Serosurveillance to H9 and H7 Avian Influenza Virus among Poultry Workers in Punjab Province, Pakistan

• Main Author: Abdul Ahad§*, Masood Rabbani, Tahir Yaqub, Muhammad Younus1, Altaf Mahmood2, Muhammad Zubair Shabbir, Zahida Fatima2, Rana Khurram Khalid and Majeeda Rasheed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 2013-01-01
• Series: Pakistan Veterinary Journal
• Subjects: Avian Influenza; HI; H7; H9; Poultry workers
• Online Access: http://pvj.com.pk/pdf-files/33_1/107-112.pdf
• ISSN: 0253-8318

Among the different subtypes of avian influenza virus (AIV) H9 and H7 are able to infect poultry and human. These viruses in some countries has been isolated from the occupational hazard group of people, like veterinarian, poultry attendant and poultry retailers. The aim of this study is to determine the seroprevalence of H9 and H7 AIV subtype in different occupational people who are directly or indirectly involved with the poultry industry. Antibodies to H9N2 and H7N7 avian influenza virus were measured by modified horse RBC hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test using receptor destroying enzyme (RDE) treated sera. Total 465 human sera samples were analyzed who were directly exposed to poultry industry and 25 samples were taken as control that was not exposed to poultry industry. The highest (85.7%) seroprevalence against H9 was recorded in vaccinator and the lowest (30.4%) was recorded in veterinarian. On district wise the highest (82.1%) seroprevalence against H9 was observed in Toba Tek Singh district and the lowest (9.7%) was observed in the Islamabad. In case of H7 AIV subtype the highest (44.4%) seroprevalence was recorded in lab technicians and the lowest seroprevalence (11.1%) was recorded in butcher. By district wise the highest (57.9%) seroprevalence against H7 was recorded in Haripur district and the lowest (4.6%) was recorded in Gujranwala district.