title: Emergency response following suspicion of an avian influenza outbreak.
abstract: The management of a suspected index case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) is crucial to the subsequent actions aimed at limiting the spread of infection and ultimately in prompt eradication of the virus. In this study, the legislative basis, basic concepts and actions behind a successful disease management programme are reviewed. These include actions at local veterinary headquarters and at farm level which must be coordinated centrally to ensure the flow of information essential to decision making. The success of any emergency intervention strategy is dependent upon the level of preparedness, including action plans to source manpower, equipment and on the degree of communication between relevant parties. Availability of information on the successes and failures in field outbreak management, will inevitably result in improved AI control worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell' Universitá 10, 35020, Legnaro, Padova, Italy. crev.mdallapozza@izsvenezie.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dalla Pozza
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ceolin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marangon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D013997:Time Factors