ACAP Secondment 2023-01

Training workshop offered to Parties representatives, and other relevant stakeholders, on the risks and biosecurity measures applied to ACAP Species in the context of the High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1)

Secondee/Applicant: Patricia Pereira Serafini, Federal University of Santa Catarina and National Centre for Wild Birds Conservation and Research – CEMAVE/ICMBio/MMA, Brazil.

Amount awarded:  AUD 20,000

Host Institution: Members of the intersessional group of experts on epidemiology, disease risk assessment and management, advising ACAP on issues related to the ongoing high pathogenicity H5N1 avian influenza outbreak, with emphasis on the following professionals/institutions:

● Ralph E. T. Vanstreels, Latin America Program, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California - Davis, USA (based in Patagonia, Argentina)
● Marcela Uhart, Latin America Program, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California - Davis, USA (based in Patagonia, Argentina)
● Meagan Dewar, Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University Australia, Australia
● Michelle Wille, Centre for Pathogen Genomics, Department of Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Australia
● Brett Gartrell, Massey University, New Zealand
● Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui, Charles Darwin Foundation, Ecuador (based at Galapagos Islands)
● Jane Younger, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Australia
● Jennifer Black, Environment Manager, United Kingdom
● Laura Roberts, University of Pretoria/ Western Cape provincial government, South Africa

Although general biosecurity guidelines for wildlife professionals were recently published by the WOAH/FAO Network of Expertise on Animal Influenza (OFFLU) and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), these are broad in scope and might not be sufficiently specific and/or intelligible to professionals handling ACAP species or operating within their habitat (protected area managers, tourist guides, onboard observers, etc.). Furthermore, when confronted with suspected HPAI cases at remote sites these professionals often do not have access to basic knowledge or materials necessary to document and investigate these cases. In this sense, an intersessional group of experts on epidemiology, disease risk assessment and management was created in AC13 for advising ACAP on issues related to the ongoing high pathogenicity H5N1 avian influenza outbreak. The group has been extensively engaged since July 2023 in the review and update of the “Guidelines for working with albatrosses and petrels during the on-going high pathogenicity H5N1 avian influenza outbreak”. However, the outreach of these recommendations is still limited and opportunities for wider dissemination are needed. With this Secondment, we propose developing a hybrid workshop (in person and virtual) conducted at the 7th International Albatross and Petrel Conference, during 20-26 May 2024, to address this gap and contribute to promoting human safety and preventing human-mediated spread of HPAI viruses to ACAP species.