| Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease that affects many species of birds and can have particularly severe consequences for domestic poultry. Recent outbreaks in both Europe and particularly in Asia have demonstrated that avian influenza also has a zoonotic dimension with potentially severe consequences for human health. Countries within the European Union must strive to be disease free. Given limited resources, national governments must allocate these resources between prevention (reducing the risk of introduction), monitoring and control (reducing the consequences of an outbreak). This trade-off is further complicated by the social acceptability of control measures used in recent animal disease epidemics. For national governments, analysis of prevention and control strategies should account for multiple objectives and stakeholders. |
