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Emerg Infect Dis. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2006 November 30.
Published in final edited form as:
Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 August; 12(8): 1284?1286.
Avian Influenza among Waterfowl Hunters and Wildlife Professionals
James S. Gill,* Richard Webby,? Mary J.R. Gilchrist,* and Gregory C. Gray?
*University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
?St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
?University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Address for correspondence: James S. Gill, University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, 102 Oakdale Campus, H101 OH, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; email: james-gill@uiowa.edu
Dr Gill, in addition to providing emergency room duties as a physician, maintains an active research program as the zoonotic disease specialist at the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory. He recently codiscovered a new species of spotted fever group rickettsia and relapsing fever borrelia in the bat tick, Carios kelleyi. He also holds an adjunct position in the Department of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa.
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Abstract
We report serologic evidence of avian influenza infection in 1 duck hunter and 2 wildlife professionals with extensive histories of wild waterfowl and game bird exposure. Two laboratory methods showed evidence of past infection with influenza A/H11N9, a less common virus strain in wild ducks, in these 3 persons.
Wild ducks, geese, and shorebirds are the natural reservoir for influenza A virus (1); all 16 hemagglutinin (H) and 9 neuraminidase (N) subtypes are found in these wild birds (1,2). Recently, the rapid spread of influenza A/H5N1 virus to new geographic regions, possibly by migrating waterfowl, has caused concern among public health officials who fear an influenza pandemic. Until now, serologic studies of the transmission of subtype H5N1 and other highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza have focused on humans who have contact with infected domestic poultry (3,4). In this cross-sectional seroprevalence study, we provide evidence of past influenza A/H11 infection in persons who were routinely, heavily exposed to wild ducks and geese through recreational activities (duck hunting) or through their employment (bird banding). To our knowledge, this study is the first to show direct transmission of influenza A viruses from wild birds to humans.
full t:http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...medid=16965717
Published in final edited form as:
Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 August; 12(8): 1284?1286.
Avian Influenza among Waterfowl Hunters and Wildlife Professionals
James S. Gill,* Richard Webby,? Mary J.R. Gilchrist,* and Gregory C. Gray?
*University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
?St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
?University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Address for correspondence: James S. Gill, University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, 102 Oakdale Campus, H101 OH, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; email: james-gill@uiowa.edu
Dr Gill, in addition to providing emergency room duties as a physician, maintains an active research program as the zoonotic disease specialist at the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory. He recently codiscovered a new species of spotted fever group rickettsia and relapsing fever borrelia in the bat tick, Carios kelleyi. He also holds an adjunct position in the Department of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa.
Top
Abstract
We report serologic evidence of avian influenza infection in 1 duck hunter and 2 wildlife professionals with extensive histories of wild waterfowl and game bird exposure. Two laboratory methods showed evidence of past infection with influenza A/H11N9, a less common virus strain in wild ducks, in these 3 persons.
Wild ducks, geese, and shorebirds are the natural reservoir for influenza A virus (1); all 16 hemagglutinin (H) and 9 neuraminidase (N) subtypes are found in these wild birds (1,2). Recently, the rapid spread of influenza A/H5N1 virus to new geographic regions, possibly by migrating waterfowl, has caused concern among public health officials who fear an influenza pandemic. Until now, serologic studies of the transmission of subtype H5N1 and other highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza have focused on humans who have contact with infected domestic poultry (3,4). In this cross-sectional seroprevalence study, we provide evidence of past influenza A/H11 infection in persons who were routinely, heavily exposed to wild ducks and geese through recreational activities (duck hunting) or through their employment (bird banding). To our knowledge, this study is the first to show direct transmission of influenza A viruses from wild birds to humans.
full t:http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...medid=16965717