4 September 2003
ANIMAL BIOSECURITY POLICY MEMORANDUM 2003/24
Importation of Live Birds (Pigeons)
UPDATE OF CURRENT CONDITIONS
This Animal Biosecurity Policy Memorandum (ABPM) provides stakeholders with updated quarantine requirements for the importation of live pigeons. Updating was required to include risk management measures for pigeons from countries that are not free from West Nile Virus (WNV). Unless there is comment that warrants further change, these requirements will come into effect on
3 October 2003.
Biosecurity Australia has reviewed the biosecurity risks associated with WNV in imported pigeons following reports of bird-to-bird transmission in the United States of America (USA). The initial report of bird-to-bird transmission in crows was made by the US Geological Survey (USGS). A study on 25 bird species by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the USGS finding, and also revealed cloacal shedding of the virus in 17 species, and oral shedding in 12 species. While cloacal shedding of the virus, albeit at low levels, was reported in pigeons, bird-to-bird transmission in pigeons was not demonstrated.
Biosecurity Australia has discussed these findings with a group of specialists established by Biosecurity Australia to provide technical advice on WNV issues. The group considered that there was insufficient information regarding pigeons, as the number of birds used in the CDC study was small. The outcome could have been different, had a larger population been used (a usual consignment imported would comprise up to 200 birds). As a result, Biosecurity Australia has amended the policy to incorporate the risk mitigation measures for those countries not free of WNV to require testing, as recommended by the group. Those measures will be reviewed should more relevant information become available.
Next Steps
Unless there is comment that warrants further change, these interim requirements will come into effect from 3 October 2003.
Please pass this notice to other interested parties. If those parties wish to be included in future communications on this matter they should contact the officer listed below.
Confidentiality
Respondents are advised that, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received in response to ABPMs will be publicly available. Comments may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports prepared on the subject matter of the Memoranda.
The Commonwealth reserves the right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request for anonymity accompanies the submission. Where a request for anonymity does not accompany the submission the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of the Privacy Act.
The contents of the submission will not be treated as confidential unless they are marked ‘confidential’ and they are capable of being classified as such in accordance with the Freedom Of Information Act.
DAVID BANKS
General Manager
Animal Biosecurity
Contact officer:Howe Heng
Telephone no:(02) 6272 5872
Facsimile no:(02) 6272 3399