institutions across the world, including scientific centres and farmers’ organizations, hunters, bird watchers, and wetland and wildlife conservation societies.
The participants rejected any suggestion of trying to stop the spread of HPAI by killing wild birds. “Destruction of wild bird habitats or indiscriminate hunting of wildlife is scientifically and ethically unjustified as a response,” one of the conference recommendations said.
It urged continuing research to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach, and called for investment to incorporate telemetry/satellite technology to improve understanding of wild bird migration patterns (see related article “Free as a bird – or under surveillance”).