HPAI Field Officer Training

About this course

This module was developed by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in collaboration with:

• Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga
• One Health Branch, Health Protection NSW
• NSW Local Land Services

Duration

This training is online and self-paced and consists of one module split into 8 sections.

Learning outcomes

Section 1: HPAI overview​​
At the end of Section 1 you will have an understanding of:​

• What High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) is​
• How H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b is different from previous outbreaks​
• What species are affected​
• The clinical signs of HPAI in wildlife​
• How HPAI is spread 

Section 2: Emergency Management in HPAI​​
At the end of Section 2 you will have an understanding of:​

• The emergency management response structure in NSW​
• Combat agencies and functional areas​
• Roles of EnvSFA field officers in an HPAI response 

Section 3: Human health considerations when handling wild birds​
At the end of Section 3 you will have an understanding of:​

• The risk to human health from Avian Influenza.​
• How Avian Influenza can spread to people and how to protect yourself from infection.​
• The symptoms of avian influenza in people.​
• What to do if you have been exposed to Avian Influenza.​
• Other human health considerations when handling sick and dead wildlife. 

Section 4: Responding to a suspected case of HPAI in wildlife​
At the end of Section 4 you will have an understanding of:​

• How to report sick and dead wildlife​
• Recommended PPE​
• How to take samples from dead wildlife for testing​
• How to package and transport samples to the laboratory​
• Disinfection 

Section 5: Sampling & Packaging​​
At the end of Section 5 you will have an understanding of:​

• The sample submission process
• Sample quality
• The sampling process
• Labelling and packaging

Section 6: Disposal​
At the end of Section 6 you will have an understanding of:​

• How to determine if carcass disposal is required​
• Who is responsible for carcass disposal​
• Options for disposing of carcasses 

Section 7: Decontamination & Disinfection​
At the end of Section 7 you will have an understanding of:​

• The ‘come clean, go clean’ process
• Disinfection – disinfectants active against AI viruses

Section 8: Case scenarios & final quiz ​

• There are 2 case scenarios designed to test your knowledge using real-world scenarios
• There is a final quiz to test your knowledge of the topics covered in this training module

Target audience

This training is suitable for both veterinarians and non-veterinarians.

Assessment

There are questions at the end of each section that are aligned to the learning objectives and will check your knowledge of the topic. These questions will not receive a mark but will reinforce the information. ​

There is a final quiz in section 8.

Accredited/Non-accredited training

This is a non-accredited course.

Personal information disclosure

By registering for this workshop, I agree to be contacted for the following reasons and understand that my contact details will be available to the following organisations:​

• The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development ​
• The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) ​
• Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga​
• NSW Health ​
• NSW EPA.​

If we have activated an emergency response, the database of participants will be accessed by the EAD hotline officers, the DPIRD Animal Biosecurity team and the Emergency Response team.​

The reasons we might contact you, is to: ​

• Respond to a notification of a suspect case of HPAI in wildlife by attending the site and observing the numbers and types of animals affected, their location and the clinical signs shown by any sick animals. ​
• To secure the carcass/es of a suspect HPAI case to prevent people, domestic and feral animals accessing the carcasses, if required. ​
• To collect, package and transport samples from carcasses to the laboratory to test for HPAI, if directed by NSW DPIRD. ​
• To collect carcasses for storage until negative HPAI results are received, to facilitate further testing, if requested by NSW EPA or NSW DPIRD. ​
• To safely dispose of carcasses where required.​