A Charles Sturt University (CSU) social scientist is playing a key role in an international team of epidemiologists and economists in South East Asia, attempting to prevent the spread of Avian Influenza, which poses a potential threat to humans, and Classical Swine Fever.

 

Dr Joanne Millar, a senior researcher with CSU's Institute for Land, Water and Society, says the project will look at the movement of poultry in Bali and Lombok and pigs in West Timor and Alor to assess possible ways that Avian Flu and Classical Swine Fever is transmitted.

 

Dr Millar says “Indonesia has the highest number of human deaths and cases from Avian Flu, mainly in Java, but there have been several outbreaks in Bali with at least two human deaths reported.

 

“The illegal movement of poultry from Java to Bali has been a major factor in this spread but movements within Bali and Lombok also creates risks.

 

“Hygiene at live bird markets is also a major issue. Vendors and traders are particularly susceptible as they handle large volumes of birds,” says Dr Millar.

 

 Classical Swine Fever has recently reached the eastern islands from Sumatra with serious effects for economic pig production.

 

According to Dr Millar, this disease also poses a risk to Australia's livestock industries, “so the project is investigating risks via informal trading of pigs in eastern Australia”.

 

The CSU researcher recently returned from the first project team meeting in Bali, where she facilitated the meeting and provided social science expertise to the project team, including advice on project design and survey methods.

 

The project will be conducted in eastern Indonesia and eastern Australia over the next four years. It is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and coordinated by the University of Sydney.