WRITTEN QUESTION E-1657/03

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(19 May 2003)

Subject: Fowl pest

An epidemic of fowl pest has broken out in Belgium and the Netherlands, and hundreds of thousands of fowls have consequently had to be slaughtered. A Dutch vet has died, reportedly because he was infected by the same virus. The EU has ordered a halt to exports of fowls and eggs from the two countries, but this will not protect European citizens against the risks posed by any imports pre-dating the ban. The Belgian health authorities had given an assurance that the virus, highly contagious to poultry, was not contagious to humans. One question still unanswered is the possible links between the fowl pest virus and the virus which causes SARS.

1. Can the Commission give its verdict on the state of health of European poultry farms in order to reassure consumers and avoid the kind of panic sparked off by mad cow disease?

2. Does it agree with the Belgian authorities that the fowl pest virus is not contagious to humans?

3. What measures will it propose to prevent similar epidemics and guarantee the much-vaunted goal of food safety at the practical level?

4. Does it not think that it would be useful and advisable to coordinate action by national governments to combat the scourge?

5. Can it express an opinion on the link between the fowl pest virus and the SARS virus?

Joint answerto Written questions E-1651/03 and E-1657/03given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2003)

Avian influenza (AI) is a contagious viral infection affecting birds. The virus strain causing the current outbreaks in some Member States is of type H7N7. The transmission of this virus of avian origin from birds to humans has been demonstrated on few occasions leading to transient curable eye manifestations and respiratory symptoms. Human-to-human transmission is limited and the strain has not established itself in the human population. The death of a veterinarian in the Netherlands should be seen as an isolated case following direct exposure to live infected poultry. The disease control and slaughter hygiene measures applied in the Union and the guarantees required for the import of poultry meat are aimed at ensuring that no infected poultry meat is traded. Heat treatment applied to poultry meat prior to consumption inactivates any virus present. The risk of contracting disease via consumption of meat, therefore, is insignificant.

The Commission is aware of the events in Hong Kong and has been closely following the situation there and in southern China, making use of information provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other sources. The Commission continues to co-operate with WHO and other institutions in developing and putting in place preparedness plans for important communicable diseases, such as human influenza and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Robust communication lines have been put in place linking the competent public health authorities to co-ordinate recommended measures through the Early Warning System of the Community network for communicable diseases, and procedures for providing the public with scientifically based first hand information. The Commission also supports a number of research projects on the development of influenza vaccines and the improvement of laboratory diagnosis.

In response to the avian influenza outbreaks that occurred in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, the Commission, in close co-operation with the Member States experts of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, has immediately taken a number of strict disease control measures. These measures exceed the provisions laid down in Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May 1992 introducing Community measures for the control of avian influenza(1). They include rigorous provisions aiming at interrupting the chain of infection as quickly as possible and at the prevention of any transmission of virus to humans. These actions are continuously reviewed in the light of the evolution of the epidemiological situation taking into account the most updated scientific knowledge and have been shown to be effective to limit the spread of the disease. The poultry health situation in relation with the current AI outbreaks in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands has largely improved in the last weeks. Further information is available on http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ah_pcad/ah_pcad_77_en.pdf and on http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ah_pcad/ah_pcad_76_en.pdf.

Influenza viruses belong to the family of Orthomyxoviridae, whilst the agent causing the SARS has been shown to be a Corona-virus. The two families are clearly distinct and the viruses cause different diseases. Initial symptoms may, however, be similar. Infection of one human host by the SARS agent and by the influenza virus may occur at the same time, particularly during the influenza season. Effective sentinel surveillance for influenza is thus equally as important as putting in place validated laboratory tests to confirm SARS. The Commission is funding a surveillance project, the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (www.EISS.org) providing human influenza surveillance data in close collaboration with WHO.

In the more general framework of protection against communicable diseases, the Commission intends to propose to the Parliament and the Council a regulation setting up a Centre for communicable diseases that would improve the capacity of the European Union to react to outbreaks of diseases affecting public health. The Centre would contribute additional support to that provided under existing Community instruments (e.g. civil protection) to ensure that effective action can be taken at Community level in respect of any catastrophy in an Member State or third country.

(1) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992.