HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Feb. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Affected countries need more help to search for infection and conduct analysis, and the international community should respond to the urgent requirements of these countries for support in their efforts to get on top of this current serious situation, said Samuel Jutzi, director of FAO's Animal Production and Health Division Wednesday.

    The official said on the regional conference,which opened on Wednesday in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City, that affected countries need help to strength central animal health and veterinary public health services, to implement stamping out,vaccination and biosecurity program, to develop better diagnostic methods and vaccines, to support regional networks for informationsharing, early warning and control strategies.

    The veterinary services need access to better tools for diagnosis and disease control, including vaccines that are efficient, cost-effective and safe, he added.

    Strict biosecurity measures need to be applied throughout the poultry production chain, from farms and small producers to distribution channels, markets and retailers. Public awareness of disease risks must be raised and some traditional practices such as drinking raw blood of ducks need to be changed to prevent further cases of human infection.

    In addition to the human suffering, recent avian influenza outbreaks have devastated many local economies. The major impact of the epidemic has been on the livelihoods of rural communities depending on poultry for their subsistence, according to FAO.

    Since the end of 2003, close to 140 million birds have died or been destroyed in the Asian epidemic to date, and loss of their flocks has left many farmers in deep debt. Total poultry farm losses in Asia in 2004 are estimated at more than 10 billion US dollars.

    The meeting, which will last for three days, was jointly organized by FAO and the World Animal Health Organization, in collaboration with the world Health Organization and hosted by thegovernment of Vietnam. Enditem