Ebola: FAO raises alarm on bush meat

FAO said it is working closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness of the transmission risks from bust meat among rural communities that hunt for meat obtained from the forests to supplement their diets and income. These communities risk future spill-over from species that can carry the virus, including fruit bats, some […]

FAO said it is working closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness of the transmission risks from bust meat among rural communities that hunt for meat obtained from the forests to supplement their diets and income. These communities risk future spill-over from species that can carry the virus, including fruit bats, some primates, and duikers.
“We are not suggesting that people stop hunting altogether, which isn’t realistic,” said FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth. “But communities need clear advice on the need not to touch dead animals or to sell or eat the meat of any animal that they find already dead. They should also avoid hunting animals that are sick or behaving strangely, as this is another red flag.”
Fruit bats – usually eaten dried or in a spicy soup – are thought to be the most likely reservoir species for the virus, which they can carry without developing clinical signs of the disease, and should be avoided altogether, according to FAO.
“The virus is killed when meat is cooked at a high temperature or heavily smoked, but anyone who handles, skins or butchers an infected wild animal is at risk of contracting the virus,” Lubroth said.
FAO veterinary public health officer and Ebola focal pointKatinka de Balogh stressed that “it is critical for rural communities to understand the risks, both of human-to-human transmission and from wildlife, so that they are in a position to make informed decisions themselves.”
According to the FAO, the populations in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone arecurrently struggling to contain the world’s deadliest outbreak of the virus. A case of the virus has already been reported in Lagos. The disease is now spreading like wild fire across countries in West Africa.