Dr. Alejandro Thiermann World Organisation for Animal Health International Animal Health Regulations and the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS)
Contents 1. Introduction 2. Criteria for listing diseases 3. Notification procedures 4. Outputs of WAHIS=WAHID Interface 5. Active search of unofficial information 6. Comparison between IHR and OIE s
SOME KEY FACTS Established in 1924 fear of animal panzootic in Europe - Rinderpest Intergovernmental organisation not UN based Objectives: ensure transparency in the global animal disease and zoonoses situation provide expertise/encourage solidarity in the control of animal diseases improve the legal framework and resources of Veterinary Services safeguard global trade by establishing international health standards provide a better guarantee of the safety of food of animal origin Promote animal welfare through a science based approach 172 Members as of 2008 51 13 29 51 28
Criteria for listing a disease INTERNATIONAL SPREAD? Has international spread been proven on 3 or more occasions? OR Are more than 3 countries with populations of susceptible animals free of the disease or facing impending freedom (based on Code provisions, especially Appendix 3.8.1)? OR Do OIE annual reports indicate that at least 3 countries with susceptible populations are reporting absence of the disease? EMERGING? (A newly recognised pathogen or known pathogen behaving differently) Is there apparent zoonotic properties or rapid spread? NO YES ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL? Has transmission to humans been proven? (with the exception of artificial circumstances) AND Is human infection associated with severe consequences? (death or prolonged illness) YES NO SIGNIFICANT SPREAD IN NAIVE POPULATIONS? Does the disease exhibit significant mortality at level of a country or zone? OR Does the disease exhibit significant morbidity at the level of a country or zone? NO YES EXCLUDE INCLUDE EXCLUDE INCLUDE
Notification procedures Types of reports Immediate notification of disease, infection or unusual epidemiological events Weekly reports: Follow-up to the immediate notification Final report: -if the outbreaks have ended (event closed) -if the situation becomes endemic Six-monthly report Annual report
The new obligations Address the concept of infection without necessarilyhaving clinical expression of the disease Take into account changes in epidemiological situations regarding diseases within a country or a zone Better address the problem of emerging diseases
Emerging disease means a new infection resulting from the evolution or change of an existing pathogenic agent, a known infection spreading to a newgeographic area or population, or a previously unrecognized pathogenic agent or disease diagnosed for the first time and which has a significant impact on animal or public health.
Immediate notification What needs immediate notification -within 24 hours 1 - The first occurrence of a listed disease or infection in a country or zone/compartment 2 - The re-occurrence of a listed disease or infection in a country or zone/ compartment following a report declaring previous outbreak(s) eradicated 3 - The first occurrence of a new strain of a pathogen of a listed disease in acountry or zone/compartment
Immediate notification 4 - A sudden and unexpected increase in morbidity or mortality caused by an existing listed disease 5 - Evidence of change in the epidemiology of a listed disease (e.g. host range, pathogenicity, strain of causative pathogen), in particular if there is a zoonotic impact. 6 - An emerging [non listed] disease with significant morbidity / mortality or zoonotic potential
Published OIE Alerts Variation of the number of published Alerts between 2004 & 2007 Number of Alerts 200 150 100 50 0 170 110 53 66 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year
Results of notifications Published Immediate notifications and follow-up repots Number of reports 800 600 400 200 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year
Six-monthly Report on the absence or presence of listed diseases Part 1: Qualitative information F F F disease occurrence, control, prophylaxis and prevention measures, indication of the type of report to use to notify diseases or infections/infestations present in the country
Six-monthly Report Part 2: Quantitative information Template 1: Template 2: Template 3: Template 4: 4 By lowest level Administrative Division and by month For the whole Country by month By lowest level Administrative Division for the six months period For the whole Country for the sixmonths period
Annual report Information on non OIE-listed diseases Information on Vet. Services staff National Reference Laboratories Livestock census (by lowest level Admin Division) Zoonoses (human cases) Production of vaccines
