CaribVET activities

Surveillance, Prevention and Control
of Avian Influenza in the Caribbean
CIRAD and CaribVET activities
Recommendation of the surveillance and diagnostic group
of the “Joint Meeting Animal Disease Surveillance And
Preparedness Focus On Avian Influenza In The Caribbean”
(Trinidad, April 2006)
Avian influenza surveillance within CaribVET: surveillance tools
implemented: working groups, surveillance questionnaire,
cooperative website
Avian influenza diagnostic
Diagnostic implemented at CIRAD Guadeloupe
Diagnostic network in the Caribbean

Surveillance, Prevention and Control
of Avian Influenza - CIRAD
CIRAD and CaribVET activities and organization
Recommendation of the surveillance and diagnostic group
of the “Joint Meeting Animal Disease Surveillance And
Preparedness Focus On Avian Influenza In The Caribbean”
(Trinidad, April 2006)
Avian influenza surveillance within CaribVET: surveillance tools
implemented: working groups, surveillance questionnaire,
cooperative website
Avian influenza diagnostic
Diagnostic implemented at CIRAD Guadeloupe
Diagnostic network in the Caribbean

CIRAD,
Guadeloupe
CIRAD International Research Centre in Agricultural for Development
Research, development, training
Veterinary medicine and public health
CIRAD Guadeloupe
‣ Research unit “Control of exotic and emerging animal diseases”
‣ 3 researchers, 5 lab technicians, 2 animal technicians, 1 secretary
1 webmaster + 4 students a year (Vet, Master, PhD)
‣ Laboratory = Platform for biotechnology
‣ 300 m 2 : cellular biology (L2 security), molecular biology
(real time PCR, micro-array) serology, parasitology, immunology
‣ Animal house (100 goats, rabbits) + surgery
‣ Biological resources centre

CIRAD Guadeloupe activities
Support to development within the network
National or international mandates (references)
Research activities
(vaccine, diagnosis,
molecular epidemiology)
on ticks & tick
transmitted diseases
Widening set of
themes with
diseases with
research objectives
(WN, IA)
Research questions
and/or development
Access to the
field (ecology)
Caribbean Animal Health
Network and
Support to animal health and
public health
in the French West Indies
=> Structuration regional network
Technical support
and scientist
Expertise on ticks and transmitted diseases
International network of research
High level technical plateform
Local, regional and international level
Generate request
Objective of finalized research, support to development and education.
Society needs
(Vet services, FAO, OIE, …)
for management of health crisis

CaribVET, a Tool to Facilitate Control of
Emerging and Exotic Animal Disease Threats
CIRAD, Guadeloupe

CaribVET
Caribbean Animal Health Network
Origin
• Caribbean Amblyomma Programme
• Reintroduction CSF in Hispaniola
Objectives
• Regional approach of diseases control
• Communication and exchange of information
• Development of veterinary diagnostic laboratories
• Reinforcement of national surveillance networks
B
el
iz
e
Endemic
Control
1996
Monitoring
Monitoring
Monitoring
St-Vincent
Partnership
• Veterinary services, diagnostic laboratories, research institutes, universities
• Regional/international organizations: CARICOM, FAO, OIE, USDA…
Collaborations for the control of priority diseases
• projects specific of diseases: CSF, ticks and transmitted diseases, WN…
Transversal activities
• Training, expertise
• Technical meetings
• Communication and exchange of information

Adoption of CaribVET
Adoption in April 2006 of CaribVET and its organization by 20 CVO of the Caribbean
and representative of the regional and international organizations in animal health
Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) “Endorsed the use of the
CaribVET Animal Health Network as a tool for animal health surveillance in the
Region” at its Twenty-First Meeting held in Trinidad and Tobago on 12-13 May 2006
SEVENTH MEETING OF
CARICOM CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICERS
AND STEERING COMMITTEE OF
THE CARIBBEAN ANIMAL HEALTH NETWORK (CaribVET)
St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, 2-4 May 2007
Antigua and Barbuda

Adopted organization of CaribVET
Steering comittee
Coordination unit
WG
WG WG WG WG
Work group (WG)
Tick and TBDs, AI, CSF, Web and databases,
surveillance, diagnostic
Veterinary
services
Diagnostic
Laboratory
Research
institutes
&
universitie
s
Private
sector
Regional and
international
organizations

