Constanze 2 - Active surveillance of avian influenza in wild birds at Lake Constance

Project description

Constanze 2 is an EFSA-funded project investigating the benefits of active surveillance of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI ) in Europe. The aim of the project is to improve early warning systems and increase knowledge about circulating HPAI viruses.

As part of the overarching EFSA project, nine geographical regions in Europe have been selected to test active surveillance of wild birds. Constanze 2 is one of these nine regional projects and focusses on Lake Constance. In this region, institutions from Germany, Switzerland and Austria are working together to carry out comprehensive HPAI surveillance in wild birds.

The surveillance at Lake Constance includes the collection of swab and blood samples from captured or hunted wild birds as well as the collection of environmental samples from breeding colonies, including faeces, feathers, mussels and targeted water samples. These measures should enable the rapid detection and precise identification of HPAI viruses and ensure the availability of surveillance results in near real time.

The objectives of the EFSA project are:

• Establish a network of surveillance hubs across Europe
• Build long-term capacity and partnerships for active surveillance of HPAI viruses in wild birds
• Complement existing or planned surveillance activities
• Provide a basis for the rapid detection and identification of HPAI viruses
• Obtain a more complete picture of HPAI viruses circulating in Europe

Benefits of the project

This project will make an important contribution to improving HPAI surveillance in Europe, enabling early detection and control of outbreaks.