Avian influenza H9N2 seroprevalence among poultry workers in Pune, India, 2010.

Shailesh D Pawar,Akhilesh C Mishra,Sadhana S Kode,Yogesh K Gurav,Saurabh S Parkhi,Tanaji D Barde,Chandrashekhar G Raut,Babasaheb V Tandale,Dhanasekaran Vijaykrishna

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036374

Shailesh D Pawar, Akhilesh C Mishra + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036374

Copy DOI

Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: May 18, 2012
Citations: 94	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: ICMR-National Institute of Virology

Abstract

Avian influenza (AI) H9N2 has been reported from poultry in India. A seroepidemiological study was undertaken among poultry workers to understand the prevalence of antibodies against AI H9N2 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. A total of 338 poultry workers were sampled. Serum samples were tested for presence of antibodies against AI H9N2 virus by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and microneutralization (MN) assays. A total of 249 baseline sera from general population from Pune were tested for antibodies against AI H9N2 and were negative by HI assay using ≥40 cut-off antibody titre. Overall 21 subjects (21/338 = 6.2%) were positive for antibodies against AI H9N2 by either HI or MN assays using ≥40 cut-off antibody titre. A total of 4.7% and 3.8% poultry workers were positive for antibodies against AI H9N2 by HI and MN assay respectively using 40 as cut-off antibody titre. This is the first report of seroprevalence of antibodies against AI H9N2 among poultry workers in India.

Highlights

IntroductionSingle-stranded negative-sense RNA viruses and are classified into type A, B and C
Influenza viruses belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae
The present study reports findings of seroepidemiological study of Avian influenza (AI) H9N2 among poultry workers in Pune, Maharashtra, India

Summary

Introduction

Single-stranded negative-sense RNA viruses and are classified into type A, B and C. They are divided into subtypes based on the serogrouping of 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) genes. The H9N2 virus causes severe respiratory tract infections with high mortality in young chicks and severe decline in egg production in laying chickens, which results in economic loss. This virus persists in chicks and spreads to non-affected flocks through fecal-oral route without showing much of severe clinical signs [6]. Crossing the species barrier to mammals highlights the pandemic potential of AI H9N2 viruses

Methods

Results

Conclusion