Tick control within CaribVET
TBT control
Caribbean Amblyomma
Programme
English-speaking Lesser Antilles
Eradication programme
Control of ticks and TBD in FWI
Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, Martinique
Control programme
TBT status
certified free
decertified
infested

Tick control within CaribVET
Scientific and technical coordination
Training
Surveillance & treatment protocols based on
experience developed by the different partners
Coordination between different programmes
Database use, participatory epidemiology, GIS
Information management
Web site: CAPweb on CaribVET
Database: TickINFO

CSF control within CaribVET
EU-CARIFORUM CAFP project: control of CSF in Hispaniola
and surveillance in Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica: 2001-2004
Project aimed at supporting existing national CSF control activities
Education & training
Structuring surveillance systems
Improving laboratory Diagnostic
2-year massive vaccination campaign
Information dissemination
Coordination: national, bi-national, & regional

CSF control within CaribVET
Inter-laboratory assay
2004-2005, funded by the Fonds de Coopération
Régionale (FCR) Guadeloupe
Objectives:
- To verify the quality CSF diagnostic in the laboratories of the
3 infected islands of the Caribbean
- To increase communication between the laboratories
- To pave the way towards a routine assurance quality procedure
and an eventual reference laboratory for the Caribbean
Samples sent by the Laboratory of Virology,
Veterinary School of Hanover (EU reference
laboratory for CSF) and tested using usual
techniques

West Nile virus surveillance in the Caribbean
West Nile virus diagnostic and
surveillance network in the Caribbean
Objectives
Provide WNV diagnostic for the Caribbean
Define the WNV status of the Caribbean countries
Include West Nile virus surveillance in the animal health surveillance network
of the Caribbean
Workshop organized in Guadeloupe in October 2005:
• Results of WNV surveys
• Technology transfer
• Recommendations for future surveillance

Other results
• Cuba: horses and wild birds (2004), human (2005)
• Jamaica: wild birds (2002)
• Dominican Republic: wild birds (2002)
• Puerto Rico: horses, wild birds (2004)
• Trinidad: horses (2005)
West Nile virus surveillance within CaribVET
WNV equine serological results in the Caribbean

West Nile virus surveillance within CaribVET
Recommendations for WNV surveillance in the Caribbean
Specific recommendations by country
– Confirmation of WNV circulation (Barbados, DR, Trinidad)
• WNV seropositive horses: investigation of the history and movement
• New surveys on horses and birds: use validated risk factors to target the surveys
– Identify virus circulation (Dominica, Martinique, Haiti, St Lucia): equine survey
– Identify a renewed virus circulation (Guadeloupe): sentinel survey in risk areas
– Implement diagnostic locally (Barbados, DR and Haiti)
General recommendations
– Implement or improve passive surveillance
– Associate avian influenza and West Nile virus surveillance on wild birds
– Share information within the Caribbean

Transversal activities within CaribVET
Training
- Salmonella diagnostic techniques (Trinidad, Sept 2000, FIC)
- Epidemiosurveillance and product quality (Guadeloupe, Dec 2001, FIC)
- Methodology in animal health surveillance (DR, Jul 2002, MAE)
- Increasing the sustainability of surveillance mechanisms (Antigua, Oct 2003, EU-CAFP)
- Private sector involvement in animal health surv. syst. (Barbados, Mar 2004, EU-CAFP)
- GIS and use of Arcview® (Antigua, Nov 2004, FAO-USDA-CAP)
- Assurance quality in CSF diagnostic (Cuba, May 2005, MAE)
Advice sharing
- Writing of protocols, organisation of surveillance systems
- Availability of expertise

Communication within CaribVET
Organization of & participation to meetings:
- International seminar on animal health (Cuba Sept 2003)
- CSF coordination meeting (Antigua Oct 2003, DR mars 2004)
- CAP annual meetings (1996-2004)
- Continental plan for CSF eradication (Cuba May 2005)
- CaribVET/Avian Influenza meeting (Trinidad april 2006)
Web site creation
www.caribvet.net
- Main communication and
information dissemination tool
- Online databases
(laboratories, surveillance systems)

www.caribvet.net: A tool for communication and
exchange of information and data
Laboratory database
• Consultation et modification
• Search tool (lab name, country, activity,
technique, disease, pathogen).
Surveillance database
• Questionnaire: evaluation of surveillance
systems
• Online results: progress assesment tool
Priority diseases
• Major diseases in the Caribbean
• Specific regional control programs

