Governmental regulations and concept behind eradication and control of some important poultry diseases

Infectious diseases of poultry are mostly associated with severe economic losses. Many of these diseases once re-emerging or introduced into a geographic area, can explode into an epidemic and may have a significant negative effect on international trade. Beside general control approaches like biosecurity, improvement of rearing management, monitoring, and vaccination several governmental measures on control of poultry diseases were adopted in European countries. Eradication policy and killing of animals for disease control purposes are commonly applied in cases of suspicion or confirmed outbreaks of emergency diseases, outbreaks of diseases with a considerable public health and/or economic impact and in case of possible irregularities during the intra-community trade of live animals and their products. The List A of the Office of International Epizooties (OIE) including rapidly spreading diseases of major economic importance, such as highly pathogenic Avian influenza (AI) and Newcastle Disease (ND). The EU legislation to control Avian influenza is laid down in Council Directive 92/40/EEC (EEC, 1992a) introducing Community measures for the control of Avian influenza. For the Newcastle disease the Council Directive 92/66/EEC (EEC, 1992b) introducing Community measures for the control of Newcastle disease is laid down. In addition, the European Union adopted a Council Regulation 2160/2003/EC (EC, 2003b) on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents. There are also a number of Council Directives covering the control of diseases such as: - Directive 82/894/EEC on the notification of animal diseases within the Community (EEC, 1982). - Directive 90/425/EEC concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable to intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (EEC, 1990a). -Directive 90/667/EEC laying down the veterinary rules for disposal and processing of animal waste, for its placing on the market and for the prevention of pathogens in feedstuffs of animal or fish origin (EEC, 1990b) and amending Directive 90/425/EEC. -Directive 90/539/EEC on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in, and imports from third countries of, poultry and hatching eggs (EEC1990c). -Directive 91/496/EEC laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries (EEC, 1991) and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC. The aim of this paper is to describe the regulations related to control of the above mentioned diseases and /or infections.