The Americas strengthen surveillance against avian influenza: 15 countries participate in the regional ProgRESSVet workshop in Panama

Panama City, March 26, 2026 (PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO) - Professionals from official veterinary services from 15 countries in the Americas participated in the first in-person workshop of the Latin America Edition 2025/2026 of the Regional Program for the Systematic Education of Veterinary Services (ProgRESSVet), focused on strengthening epidemiological surveillance and the early detection of avian influenza in the region.

The meeting took place in Panama City and brought together professionals who have been participating in the virtual phase of the program since March 2025. The initiative is coordinated by the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) at the University of Minnesota, together with the Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health Center (PANAFTOSA/SPV) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA), and also received support from the PAHO Office in Panama.

The ProgRESSVet Latin America 2025/2026 edition brings together 45 veterinarians from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay.

A growing health challenge in the region

The workshop is being held in a context marked by the global spread of the Avian Influenza A(H5N1) virus, a highly contagious disease that mainly affects wild and domestic birds, but can also infect mammals and even humans under certain circumstances.

Since the emergence of the Goose/Guangdong lineage in 1996, the virus has caused outbreaks on different continents. In recent years, the circulation of clade 2.3.4.4b has created an unprecedented health scenario, with high levels of mortality in wild and production birds.

In the Americas, the introduction and spread of the virus have been closely linked to bird migratory routes, especially aquatic species, which increases the risk to poultry farming, wildlife, and ecosystems.

In addition, since 2021 there has been a sustained increase in infections in domestic and wild mammals, demonstrating a greater diversity of affected species and highlighting the need to strengthen surveillance, risk analysis, and early detection capacities in countries across the region.

Towards a regional early warning tool

One of the central components of the program is the development of an online early warning tool for the risk of avian influenza virus introduction, which will strengthen response capacity to potential virus introductions in participating countries.

This tool is being developed in collaboration with the Animal Health Research Center (CISA-INIA/CSIC) in Spain and will later be adapted by participating countries to their national contexts.

During the workshop, the pilot version of this tool was presented, allowing participants to analyze how it works, discuss possible applications, and provide technical feedback for its development and implementation in national contexts.

Regional cooperation and One Health approach

In addition to reviewing the program's progress and defining the next steps in the training, the workshop helped strengthen collaboration networks among professionals from official veterinary services (SVOs), promoting the exchange of experiences and regional technical cooperation.

The results of the meeting helped consolidate a preliminary plan to integrate early warning tools for the avian influenza virus into national surveillance systems, adapted to the capacities and needs of each country.

The development of this early warning tool strengthens coordination at the national level between SVOs and the environmental sector, a strategic partnership that incorporates key knowledge about wildlife and improves response capacity to health risks.

Strengthening these systems is essential not only for animal protection, but also for public health, food security, biodiversity, and international trade. In this sense, the program promotes an approach aligned with the One Health principles, which encourages cooperation among the animal, human, and environmental sectors.

Through this collaboration between PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO and the University of Minnesota, the technical capacities of countries in the region continue to be strengthened to more effectively address the health challenges posed by avian influenza.