How WOAH’s new and revised chapters ensure better control of avian influenza

Understanding the issue through the lens of the commodity

Live bird markets have traditionally played a key role in Southeast Asia and Western Africa.

In some countries, they are the backbone of cities that rely on food-focused trade and tourism. In most of them, live bird markets ensure food security by providing access to affordable fresh produce and embody a stable source of income for the many vendors that populate this vibrant community space. 

Infectious animal diseases like avian influenza, however, have put these settings under significant strain, as they offer a breeding ground for the emergence and spread of harmful pathogens.

When zoonotic diseases emerge, outbreaks affect poultry trade and cause loss of consumer confidence. Wet markets where live animals are sold and handled are often linked to the transmission of zoonotic diseases, as they can facilitate the movement of live animals that may carry pathogens. Interspecies mixing in wet markets further complicates the game, posing significant health and ecological risks. 

Too often, veterinary public health interventions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus have focused on tackling the disease strictly within the borders of the markets themselves. Measures have included banning the storage of birds overnight in markets, enforcing market ‘rest days’ and separating bird species in markets.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, several countries temporarily shut down their wet markets which stalled trade flows and critical food supply chains. But this solution proved neither sustainable nor viable in the long term. It triggered unintended consequences, such as the emergence of unregulated black markets for animal products and the attribution of the pandemic to these cultural practices. The stigma now attached to ‘wet markets’ has become heavily laden with negative connotations.

By contrast, evidence shows that avian influenza control for pandemic prevention must start before poultry reaches wet markets. Indeed, measures focused on live bird markets only are unlikely to effectively reduce the exposure of market traders and shoppers to avian influenza risk if not compounded by ad hoc interventions along the supply chain.

Pandemic prevention strategies must therefore target chicken farmers and transporters in countries where the virus is endemic to reduce the number of infected chickens introduced into markets.

Shaping the future of live poultry markets and beyond 

Various studies have identified the main risks associated with these settings. Markets selling live animals pose the greatest risks to human health and biodiversity due to their pathogenic load – especially those involving wild animals, which are intimately connected to emerging infectious diseases.

Factors in combination, such as the presence of live animals, including those presenting a high risk of diseases, market size and cleanliness and hygienic practices could contribute to disease emergence.

Given the complex nature of infectious disease risks, policymakers should not focus solely on markets when mitigating future outbreaks. Targeted, science-informed, and risk-based interventions applied upstream in the supply chain as well as in cross-border movements of birds can make bird markets safer without bringing local economies to the brink of collapse.

Poor biosecurity and unregulated trade are part of the problem as they can exacerbate disease risks. This is why the revision of WOAH’s Code and the inclusion of a whole new chapter on biosecurity during this year’s General Session mark a step towards a healthier, disease-free animal populations.

When it comes to live bird markets, animals are sourced domestically. Yet, regardless of where they are sourced, it is important to always implement effective biosecurity from the farm of origin to the market.

Being the cornerstone of animal health programs, biosecurity should be implemented to prevent and control diseases in populations. Together with the recent recommendations on border inspection posts and quarantine centres to support effective implementation of measures and procedures applicable to the transit, import and export of commodities, these approaches reduce the introduction of infection to populations and support trade continuity. 

Targeted One Health interventions

Besides standards, stakeholder collaboration needs to the put into practice in this complex context.

The One Health approach aims to prevent zoonotic diseases by addressing risks at their source, such as in wet markets, through multidisciplinary collaboration among public health experts, veterinarians and environmental specialists to ensure safe food practices and effective regulation of outlets where animals and food are sold.

One Health solutions could include infrastructure improvements, regular cleaning and ‘rest days’ to interrupt viral circulation, vendor-centric training programs on hygiene and infection prevention, monitoring and certification systems that reward compliance rather than penalise trade. 

This combination of approaches can help achieve a broader, important end-goal: resilient, safe bird markets that sustain livelihoods while protecting against the looming threat of avian influenza. Targeted interventions and application of standards, not blanket bans, offer a pragmatic path toward safer animal trade practices.

Members are invited to diligently implement and adapt WOAH’s standards to their legislation to make sure that the disease risk is mitigated today – and everyone’s health is protected tomorrow.