06. Working with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAIV)

A distance learning opportunity
May 29, 2024
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (CDT)

Registration for the live webinar must be completed 1 business day prior to the start of the training.
Registrations received after will receive access to the recording only.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) has recently become widespread globally in animals. Human infections are rare but are reported consistently. Therefore, work with HPAIV may encompass a wide variety of activities including lab-based research, animal work, field studies, and handling of positive diagnostic specimens. The goal of this workshop is to enable the audience to understand the basics of HPAIV, the risk associated with handling the virus or positive samples, and mitigations for handling it. An introduction to the basic biology of HPAIV including a brief description of pathobiology including modes of transmission and exposure routes among different species. A summary of what is known about transmission of the virus to and from wild birds. What is known about transmission from avian species to mammals will be covered from both a virus, exposure route, and disease pathogenesis perspective. Biosafety and biosecurity for handing HPAIV in the lab, animal research and field specimens will be described.

Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Restate the difference between highly pathogenic avian influenza and low pathogenic avian influenza viruses
• Explain viral and environmental factors that contribute to human infection with HPAIV
• Explain the epidemiological aspects of HPAI and its transmission between different susceptible species including avian and mammalian species
• Identify the risk posed by the virus to multiple host species including mammals
• Develop risk analyses for handling HPAIV in different contexts

The webinar will be presented by the following subject matter experts:

Diego Diel, DVM, PhD, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY
Travis McCarthy, PhD, RBP(ABSA), National Centers for Animal Health, USDA—Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Ames, IA
Erica Spackman, MS, PhD, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, USDA—Agricultural Research Service, Athens, GA

• Individuals who may work with HPAIV in a lab or field setting
• Biosafety professionals at institutions that work with HPAIV or influenza A

This course has been approved for 0.5 CM points toward RBP/CBSP recertification. ABSA International is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.^® Program. This course is approved for 4.0 P.A.C.E.^® contact hours. The links to the various invitations for the course will be unique to the user and cannot be shared. The links are for single, individual use only. If more than one occurrence of an individual’s name is on the attendee list for the webinar through Zoom platform, all instances of that person’s name will be removed from the webinar with no refund. The webinar and its associated links are for single, individual use only.