Abstract
In April 2009, a new influenza A virus (IAV) subtype (A(H1N1)pdm09) spread worldwide and triggered the first human influenza pandemic of the 21st century. Since then, exposure to the pandemic H1N1 IAV has been confirmed in different animal species. Serological evidence and clinical infection with A(H1N1)pdm09 have been reported in canines, but the information available about the role of dogs in the epidemiology of this IAV subtype is still very limited in Europe. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of A(H1N1)pdm09 in dogs in southern Spain, a region with endemic seasonal circulation in human. Sera from 750 companion dogs were collected during the period 2013-2016. Antibodies against pandemic H1N1 IAV were analysed using the haemagglutination inhibition test. Positive samples were also tested by single radial haemolysis assay. Seropositivity was only confirmed by both methods in one (0.13%; 95% CI: 0.00-0.38) adult animal sampled in 2013. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of A(H1N1)pdm09 exposure in dogs in Spain. The low seroprevalence obtained indicates a limited exposure history to A(H1N1)pdm09 IAV in dogs in this country and suggests a low risk of transmission of this zoonotic IAV subtype between humans and dogs.
Highlights
Influenza A viruses (IAV; family Orthomyxoviridae) are among the most important emerging pathogens worldwide, affecting a wide range of animal species, including human beings
We aimed to assess exposure to A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus in domestic dogs in Spain, where this subtype was predominately circulating in humans at the time of sampling (ISCIII, 2020)
Our results showed that only one (0.13%; 95%CI: 0.0-0.39) of the examined dogs was positive for anti-H1N1 antibodies with an haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titre of 160
Summary
Influenza A viruses (IAV; family Orthomyxoviridae) are among the most important emerging pathogens worldwide, affecting a wide range of animal species, including human beings. Wild birds are considered the main reservoir of these viruses, mammalian species can be implicated in the transmission of IAV (Chen et al, 2018). In April 2009, a new swine-origin H1N1 IAV subtype labelled A(H1N1)pdm was first reported in Mexico and United States. The virus spread rapidly worldwide causing the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. 575,000 human deaths were associated with this emergent subtype around the world, and in the United States alone between 43.3 and 89.3 million cases and 12,469 deaths were linked to this virus (CDC, 2019). The A(H1N1)pdm09-like viruses have an endemic seasonal circulation in Europe and represent almost the 40% of the identified
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