Surveillance, Prevention and Control
of Avian Influenza - CIRAD
CIRAD and CaribVET activities and organization
Recommendation of the surveillance and diagnostic group
of the “Joint Meeting Animal Disease Surveillance And
Preparedness Focus On Avian Influenza In The Caribbean”
(Trinidad, April 2006)
Avian influenza surveillance within CaribVET: surveillance tools
implemented: working groups, surveillance questionnaire,
cooperative website
Avian influenza diagnostic
Diagnostic of AI
Diagnostic implemented at CIRAD Guadeloupe
Diagnostic network in the Caribbean
Avian influenza chapter on www.caribvet.net

Possible introduction of H5N1
by migratory birds

Recommendation of the surveillance and diagnostic group
of the JOINT MEETING
ANIMAL DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND PREPAREDNESS
FOCUS ON AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) IN THE CARIBBEAN
(Trinidad, April 2006)
• Objective: recommendations for a regional surveillance programme.
Note: There is an existing regional animal disease surveillance network
(Caribvet). Network started 1998-1999 and includes all countries in
Caribbean.
– Early detection of notifiable Avian influenza (NAI)
– Prove presence or absence of NAI,
– Epidemiology of the disease.
– Prevention of the establishment and spread of NAI.

Methodology of surveillance
• Passive surveillance
• Clinical investigations,
• Notifications,
• Laboratory diagnostic report,
• Slaughter house,
• Public submission (wildlife).
• Mechanism to be established at national level to implement passive
surveillance and to submit weekly and monthly report. Report to be
submitted through focal point which may be CVO.
• Active surveillance
• It is targeted, risk dependent, systematic.
• Two types: sentinel and routine;
• cross-section (initial/first stages or to establish disease free status.

Sampling and diagnostic
• Sampling
– Size
– Frequency
– Target species: commercial, backyard, feral, migratory,
caged, captive, dead, game bird (fighting cocks),
messenger pigeons
• Diagnostic
– Clinical: flock diagnosis, bird.
– Laboratory:
• Serological: ELISA, AGID, HI
• Virological: Virus isolation
• Molecular: RT-PCR and real time PCR. Sequencing and
genetic typing

Risk assessment
‣ High risk areas
‣ Where can it be introduce When How – Introduction, establishment
and spread.
‣ Risk management:
‣ Country capability to conduct
‣ Sharing of completed qualitative risk analysis in network
‣ Collaboration with international agencies: USDA, wildlife management
‣ Regional focus group to be identified and trained.

Laboratories
‣ Update information of countries’ laboratory capabilities and
biosafety conditions.
‣ Harmonised protocols (SSOPS, sample collection and
submission)
‣ Proficiency testing and quality assurance
‣ Identification of experts in Caribbean.
‣ Mechanism for collaboration: identification of laboratories and
procedures. Identify which countries can send what samples.
Legislation to receive samples, packaging, sample numbers,
‣ Cost sharing initiative between collaborating countries.
‣ Mobilization of regional experts to affected country.
‣ Simulation: Identification of gaps

Trainings
‣ Clinical and pathological diagnosis
‣ Laboratory diagnostic techniques
‣ Qualitative risk analysis
‣ Epidemiology

Surveillance, Prevention and Control
of Avian Influenza - CIRAD
CIRAD and CaribVET activities and organization
Recommendation of the surveillance and diagnostic group
of the “Joint Meeting Animal Disease Surveillance And
Preparedness Focus On Avian Influenza In The Caribbean”
(Trinidad, April 2006)
Avian influenza surveillance within CaribVET: surveillance tools
implemented: working groups, surveillance questionnaire,
cooperative website
Avian influenza diagnostic
Diagnostic of AI
Diagnostic implemented at CIRAD Guadeloupe
Diagnostic network in the Caribbean
Avian influenza chapter on www.caribvet.net

