Pregledni rad
Avian influenza – impact on poultry production in Croatia and in the world
Hrvoje Mazija
Željko Gottstein
Sažetak
Avian influenza (AI) caused by virus strain H5N1 spread during the year 2003 over most countries of east Asia and from then till now has come over Russia to western Asia and middle Europe. Despite its high pathogenicity to poultry, the strain H5N1 has infected a significant number of people, of which 50% have died. Measures taken by endangered countries were drastic, in the way of killing and non-harmful elimination of millions of domestic poultry which influenced economy, especially in countries where poultry production in the main source of animal proteins. The virus showed its bad temper by spreading very fast over large distances using migratory birds, that could be the basis, by general opinion, for development of pandemic strain in humans if additional mutations occur. Strain H5N1 that was isolated in Croatia from migratory birds (swans), was the basis for measures taken to prevent the contact between infected birds and domestic poultry, that characterizes Croatia as AI free country, since no disease has been detected in domestic poultry. Taken measures caused enormous loss to Croatian poultry production which suffered due to export ban, mainly because of the fear among the people that poultry and pet birds are possible carriers of the disease. Lack of information about the disease, together with malicious approach of the media, caused drop in poultry meet consumption in Croatia. The same was experienced in other countries where the disease did not occur either in wild birds or in domestic poultry. In the scenario similar to that in 1918-1919 caused by Spanish flu in people, the GDP could fall by 5% followed by recession, or in the case of mild-pandemic scenario like in 1957 or 1968 the GDP could fall by 1.5%, but without longer impact on economy.
Ključne riječi
avian influenza; pandemic; poultry production; Croatia; vaccination
Hrčak ID:
4503
URI
Datum izdavanja:
10.7.2006.
Posjeta: 1.759 *