CROATIA: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: JANUARY 12

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000039 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DS/DSS, DS/IP, M/MED/JCTRIPLETT FAS/CMP/DLP WETZEL AND MAGGINNIS FAS/ITP/EAMED POMEROY AND FLEMING CA/OCS/ACS RICK DOWELL USAID FOR E&E/ECA/B/ANNE CONVERY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO SENV ECON EAGR PREL HR SUBJECT: CROATIA: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: JANUARY 12 REF: ZAGREB 1985 AND PREVIOUS 1) SUMMARY: As of January 12, no additional cases of H5N1 have been identified in Croatia. The GOC is using its new real time reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machine to continue testing for the H5N1 subtype. The Agriculture Minister is preparing to attend the Beijing donors' conference where he was invited by the Chinese government to present the GOC's response to avian influenza. END SUMMARY NEW PCR MACHINE IS IN PLACE, BUT FOR HOW LONG? ¶2. The RT-PCR machine is installed in the Zagreb branch of the Croatian Veterinary Institute lab. Vladimir Savic, head of the poultry department at the Institute, expressed concern that Agriculture Ministry officials have not articulated a plan for continuing to lease or purchase the PCR machine after the Dutch-funded lease period expires. Oscar Meuffels, Dutch agricultural counsellor, said the GOC must make a decision by early February about the RT-PCR machine or it will be returned to Roche. Savic's lab continues to test for H5N1 at a rate of 100 samples per week. GOC INVITED TO DISCUSS AI EXPERIENCE IN BEIJING ¶3. Savic said his lab is providing data to the Ministry of Agriculture in preparation for Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic's trip to the Beijing donors' conference next week. The Minister's office confirmed that the Chinese government invited Cobankovic to present Croatia's experience addressing avian influenza at the conference. Sanja Separovic, Head of the Animal Health Department and Veterinary Practice Department and Ankica Labrovic from the Veterinary Directorate are expected to accompany Cobankovic. DELAWIE