Abstract
BackgroundAvian influenza viruses may cause severe disease in a variety of domestic animal species worldwide, with high mortality in chickens and turkeys. To reduce the information gap about prevalence of these viruses in animals in Uganda, this study was undertaken.ResultsInfluenza A virus prevalence by RT-PCR was 1.1% (45/4,052) while seroprevalence by ELISA was 0.8% (24/2,970). Virus prevalence was highest in domestic ducks (2.7%, 17/629) and turkeys (2.6%, 2/76), followed by free-living waterfowl (1.3%, 12/929) and swine (1.4%, 7/511). A lower proportion of chicken samples (0.4%, 7/1,865) tested positive. No influenza A virus was isolated. A seasonal prevalence of these viruses in waterfowl was 0.7% (4/561) for the dry and 2.2% (8/368) for the wet season. In poultry, prevalence was 0.2% (2/863) for the dry and 1.4% (24/1,713) for the wet season, while that of swine was 0.0% (0/159) and 2.0% (7/352) in the two seasons, respectively. Of the 45 RT-PCR positive samples, 13 (28.9%) of them were H5 but none was H7. The 19 swine sera positive for influenza antibodies by ELISA were positive for H1 antibodies by HAI assay, but the subtype(s) of ELISA positive poultry sera could not be determined. Antibodies in the poultry sera could have been those against subtypes not included in the HAI test panel.ConclusionsThe study has demonstrated occurrence of influenza A viruses in animals in Uganda. The results suggest that increase in volumes of migratory waterfowl in the country could be associated with increased prevalence of these viruses in free-living waterfowl and poultry.
Highlights
Avian influenza viruses may cause severe disease in a variety of domestic animal species worldwide, with high mortality in chickens and turkeys
Waterfowl can be a source of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses for domestic avian populations [11], in which they can evolve into highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains [12]
Spread of these viruses to domestic species can be favoured by the large number of non-wetland dependant groups (“bridge species” such as cattle and little egrets) that move between free-living waterfowl and human settlements and may interact with domestic birds [11]
Summary
Avian influenza viruses may cause severe disease in a variety of domestic animal species worldwide, with high mortality in chickens and turkeys. Avian influenza (AI) viruses may cause natural infection in a variety of domestic and wild bird species throughout the world and have been reported to occur in poultry either in the highly pathogenic or low pathogenic forms [1]. Waterfowl can be a source of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses for domestic avian populations [11], in which they can evolve into highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains [12] Spread of these viruses to domestic species can be favoured by the large number of non-wetland dependant groups (“bridge species” such as cattle and little egrets) that move between free-living waterfowl and human settlements and may interact with domestic birds [11]. This study was undertaken to establish evidence of exposure of poultry, pigs and wild birds in Uganda to influenza A viruses
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