Module 4: Avian Influenza

In this module, we will give a broad overview of Avian Influenza and how it affects the poultry industry.

Time investment: 4 weeks with an estimated time investment of 12-16 hours per week
Start date: November 20 2023 - December 11 2023
Location: Online
Fee: €1700 (50% discount for ECPVS residents and 10% for participants of previous modules)

Course content

Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAIV) and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) cause massive socioeconomical damage worldwide. AIV affects wildlife, domestic animals and humans. Due to its widespread distribution, ongoing evolution and zoonotic and pandemic potential, AIV infections are a significant One Health threat worldwide.

HPAIV cause high mortality and severe respiratory, intestinal and reproductive disease and is efficiently transmitted within and between poultry farms. HPAI H5 is increasingly found in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America, spilling back and forth between wild bird reservoirs and domestic poultry. Non-notifiable LPAIVs can also cause disease, especially in combination with other pathogens. Some LPAIV strains, such as H9N2, have zoonotic potential and have become endemic in many regions. Prevention, control and surveillance strategies include strict biosecurity measures to reduce contact between poultry, and wild birds and poultry. In addition, quick detection of infections in wild and domestic birds, monitoring of global virus evolution patterns and vaccination are essential.

In this module you will get a broad overview of:

  • the nature of the virus, its evolution and pathogenesis
  • epidemiology in poultry and at the wild-domestic interface
  • pathology, role of co-infections
  • prevention, risk factors and biosecurity
  • transmission, within and between flocks
  • vaccination and protection
  • detection including Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) techniques
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Schedule


Week 1
Monday November 20th -  9.00 – 11.00 CET Powerpoint presentation (live, also recorded)

  • Hosts - De Wit
  • Evolution and origin of new IBV strains - Dijkman and De Wit
  • Role of genes, virulence - Dijkman
  • Transmission - De Wit
  • Susceptibility in relation to cleaning and disinfection/stability - De Wit

Introduction of Case studies and IBV related problems for evidence based analyses

Monday November 20th, 11.00 - 12.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Asia, Europe, Africa) - De Wit, Dijkman
Monday November 20th, 17.00 - 18.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Latin America, USA) - De Wit, Dijkman
Thursday November 23th,  9.00 - 10.00 CET  - Questions and Answers (Asia, Europe, Africa) - De Wit, Dijkman
Thursday November 23th , 15.00 - 16.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Latin America, USA) - De Wit, Dijkman     

Week 2
Monday November 27th, 9.00 – 11.00 CET Powerpoint presentation (live, also recorded)

  • Pathogenesis, tropism, virus/host interaction, receptors - Molenaar, De Wit
  • Clinical manifestations and economic impact - Molenaar
  • Interactions with other pathogens - Molenaar, De Wit

Monday November 27th, 11.00 - 12.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Asia, Europe, Africa) - Molenaar, De Wit
Monday November 27th, 17.00 - 18.00 CET - Questions and Answers  (Latin America, USA) - Molenaar, De Wit
Thursday November 30th, 9.00 - 11.00 CET - Questions and Answers, presentation of case studies (Asia, Europe, Africa) - Molenaar, De Wit
Thursday November 30th, 15.00 - 16.00 CET - Questions and Answers, presentation of case studies (Latin America, USA) - Molenaar, De Wit

Week 3
Monday December 4th, 9.00 – 11.00 CET  -Powerpoint presentation (live, also recorded)

  • Immune responses, immune suppression - De Wit
  • Possibilities and Limitations of diagnostic techniques to detect and type IBV - Dijkman
  • Possibilities and limitations of diagnostic techniques to detect and type antibodies to IBV - De Wit
  • Interpretation of laboratory results - Dijkman, De Wit

Monday December 4th, 11.00 - 12.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Asia, Europe, Africa) - De Wit, Dijkman
Monday December 4th, 17.00 - 18.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Latin America, USA) - De Wit, Dijkman
Thursday December 7th, 9.00 - 11.00 CET - Questions and Answers, presentation of case studies (Asia, Europe, Africa) - De Wit, Dijkman
Thursday December 7th, 15.00 - 16.00 CET - Questions and Answers, presentation of case studies (Latin America, USA)- De Wit, Dijkman

Week 4
Monday December 11th, 9.00 – 11.00 CET Powerpoint presentation (live, also recorded)

  • Protection by vaccination for young and adult birds - De Wit
  • Cross protection, basis
  • Interference - De Wit
  • Potential treatments - De Wit

Monday December 11th, 11.00 - 12.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Asia, Europe, Africa) - De Wit
Monday December 11th, 17.00 - 18.00 CET - Questions and Answers (Latin America, USA) - De Wit
Thursday December 14th, 9.00 - 12.00 CET - Exam, presentations (Asia, Europe, Africa) - De Wit, Dijkman, Molenaar
Thursday December 14th, 15.00 - 18.00 CET - Exam, presentations (Latin America, USA) - De Wit, Dijkman, Molenaar

Lecturers

Francisca Velkers, DVM, PhD, epidemiologist EBVS European Specialist in Poultry Veterinary Science

Prof Sjaak de Wit DVM, PhD,  EBVS European Specialist in Poultry Veterinary Science

Prof Arjan Stegeman DVM, PhD, epidemiologist, EBVS European Specialist of Veterinary Public Health

Josanne Verhagen, DVM, PhD, virologist and expert on wild-domestic interface

Robert Jan Molenaar, DVM, FRCPath

Contact

Inez Eikelboom
Coordinator Continuing Education
ovp.vet@uu.nl
+31 6 34146737