Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: Adapting to a new One Health challenge from an old foe

Abstract

This talk will begin by briefly discussing animal health surveillance in Canada and the role of the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System (CAHSS). CAHSS is a distinct division of Animal Health Canada and uses a network of network approach to bring together and use data-driven information to demonstrate animal health, minimize impacts of disease, and guide planning on national animal health priorities. This system was put to the test following the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype B3.13 in dairy cattle in the United states which widely and rapidly spread across the country and continues to cause problems. To date the US has reported 296 affected herds with frequent spill over into poultry operations resulting in the depopulation of around 17.6 million birds. The US Center for Disease Control has also reported 14 human cases, mostly among dairy and poultry workers. However, they have also reported one human case in Missouri with no known animal exposure and illnesses among other close contacts. This outbreak has been unprecedented and unexpected and remains difficult to control in the US. Fortunately, Canada has found success driven by a multi-stakeholder collaborative approach which we hope to continue to leverage in preparing for outbreaks in our animal agricultural sectors.

Speakers

Dr. Murray Gillies grew up on a family dairy farm in Sussex, New Brunswick. He took animal science with a focus in agriculture at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College before completing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island. After graduating, he travelled to New Zealand to work in a dairy focused veterinary clinic before moving back to New Brunswick where he worked for the Government of New Brunswick in large animal veterinary practice. He later joined the veterinary pharmaceutical company Vetoquinol as a technical services veterinarian. He is the current Coordinator of the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System (CAHSS), a division of Animal Health Canada. He is a past president of the Canadian Association of Bovine Veterinarians and the current District 12 director for the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. He is currently working on a master’s in animal health management at the Atlantic Veterinary College with a project focusing on antimicrobial use on dairy farms. He was the dairy subject matter expert for the Canadian Veterinary Medical Associations Stewardship of Antimicrobial use by Veterinarians Initiative (SAVI). He remains very active in the day-to-day operations of his family’s dairy farm and is very passionate about the Canadian bovine veterinary, dairy, and agricultural sectors. He loves discussing dairy practice, bovine veterinary medicine, and science in general and can be reached to discuss these topics at any time. His other interests include video games, Dungeons and Dragons, anime, nature, hiking, and history.