The economic losses associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza across parts of Asia, Europe and Africa are estimated to be in the billions of dollars.  As the virus moves between wild birds, domesticated poultry and people, the potential for a pandemic the likes of the 1918 influenza epidemic that killed an estimated 40 million people worldwide increases.  The impacts to biodiversity have rarely been addressed.

The Gaps

More than 60 percent of the approximately 1,400 infectious diseases currently known to modern medicine are shared between people and animals. Current global disease surveillance efforts are focused primarily on human populations and domestic livestock. No federal or international agency is currently responsible for monitoring and preventing the full array of diseases that cross borders and can be transmitted between domestic and wild animals and people.  One of the needed components in controlling avian influenza and preventing outbreaks is a global surveillance and monitoring system that gathers information on diseases in wild birds, shares this information openly and facilitates the development of appropriate responses prior to outbreaks.

Wild Bird Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance (GAINS)

The aim of the Wild Bird Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance (GAINS) program is to expand operational field capabilities, improve the understanding of viral strains and transmission of influenza viruses in wild birds, and to disseminate information to all levels of governments, international organizations, the private sector and the general public.

GAINS is establishing a global surveillance network of wild birds by: improving the collection, coordination, and laboratory evaluation of samples from wild birds in order to identify locations of avian influenza viral strains; identifying genetic changes in virus isolates; enhancing links with wild bird distribution and migration information, and providing an early warning system for global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that threatens domestic poultry and human health as well as biodiversity (particularly avian).

The GAINS program and partners work in and travel to areas of importance in key migratory routes, as well as in areas where it is necessary to consult with reference laboratories, and local, national, and international agencies involved in avian influenza preparedness and response. These individuals and organizations not only work in an advisory capacity to host governments and local/national organizations by providing technical input into wild bird surveillance programs, but emphasize transfer of technical capacity to local staff where needed.  The GAINS staff and collaborators create, update, and make available information related to wild bird avian influenza surveillance and migratory bird activity through a comprehensive database which also includes agency reports, scientific publications, news, etc. 

Expected outputs

• Improved capacity of local areas to identify, census, and sample potential wild bird reservoirs for avian influenza;
• Improved understanding of transmission of avian influenza and its impact on wild and domestic animal populations;
• Improved tracking of both legal and illegal trade patterns of exotic birds and movement of birds through markets;
• Improved  capacity of local areas to document surveillance results;
• Improved confidence in sampling and reporting abilities;
• Advice on ways to create incentives to local areas to report transmission routes, warning signs of disease, disease outbreaks;
• Improved planning, management, detection, and leadership capacity of local governments and supporting agencies;
• Improved early warning disease intervention, technical information and technology transfer due to timely disease information exchange within and between regions, as well as globally;
• Establishment of linkages between veterinary services, human health sector, and natural resource managers to enhance collaboration and information-sharing;

In short, GAINS was created to broaden scientific understanding of avian influenza epidemiology, which can only serve to improve decision-making in terms of fostering rational strategies to protect biodiversity as well as public and poultry/domestic waterfowl health.  The US Agency for International Development has committed significant funding support to expand the operational scope of GAINS and has coordinated with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide additional financial support for the GAINS system.   

About WCS

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild lands through careful science, international conservation, education, and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks. These activities change attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in sustainable interaction on both a local and a global scale. WCS is committed to this work because we believe it essential to the integrity of life on Earth. For more information visit: http://www.wcs.org/

The WCS Field Veterinary Program—the first of its kind—was established in 1989 and uses a collaborative approach to address the complexities of maintaining ecosystem health.  Working with in-country wildlife and domestic animal health experts, government agencies and public health officers from Patagonia to Central Africa, we use our knowledge of wildlife disease to create local training programs, conduct cutting-edge health investigations, and to advise on policies and preventive guidelines to reduce disease transmission among wildlife, humans and domestic animals.   For more information visit:  http://www.fieldvet.org/