ITEM 2. REPORT ON THE PAST SIX MONTHS

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

laboratories and their networks to make a more substantial contribution to the virus typing at

national and regional levels and sample submission to international RCs for advanced analyses.

Keith Sumption provided the Report of the Secretariat (Appendix 3a) on the work program since April 2013, covering the final activities under EC Programme Phase II (Appendix 3b) which ended on 30th September 2013, the co-operation with Australia in Training, and the work undertaken to develop the new programme in detail since the 40th General Session. Significant outputs in this

period include: - the development of a FMD Emergency Preparedness Course (FEPC) -1st online e-learning course)(Appendix 3c);

- Training Needs survey completed for the Member States and neighbourhood (Appendix 3d); - Training Credits system developed and proposed to Member States (August)(Appendix 3e);

- A Template for national risk Based Strategic Plans for FMD control developed for the GF-

TADS and trialled by EuFMD in 3 countries (Appendix 3f).