Surveillance tools implemented
‣ Working group on AI
‣ Questionnaire on animal disease surveillance systems
‣ Mailing list : avianflu@caribvet.net and cooperative website
www.caribvet.rf.lv/avianflu collaborative working tool that gives the
possibility to share and work together on the same documents.
= FSP project for harmonization and reinforcement
of surveillance systems
‣ Poultry database (CAP): ChickINFO based on TickINFO

Avian Influenza working group
• Terms of reference :
– Development of harmonised avian influenza surveillance procedures in the
region.
– Development of harmonised avian influenza emergency plans in the region.
– Regional expertise on avian influenza (clinical diagnostic, laboratory diagnostic,
etc.)
• Composition :
– Mark Trotman (Barbados)
– Kirk DOUGLAS (Barbados)
– Pastor Alfonso Zamora (CENSA)
– Robert BEST (CPA Trinidad)
– Dejelia GÓMEZ (Dominican Republic)
– Simeon Phanord (Haiti)
– Brian Sanford (CAP)
– Pascal Hendrikx (French MoFA)
– Thierry Lefrançois (CIRAD, Guadeloupe)
– Sophie Molia (CIRAD, Guadeloupe)
– Dominique Martinez (CIRAD, Montpellier)…

Questionnaire on animal disease surveillance
Surveillance systems
Data
Farmers
Mobile team
Markets,
abattoirs
Surveillance
Post
Central unit
Borders
Provincial unit
Information

Participatory working tool
for avian influenza working group
Collaborative website on avian influenza
• Working group participants + a large list of contributors receiving the information
from the mailing list
• Possibility to share and work together on the same documents
Developement of a protocol for AI surveillance

Performance indicators for avian influenza
surveillance in the Caribbean
1
2
“Performance indicators of epidemiological surveillance networks are a limited number of variables,
joined together in a table, which make it possible to calculate on a continuous way the level of
realization of its priority activities in order to facilitate its management”
Objective Indicator Numerator Denominator
All prescribed forms are properly filled
by the field actor
All samples received at the laboratory
are in conformity with the protocol
(quality of conservation, nature and
quantity of the samples, forms)
3 Publication of 13 reports per year
Publication of a quarterly
4 epidemiological bulletin
5 All suspected cases are investigated
percentage of prescribed forms
correctly filled on arrival at
central coordination unit
Number of forms
correctly filled at
their arrival at CCU
Number of samples
Percentage of samples received in conformity on
in conformity with the protocol arrival at laboratory
Percentage of reports published Number of reports
during the year
published
Percentage of bulletin published Number of bulletins
in the year
published
Number of suspected cases per Number of reported
year
suspected cases
Total number of forms
received at the CCU
Total number of samples
received at the laboratory
Frequency of
assesment
Every six
month
Expected
value
80 % -
90%
Every four
month 80%
Number of expected reports
to be published (13) Yearly 10/13
Number of bulletin expected
in the year (4) Yearly 100%
Number of expected Every four /populati
suspected cases .
month on
6
7
All active visits planed are implemented
by the field actors
The proper amount of wild birds are
sampled in each targeted area
Percentage of active visits
carried out
Percentage of wild birds
samples realised
Number of active
visits carried out
Number of wild birds
samples taken
Number of planed visits to
be realised
Target number of wild birds
samples
Every four
month 80%
End of
migratory
season 80%
8
The proper number of sensitisation
meetings organised by the field actors
are recorded
Percentage of sensitisation
meeting realised
Number of
sensitisation
meetings carried out
Number of sensitisation
meetings planed
Validated by the 2 nd steering committee of CaribVET:
to be used in the region
Every six
month 80%

Avian Influenza in www.CaribVET.net
‣ New CaribVET website released 4th September
- Participatory website / authorised access
- Webmaster + epidemiologist
- New database on surveillance
‣ New chapter on AI
- Up to date situation of AI focused on Americas
- Technical documents (disease, diagnostic, surveillance) for the Caribbean
- Regional activities (meetings, work groups, diagnostic)
- One page by country (surveillance and intervention plans)
- Suspicions and results

