France - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Virus: French health authorities continue their actions and strengthen their cooperation in the face

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February 6, 2025 Press Release

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Virus: French health authorities continue their actions and strengthen their cooperation in the face of the risk of circulation of a virus adapted to humans


In recent months, an increase in cases of HPAI virus transmission to humans has been observed internationally. In this context, the Ministry of Health and Access to Healthcare, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Public Health France and the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) are strengthening their cooperation in the prevention and control of HPAI viruses.


A risk level assessed as “low” for the general population

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) of the H5N1 subtype is a virus that has been circulating intensively for several years on a global scale, mainly in wild birds (such as ducks and geese) and domestic poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys). It is also capable of infecting many species of wild mammals (foxes, seals, sea lions, etc.) and domestic mammals (cats, dogs, pigs). This virus was also detected for the first time in dairy cows in the United States. The virus can occasionally be transmitted to humans, in which case it is referred to as avian flu. As such, the international situation is worrying, particularly in the United States, but no human-to-human transmission has been observed to date. In France, no human cases of avian flu have been detected to date.
Thus, while the level of risk to human health is assessed as "low" by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), it is assessed as "low to moderate" for those most exposed, particularly people working in poultry farms.

Coordinated action by human and animal health authorities

In a "One Health" approach based on the interdependencies that exist between human health, animal health and environmental health in order to create new methods of disease surveillance and control, human and animal health authorities have been coordinating their actions for several years to ensure effective surveillance of the circulation of these viruses in animals and humans, detect any transmission to a new species and intervene rapidly around possible human cases.
In close coordination, the authorities have deployed several anticipation and management measures including:

• Raising awareness among professionals exposed in the course of their work (breeders, livestock technicians, veterinarians, etc.) about prevention and protection measures for their livestock, but also about vaccination against seasonal flu to prevent an animal flu virus from recombining with a human flu virus and becoming more pathogenic for humans. Awareness was also raised among health professionals to inform them of the actions to take.
• In order to improve our ability to detect human cases of influenza of animal origin early, seasonal influenza diagnostic PCR tests are now supported year-round for people who are most at risk and who present symptoms .
• A pilot system for active surveillance of avian influenza (SAGA) has also been set up for people exposed in livestock farming and will enable the disease to be detected earlier and appropriate management measures to be taken.
• Mandatory vaccination of ducks , implemented since October 2023 and which has proven to be a real collective success with nearly 62 million ducks vaccinated and a drastic reduction in the number of HPAI outbreaks in France (only around ten HPAI outbreaks detected in farms in France in 2023/24 compared to around 400 each year before vaccination, with a peak of nearly 1,400 outbreaks in 2021/22). This strategy is being repeated for the 2024/2025 campaign. Fewer outbreaks in farms means less risk of contamination for professionals and less risk of transmission in the general population.
• Enhanced monitoring of the health status of domestic poultry and wild birds .

In addition, a pandemic risk preparedness strategy is implemented with:

1. Building up stocks of vaccines for people who have been in contact with a sick person or animal if a virus becomes transmissible to humans
2. Pre-booking vaccines in anticipation of the emergence of an influenza pandemic
3. Building up stocks of antivirals, effective for symptomatic sick people
4. Preparing the health system through operational health planning (ORSAN) to respond to the impact on the provision of care

What are the symptoms and what should be done in the event of exposure?

In case of exposure to infected animals or a contaminated environment (breeders, livestock technicians, veterinarians, etc.) and in case of appearance of symptoms (even mild ones, such as fever, headache, muscle pain, cough and shortness of breath, conjunctivitis), it is recommended to monitor one's health for 10 days and to:

• Immediately contact a doctor , telling them that you have been in contact with infected or suspected infected animals, so that they can prescribe a PCR test;
• Apply barrier gestures : wearing a mask, frequent hand washing, regular ventilation, disinfection of surfaces, etc.

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https://agriculture.gouv.fr/virus-i...es-autorites-sanitaires-francaises-mobilisees