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Preface by Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a regular occurrence in the UK, but we are in the midst of the largest outbreak ever seen in this country, and an unusually severe global pandemic across bird populations and beyond. A record number of cases of avian influenza virus infections were confirmed through the summer months in 2022 in the UK, and incidents have been at their highest level ever during the winter of 2022 to 2023.

Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) do an excellent job of leading the government’s response to HPAI outbreaks. Their highly skilled scientific staff are at the heart of the response to HPAI this year, as during outbreaks in many past years. With the unusual scale of the present outbreak, however, and with concern about the range of wild species being impacted by the virus I was keen to bring additional insight to the subject using expert external advisors. Defra’s Science Advisory Council’s Exotic and Emerging Animal Diseases subgroup (SAC-ED) exists to provide input into unusual or emerging animal health risks. Guided by advice from relevant experts, and by input from the Chief Veterinary Office, Christine Middlemiss, I asked SAC-ED, augmented by additional external experts as needed, to advis

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