Surveillance, Prevention and Control
of Avian Influenza - CIRAD
CIRAD and CaribVET activities and organization
Recommendation of the surveillance and diagnostic group
of the “Joint Meeting Animal Disease Surveillance And
Preparedness Focus On Avian Influenza In The Caribbean”
(Trinidad, April 2006)
Avian influenza surveillance within CaribVET: surveillance tools
implemented: working groups, surveillance questionnaire,
cooperative website
Avian influenza diagnostic
Diagnostic implemented at CIRAD Guadeloupe
Diagnostic network in the Caribbean

Avian Influenza molecular diagnostic
implemented at CIRAD, Guadeloupe
Veterinary services need rapid diagnostic to quickly implement actions
(quarantine, slaughtering…)
Choice of the diagnostic :
Molecular diagnostic: can be used on inactivated samples (L3 lab not
mandatory) and is rapid, sensitive and specific
Implemented in collaborations with CIRAD Montpellier, Weybridge,
Padova followed by inter-laboratory assays
Laboratory facilities
‣ Bio safety procedures and quality assurance (ISO 17025)
‣ BSL2+, biosafety cabinet, autoclave, molecular biology separated areas
‣ Long experience of PCR and real time PCR
‣ 4 thermocyclers and 1 real time
‣ One technician dedicated to AI diagnostic (3 others able to perform the tests)

Avian Influenza molecular diagnostic
implemented at CIRAD, Guadeloupe

New development of molecular diagnostic at
CIRAD France + Guadeloupe
‣ Extraction critical:
4 extraction kits/techniques tested
(Qiagen, Rneasy, Trizol, Macherey-Nagel)
‣ Real time PCR for gene M:
Weybridge protocole
Adiavet (internal avian gene control)
Applied-biosystem (gene M + H5)
‣ H5-H7 real time PCR
Weybridge, Padova and CIRAD interlaboratory assay
‣ Inter laboratory assay
French reference laboratory for AI (AFSSA)
‣ Choice of primers and probes in the Caribbean
According to circulating strains: PANAFTOSA-CIRAD-Ames

Sub-regional Workshop for Preparedness and
Prevention of AI and IP in the Caribbean,
Barbados 18-22 July, 2006
‣ Different steps for the diagnostic
First step: rapid antigenic test (symbiotics and directigen)
-Not sensitive, flock tests, to be followed by molecular diagnostic or virus isolation
even if the rapid is negative but the clinical signs suggest HPAI.
-All countries wish to get some rapid antigen test kits (from USDA-APHIS)
Second step: molecular diagnostic
- Sent to a satellite laboratory with AI molecular diagnostic capacities
Third step: confirmation by reference laboratory by virus isolation
- Weybridge
- Ames
- Afssa France for Guadeloupe Martinique and French Guyana

Avian Influenza diagnostic in the Caribbean:
network of laboratories
‣ Labs already operating molecular diagnostic of AI in the Caribbean
CIRAD Guadeloupe, Cuba
‣Labs with operating PCR facilities willing to develop AI molecular diagnostic
Barbados, Jamaica, Dominica, Belize, Trinidad
‣Labs willing to develop PCR and molecular diagnostic of AI
Dominican Republic, Cayman island
‣ Needs: rooms, biosafety cabinets, BSL2, PCR equipment, reagents

Avian Influenza diagnostic in the Caribbean
‣Technical workshop for AI molecular diagnostic
- Brazil (TCP FAO America) February 2007
Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica, Dominica, Cuba
- Guadeloupe (CIRAD/FSP/FCR): 11-15 June 2007
Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica, Dominica, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic
- Next one:
Cayman, Antigua….

Current procedures for sending
samples to Guadeloupe
‣ Type of samples carried out:
Live animals: cloacal and tracheal swabs
Dead animals: cloacal and tracheal swabs + post mortem tissues (liver, heart)
‣ Conservation medium for transport:
Non inactivated samples: antibiotic media or RNA later for tissues
‣Sending of samples:
Classified in the infectious substances (6.2) category B (UN3373): “Diagnosis Specimens”
Standard triple packing IATA 650: (602 could be necessary with some airlines)
Labelling
Accompanying documents: diagnostic sample
‣Fret company:
FEDEX To be tested