How to notify? Forms WAHIS web application (login, password) Detailed Guidelines Nominated focal point (login, password) WAHIS allows processing of all kinds of reports
WAHIS online application An access (login, password) is given to each Delegate, who has the possibility to create an access to his/her nominee(s). The system uses maps of first administrative divisions and geo-coordinates for outbreak location(s)
WAHIS online notification Provides countries with a simpler and quicker method of sending sanitary information => compliance with the international standards Allows countries to benefit from the new capabilities put in place to produce essential and useful information without errors and delays (near real time information) May 2008: 87 % of reports submitted electronically through WAHIS 13 % processed by the OIE Information Department
The OIE searly Warning System Alert messages
The OIE searly Warning System Weekly Disease information
World Animal Health publication WAHID interface
Exceptional epidemiological events: examples (2007-2008) HPAI Bluetongue 8 1 1
OIE Monitoring System: examples (2007) BT Disease distribution 1 2- FMD Control measures Routine vaccination: Brucella melitensis Routine Vaccination: FMD
Annual report: Zoonosisin Humans
Active search of un-official information and rumours Scientific publications, Promed, GPHIN, Copernic, news, lay publications published after verification and Member confirmation
Results of tracking activities Year No. of verification requests Answers No answers Official notifications Invalidated non-official information 2002 32 18 (56%) 14 (43%) 18 (56%) 0% 2003 29 24 (79.2%) 5 (20.8%) 14 (48.27%) 30.93% 2004 85 67 (78.8%) 18 (21.2%) 39 (48.75%) 30.05% 2005 97 74 (76.28%) 23 (23.71%) 36 (37.11%) 39.17% 2006 113 80 (70.79%) 33 ( 29.20%) 66 (58.40%) 12.38% 2007 140 103 (73.57%) 37(26.42%) 71(50.71%) 31.06%
The Joint FAO/OIE/WHO Global Early Waning System and Response for Major Animal Diseases and Zoonosis (GLEWS)
FAO OIE WHO (zoonosis) Non official information Tracking component No joint action No Alert : event of common interest? No Determine extent of response required (response protocol) Yes Response required? No No joint action No Yes GLEWS Platform (web based) Verification required? Yes Yes Additional data? Seek additional information/data For FAO : FAO Regional officers, FAO Reference laboratories FAO Field projects, Expert missions For OIE : OIE Delegates, OIE Regional representations OIE Reference laboratories, Expert missions For WHO : WHO Regional representations, WHO Country representations, Expert missions
Similarities between IHR and WAHIS Article 2: Purpose and scope (prevent, protect, control and provide response) Article 3: Principles (recognizing sovereign rights to legislate) Article 4: Responsible authorities (establish IHR focal points) Article 5: Surveillance (develop capacity to detect, notify, report events) Article 6: Notification (shall notify by most efficient means) Article 7: Information sharing during unexpected event (in case of unexpected PH event, shall provide WHO ) Article 8: Consultation (when not requiring notification, focal point shall keep informed)
Similarities between IHR and WAHIS Article 9: Other reports (reports from sources other than notifications) Article 10: Verification (within 24 hours, if not collaborate WHO will share) Article 11: Provision of information by WHO ( if not agreed by SP, WHO shall not make information available to other SP until such time as: (a) (d) Article 12: Determination of a PH emergency (DG shall determine whether an event constitutes) Article 13: Public health response (each SP shall develop, strengthen, maintain capacity)
Where are the differences WAHIS is taken as part of the overall OIE obligations WAHID provides benefits to all Members Continue to emphasize on incentives to report Strengthening of legal enforceability at national level Transparent reporting has trade benefits Reference laboratory obligations to notify and share
Incentives to participate Capacity building: (Trust Fund) PVS evaluation Gap Analysis Legislation Assistance Twinning Early detection, rapid response = Global public good Compensation mechanisms Vaccine banks
How do we get there? Paradigm shift from detecting at the border to transparency of reporting through incentives The ultimate goal of rapid notification will result from collaboration between the relevant organizations
Thank you for your attention World Organisation for Animal Health Organisation Mondiale de la Santé Animale Organizacion Mundial de Sanidad Animal Have you subscribed to the OIE-Info distribution list? If not, you can do it from: http://www.oie.int/eng/info/en_listserv.htm