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H5N1 HPAI spread in Nigeria and increased risk for neighbouring countries in West Africa

Year of publication 2015

Pages 10p.

Author Lockhart, C.;Pittiglio, C.;Ingabire, C.;Pinto, P.;Bleasdale, K.;Mugyeom, M.;Lubroth, J.;Animal Production and Health Division

Product type Book (series)

Series title EMPRES Watch

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) On 16 January 2015, Nigeria confirmed the presence of H5N1 HPAI to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). This was the first occurrence of H5N1 HPAI in the country since the last epidemic between 2006 and 2008. The virus involved is similar to recent isolates taken from birds in Bulgaria, India and Viet Nam as well as an environmental sample from China. The disease has so far spread to nearly 400 enterprises including live bird markets (LBMs) and farms in 9.1% (71 out of 775) local gove rnment areas (LGAs) in 48.6% (18 out of 37) states across Nigeria. While the Nigerian Government has responded by implementing quarantine, culling and compensation, outbreaks continue to be reported. Agroecological drivers of HPAI H5N1 similar to those present in endemic regions of South East Asia are present in Nigeria and West Africa, thus implying an increased risk of disease spread in the region. Traditional trading patterns, both formal and informal, between Nigeria and neighbouring countri es provide an opportunity for cross-border or inter-regional disease spread. The recent incursion into Burkina Faso only emphasizes this potential risk. Currently, countries at immediate risk of spread are Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, the Niger and Togo. Other countries that had reported outbreaks in the past are also at risk. These include the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti and the Sudan. These countries need to prepare to detect and respond in a timely manner to possible incursions of th e disease…

Language English

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