Control of avian influenza in China: strategies and lessons

In recent decades, multiple subtypes (i.e. H9N2, H5N1 and H7N9) of avian influenza virus (AIV) have become widespread in China, which has caused enormous economic losses and posed considerable threats to public health. In this review, with the aim to provide insights into and guidelines for the control of AIV spread in China and globally in the future, we analysed the reasons why AIV has persisted in China based on socio-economic features, including poultry biosecurity, live bird markets, live bird transportation, wild birds, poultry waterfowl, poultry density, poultry population and infected birds. We also described the present status of the AIV subtypes H9, H5 and H7 in China to elucidate the effectiveness of the strategies currently employed in China (i.e. culling, mass vaccination and biosecurity improvement) to control the disease based on a literature review and our unpublished surveillance data collected over a 12-year period from 2007 to 2018. We then summarized the lessons to be learned from the control experience in China, including whether culling of infected birds is of limited value for disease control and whether improved biosecurity is a better option than culling and vaccination for the long-term control of AIV, and when the vaccine strain should be updated.