Emergency Poultry Disease Response Certificate

Curriculum:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Module Descriptions:

Biology of Influenza Virus: The biology of influenza viruses will be discussed including structure, classification, and antigenic drift vs. antigen shift.

Understanding Avian Influenza: What is the “Avian bird flu”? How does AI spread? What are hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, and what do they do?

Discussion on Home Industry: Participants will have an opportunity to briefly discuss their particular poultry connection and concerns for emergency poultry disease response.

Avian influenza Update: What is the current status of HPAI H5N1 and swine flu H1N1 and how are they related.

Personnel Protective Equipment: Different PPE will be demonstrated and its proper use discussed, followed by a swab collecting exercise.

Personal Protective Equipment and Swabbing Hands-On: Demonstration and participant participation in proper collection of field samples and the use of personal protective equipment.

Surveillance: The first line of defense is surveillance and early detection. This involves the testing of migratory birds nationally and internationally including the USDA, DOI and its cooperators (including the State of Delaware and the University of Delaware). In January 2006, the U.S. commercial chicken industry initiated an avian influenza testing program. All broiler flocks from participating companies, including all four broiler companies on the Delmarva Peninsula, will be tested and confirmed AI negative before going to slaughter. In addition, surveillance is a key factor in determining when to return facilities to operation after an outbreak.

Delaware Model: One of the keys to managing an avian influenza outbreak is swift, decisive action with the proper tools and authority. The proper tools and authority result from good planning and implementation. In Delaware, industry, government, and academia share roles in the planning and implementation of AI response plans. After the detection of an avian influenza outbreak, all response plans involve quarantine, further testing of flocks in and around the quarantine zone, then depopulation, decontamination including carcass disposal, cleaning and disinfecting. Then the final step is the testing of the facilities to assure proper decontamination has occurred and layout of facilities before re-stocking.

Zoonotic & Foreign Animal Diseases: Why do existing and emerging zoonotic and foreign animal diseases represent a continuing threat to national and international agriculture, human health, and national security? How the confluence of veterinary and human health should require the “One Medicine Concept” approach to dealing with the problem.

Outbreak Response and Control Measures: Poultry emergencies, whether disease based, weather or similar, require a multifaceted response and control strategy. After the detection of an avian influenza outbreak, all response plans involve quarantine, further testing of flocks in and around the quarantine zone, then depopulation, decontamination including carcass disposal, cleaning and disinfecting. In countries other than the United States, vaccination can be a component of the outbreak response and control measures. Then the final step is the testing of the facilities to assure proper decontamination has occurred and layout of facilities before re-stocking.

Incident Command Structures (ICS): ICS is a scalable system used for commanding, controlling and coordinating the efforts of individual agencies as they work towards the common goal of stabilizing an emergency. The system provides the framework for people from multiple agencies to work together. Effective coordination among local, state, and federal responders at the scene of a response is a key factor in ensuring successful responses to major incident. One aspect of planning for emergencies is developing a system for selecting an incident commander, which helps to reduce the “who’s in charge” problem. The incident commander develops a Consolidated Incident Action Plans that coordinates and manages the response for a specific event as one plan of action. Within a poultry ICS, key components include surveillance, safety and human health, procurement and logistics, welfare and depopulation, sanitation and compost or disposal. Examples of this efficient on-site tool to manage emergency response incidents will be discussed.

Guidelines, Methods and Criteria for Depopulation: There are a limited number of mass emergency depopulation procedures. Guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture, American Veterinary Medical Association, OIE, and others guide the selection of appropriate depopulation techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of several depopulation techniques including whole house gassing, partial house depopulation, portable panels with tarps, live haul depopulation cages, CO2 polyethylene tent, modified atmosphere kill chambers, water based foam and commercial mobile depopulation systems will be reviewed.

Foam Depopulation: Water based foam depopulation was developed at the University of Delaware as a fast, humane, and effiicient means of mass depopulation. Participants will learn about details using foam as well as the science behind the use of foam depopulation.

Depopulation Demonstration: Two different water based foam depopulation methods will be demonstrated. Depending on time and conditions, participants will have the opportunity to operate the equipment.

