Discussion The risk relating to type A viruses in the European region was noted; this had been brought to attention in the 85th Session of the Executive Committee and April General Session meetings. The EC (AEF) stressed the importance of receiving the list of priorities vaccine and antigens for the vaccine banks as part of the WRL six-monthly report. Juan Lubroth, FAO, drew attention to reduced submissions and asked if this related to reduced FMD or reduced shipment from affected regions. He concluded that not enough shipments were occurring and the new work programme of the EuFMD and the work of the OIE and FAO Working Group must find a way to increase the sample and information flow. Conclusions: 1.
The Standing Technical Committee should consider if an update is needed to the assessment on the relative importance of the different virus pools into Europe, and on the priority setting process for the vaccine and antigen banks.
2.
The absence of confirmed recent Asia-1 outbreaks in Turkey and Iran in the past 4 months suggests that the epidemic that started in early 2011 may be over. However, the type A outbreaks in Turkey and Iran are the current principal concern.
3.
The WRL contributes the majority of virus typing information reported through the OIE/FAO Reference Centres network, but there remain critical gaps in virus characterisation for risk assessment in some pools, particularly in western and eastern Africa, and in timely availability of such information from South Asia, and parts of West Eurasia such as Pakistan. The WRL must play a greater role, with the support under Component 3.3 of the work programme, to ensure that the regional leading laboratories and their networks make a more substantial contribution to the virus typing at national and regional level and ensure greater efficiency in sample submission for advanced analysis by international RCs.
WRL Recommendations on the Priorities for Antigen and Vaccine banks The WRL contributes the majority of virus typing information reported through the OIE/FAO Reference Centres network, but there remain critical gaps in virus characterization for risk assessment in some pools, particularly in western and eastern Africa, and in timely availability of such information from South Asia, and parts of West Eurasia such as Pakistan. Under Component 3.3 of the work programme, the WRL will prioritize work in these pools to encourage the regional leading
th
86 Executive Committee meeting of the EuFMD, 17-18 October 2013, Lyons, France
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