Preventing and controlling avian influenza: National Taiwan University professor Jin Chuanchun suggests forming a cross-disciplinary expert group to carry out science-based epidemic prevention
Since the outbreak of avian influenza in January, the first zero-report day came the day before yesterday (3/10), and the epidemic has gradually eased. Chin Chuan-chun, a professor at the Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, believes that Taiwan had never experienced avian influenza on such a large scale before, and the government should convene experts from various fields to form an advisory group to thoroughly grasp the epidemic situation and fight the disease with science.
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine of the Council of Agriculture yesterday held the "2015 International Symposium on Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza in Poultry," inviting experts from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and other countries to Taiwan to share their experience in preventing and controlling avian influenza. Chin Chuan-chun took part in the entire meeting. She highly praised the Council of Agriculture's action in convening the meeting to pool collective wisdom. As for the follow-up prevention of avian influenza, she proposed that experts from various fields needed to be brought together to invest in research; if we wait until the virus mutates into one that spreads from birds to humans before taking precautions, it will be too late. "Taiwan has an international responsibility, a responsibility for global health. This avian influenza is a painful lesson for Taiwan, but it is also something that can contribute to the whole world. This is a kind of resolve."
Regarding the scientific epidemic prevention approach of bringing together experts from various fields, Chin Chuan-chun started from her past experience in SARS prevention and shared her views.
Oral account / Professor Chin Chuan-chun; interview compiled by News&Market
Ducks infected with avian influenza have a low mortality rate, but further analysis is still needed
This avian influenza outbreak is the largest in Taiwan's history. In addition to the old H5N2, there are also three other viruses: H5N8, the new H5N2, and the new H5N3. As of March 9, a total of 867 farms had been culled, with more than 6.3 million poultry culled or dead, and the losses caused by this wave of the epidemic exceeded NT$2.5 billion.
This wave of avian influenza has dealt a huge blow to Taiwan's poultry industry. The mortality rate for geese is very high, while ducks show no obvious symptoms, with only a drop in egg production. However, I believe it is still necessary to further analyze factors such as the breed, viral load, and age of ducks infected with avian influenza. The United States Department of Agriculture previously conducted research, and different breeds of ducks indeed differ in how they are affected by avian influenza.
The SARS prevention experience can be referenced; form a cross-disciplinary expert group
I think it is a great pity this time that the competent agricultural authorities did not bring together all of Taiwan's talent to invest in epidemic prevention. With SARS in 2003, a cross-disciplinary expert advisory group was formed the week after the outbreak. My specialty is epidemiology, and I held more than 30 meetings with experts from other fields, as well as meetings with the central and local centers for disease control.
At that time, we ate dinner together every day from five to seven, constantly thinking about whether anything had been missed in epidemic prevention, whether anything had not been noticed, because each of us is limited by our own experience and may have blind spots in our thinking. So how do you make a good epidemic prevention plan? You pool everyone's strength.
I think the SARS prevention experience can serve as a reference for the competent agricultural authorities. When an epidemic comes, there is no need to argue over who is right or wrong; everyone must work together. This wave of avian influenza broke out on January 9, and an expert meeting should have been convened as soon as possible in the following days, bringing in epidemiology experts to work together with experts in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, and other fields.
I suggest the government should cultivate several mid-career and young epidemic prevention talents and send them to Europe, the United States, Asia and elsewhere to develop the ability to handle epidemics. The United States cultivates epidemic prevention talent by giving them hands-on experience; they must complete two epidemics. I think Taiwan needs to cultivate avian influenza prevention talent. Since this epidemic occurred, young people in many local epidemic prevention units have gained hands-on experience. As long as they have the enthusiasm and willingness to shoulder heavy responsibilities, the government should spend money to cultivate them.
Taiwan has a responsibility to prevent the next wave and stop the virus from mutating into one that spreads from birds to humans
Nature has given us a warning. To block the next wave of the epidemic, we need to learn humbly. In the face of an epidemic, we are forever students, learning from nature. I think this attitude is very important.
During SARS, the National Science Council also called on experts from various fields to hold cross-disciplinary SARS research meetings. With this avian influenza epidemic, it is truly a pity that the Ministry of Science and Technology did not get moving. Now the epidemic has eased, and much data has not been collected. Although we have had a painful lesson, we can contribute to the whole world. This is a kind of resolve. Taiwan has an international responsibility, a responsibility for global health. We must stop the next wave of the epidemic and prevent the virus from mutating into one that spreads from birds to humans.
When facing an epidemic, there is no second path: we must use science to prevent it, so that we can stand ahead of the epidemic and take precautions in advance. Taiwan has never encountered avian influenza on such a large scale. We cannot wait until the avian influenza virus mutates into one that spreads from birds to humans before taking precautions. By then it will already be too late!
In China and Hong Kong, China, both near Taiwan, avian influenza research is also very fruitful, and the living habits and environments of these three places are similar. I suggest that the next time the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine holds an international symposium on the avian influenza epidemic, it also invite avian influenza experts and scholars from China and Hong Kong, China to Taiwan for exchanges, sharing information and epidemic prevention experience.