Protecting the Responder: The threat of a potentially zoonotic H5 or H7 avian influenza outbreak has raised the level of concern for responders. Different ways to protect the physical and mental health of the responders is essential to managing an outbreak and will be discussed.

Protecting the Responder Demonstration: Comparing personal protective equipment requirements based on selection of depopulation methods employed by the responder.

Lessons Learned in Depopulation and Disposal: George W. (“Bud”) Malone has participated in multiple real world outbreak responses. In many cases, the initial plans do not work out as planned and changes are required. He will share lessons-learned from those who have dealt with this issue including his personal experience.

Biosecurity: Biosecurity is one of the principle steps in preventing the spread of virus. Biosecurity is the one aspect of avian influenza control that can be practiced on a daily basis. Examples of current methods, including one US producer’s continuous improvement biosecurity program will be discussed.

Protecting the Public: Topics to be discussed include the prevention of avian and human influenza infections through education, vaccination, drug prophylactics and emergency public policy measures such as quarantines and restrictions on domestic and international travel and trade.

Disposal Options: After catastrophic poultry emergencies, whether avian influenza, heat stress, or otherwise, requires disposing of large numbers of birds. One of the critical concerns in selecting a disposal method is biosecurity. Depending on the circumstances, the options may be limited. The advantages and disadvantages of several disposal options including on-farm burial, landfilling, incineration, and composting are reviewed.

The Science behind Composting: In-house composting is one of the preferred emergency carcass disposal methods, combining efficiency and biosecurity. Although recipes or formulas have been developed for specific applications, it is important to understand the underlying science behind composting. In particular, when revising methods to fit different cultural practices, it is important to understand the role of temperature, moisture, and the carbon to nitrogen ratio.

Media Relations: Media and public relations are an essential part of both planning and implementation of a catastrophic emergency poultry response. One of the most important factors is to have a central spokesperson established prior to or at the onset of the emergency. All communication with the press or outside entities should be through the central spokesperson. For many emergencies, statements should be prepared as part of the planning and training components.

Implementing Composting: In-house composting has been used for both daily and catastrophic mortality disposal. Daily mortality disposal has been successfully used on Delmarva since the 1980’s, while in-house composting is slightly newer. Procedures for both daily and catastrophic mortality are reviewed, including the mix, pile and layering techniques.

Composting Demonstration: Both daily and catastrophic composing will be demonstrated.

Vaccination: Vaccination is a key tool for the prevention and control of avian influenza and is one of the control strategies used both domestically and internationally. Vaccination can be used to help contain outbreaks, reduce viral shedding, and decrease transmission, but can also reduce detection of sick birds. Many new vaccine technologies are rapidly being developed. This topic module will address the advantages and disadvantages of some of these vaccine technologies.

The Science Behind Disinfection: Disinfection or decontamination is one of the critical stages used to return equipment and facilities to operation. Avian influenza is a lipid containing envelope virus and is considered a relatively easily inactivated virus. Several methodologies for inactivation will be reviewed.

Implementing a Disinfection Strategy: What are the key characteristics of a disinfection strategy? Which chemicals should be used? What is the impact of organic material on the efficacy of the agent? What consideration should be given to disinfecting equipment?

Equipment Disinfection Demonstration: Skid steer loaders are extensively used in United States emergency management situations. One of the problems of using skid steer loaders is disinfecting the equipment after the outbreak. Unfortunately, disinfecting the equipment can be problematic, with numerous occluded spaces and blind holes. In this demonstration, participants will get to use a liquid spray and thermal fog and see the problems of trying to achieve optimal penetration on equipment.

Planning and Preparing Disease Outbreak Response: Taking the Emergency Poultry Disease Response course information and developing a specific implementation plan for your community. Program will include utilizing resources necessary for proper response and include examples given of fully equipped depopulation trailers and other response equipment

Wrap Up Discussion: Customizing your disease response based on participant’s situation. Additional Avian Bioscience Center Website educational materials will be discussed. This will provide additional opportunities to ask questions and provide input on how to improve the program.

Link to PDF document of Curriculum