Abstract
ABSTRACTFor an analysis of the prevalence of influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulating in chickens and their farmers in the Ashanti region, Ghana, we examined 2,400 trachea and cloaca swabs (chickens) and 102 oropharyngeal swabs (farmers) by qRT-PCR. Sera from 1,200 (chickens) and 102 (farmers) were analysed for IAV antibodies by ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition (HI). Avian influenza virus (AIV) was detected in 0.2% (n = 5) of chickens but not farmers. Virus detection was more pronounced in the cloacal (n = 4, 0.3%) than in tracheal swabs (n = 1, 0.1%). AIV antibodies were not detected in chickens. Two farmers (2.0%) tested positive to human seasonal IAV H1N1pdm09. Sixteen (15.7%) farmers tested seropositive to IAV of which 68.8% (n = 11) were due to H1N1pdm09-specific antibodies. AIV H5- or H7-specific antibodies were not detected in the farmers. Questionnaire evaluation indicated the rare usage of basic personal protective equipment by farmers when handling poultry. In light of previous outbreaks of zoonotic AIV in poultry in Ghana the open human-animal interface raises concern from a OneHealth perspective and calls for continued targeted surveillance.
Highlights
Worldwide, influenza A viruses (IAVs) are important veterinary and public health pathogens causing substantial morbidity and mortality in varying species including humans and poultry [1,2]
When allowed to continuously circulate in gallinaceous poultry, LPAIV of subtypes H5 and H7 can mutate to notifiable HPAIV; other subtypes may reassort with other IAVs of avian, porcine or human origin to generate strains with extended zoonotic and even human pandemic potential [3,4,5]
Vaccination against Avian influenza virus (AIV) is not practiced in Ghana
Summary
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are important veterinary and public health pathogens causing substantial morbidity and mortality in varying species including humans and poultry [1,2]. In Ghana, outbreaks of zoonotic HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.2 and 2.3.2.1c) in poultry have been reported with no human deaths [9,17]. AIV was not detected in surveillance carried out in commercial poultry before the first H5N1 outbreak in the country, and in backyard poultry in military barracks in the region after the first outbreak [20]. We performed a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of IA viruses in commercial chickens and their farmers within the Ashanti region of Ghana. This will contribute to our understanding of influenza at the human-animal interface in the region and aid to develop IAV control strategies to prevent infections in poultry and humans
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