tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Infect Dis. 2017 Sep 15;216(suppl_4):S512-S519. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jix018.
[h=1]Risk of Human Infections With Highly Pathogenic H5N2 and Low Pathogenic H7N1 Avian Influenza Strains During Outbreaks in Ostriches in South Africa.[/h] Venter M[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Treurnicht FK[SUP]1[/SUP], Buys A[SUP]1[/SUP], Tempia S[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]3,[/SUP][SUP]4[/SUP], Samudzi R[SUP]1[/SUP], McAnerney J[SUP]1[/SUP], Jacobs CA[SUP]5,[/SUP][SUP]6[/SUP], Thomas J[SUP]5[/SUP], Blumberg L[SUP]5[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]Background:[/h] Risk factors for human infection with highly pathogenic (HP) and low-pathogenic (LP) avian influenza (AI) H5N2 and H7N1 were investigated during outbreaks in ostriches in the Western Cape province, South Africa.
[h=4]Methods:[/h] Serum surveys were conducted for veterinarians, farmworkers, and laboratory and abattoir workers involved in 2 AI outbreaks in the Western Cape province: (1) controlling and culling of 42000 ostriches during (HPAI)H5N2 outbreaks in ostriches (2011) (n = 207); (2) movement control during (LPAI)H7N1 outbreaks in 2012 (n = 66). A third serosurvey was conducted on state veterinarians from across the country in 2012 tasked with disease control in general (n = 37). Antibodies to H5 and H7 were measured by means of hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization assays, with microneutralization assay titers >40 considered positive.
[h=4]Results:[/h] Two of 207 (1%) participants were seropositive for H5 and 4 of 207 (2%) for H7 in 2011, compared with 1 of 66 (1.5%) and 8 of 66 (13%) in 2012. Although individuals in all professions tested seropositive, abattoir workers (10 of 97; 10.3%) were significantly more at risk of influenza A(H7N1) infection (P = .001) than those in other professions (2 of 171;1.2%). Among state veterinarians, 4 of 37(11%) were seropositive for H7 and 1 of 37 (2.7%) for H5. Investigations of (LP)H7N1-associated fatalities in wild birds and quarantined exotic birds in Gauteng, AI outbreaks in poultry in KwaZulu-Natal, and ostriches in Western Cape province provide possible exposure events.
[h=4]Conclusion:[/h] (LPAI)H7N1 strains pose a greater infection-risk than (HPAI)H5N2 strains to persons involved in control of outbreaks in infected birds, with ostrich abattoir workers at highest risk.
[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Africa; Avian Influenza; H5N2; Highly pathogenic; Low Pathogenic H7N1; humans; ostriches
PMID: 28934458 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix018
[h=1]Risk of Human Infections With Highly Pathogenic H5N2 and Low Pathogenic H7N1 Avian Influenza Strains During Outbreaks in Ostriches in South Africa.[/h] Venter M[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]2[/SUP], Treurnicht FK[SUP]1[/SUP], Buys A[SUP]1[/SUP], Tempia S[SUP]1,[/SUP][SUP]3,[/SUP][SUP]4[/SUP], Samudzi R[SUP]1[/SUP], McAnerney J[SUP]1[/SUP], Jacobs CA[SUP]5,[/SUP][SUP]6[/SUP], Thomas J[SUP]5[/SUP], Blumberg L[SUP]5[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]Background:[/h] Risk factors for human infection with highly pathogenic (HP) and low-pathogenic (LP) avian influenza (AI) H5N2 and H7N1 were investigated during outbreaks in ostriches in the Western Cape province, South Africa.
[h=4]Methods:[/h] Serum surveys were conducted for veterinarians, farmworkers, and laboratory and abattoir workers involved in 2 AI outbreaks in the Western Cape province: (1) controlling and culling of 42000 ostriches during (HPAI)H5N2 outbreaks in ostriches (2011) (n = 207); (2) movement control during (LPAI)H7N1 outbreaks in 2012 (n = 66). A third serosurvey was conducted on state veterinarians from across the country in 2012 tasked with disease control in general (n = 37). Antibodies to H5 and H7 were measured by means of hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization assays, with microneutralization assay titers >40 considered positive.
[h=4]Results:[/h] Two of 207 (1%) participants were seropositive for H5 and 4 of 207 (2%) for H7 in 2011, compared with 1 of 66 (1.5%) and 8 of 66 (13%) in 2012. Although individuals in all professions tested seropositive, abattoir workers (10 of 97; 10.3%) were significantly more at risk of influenza A(H7N1) infection (P = .001) than those in other professions (2 of 171;1.2%). Among state veterinarians, 4 of 37(11%) were seropositive for H7 and 1 of 37 (2.7%) for H5. Investigations of (LP)H7N1-associated fatalities in wild birds and quarantined exotic birds in Gauteng, AI outbreaks in poultry in KwaZulu-Natal, and ostriches in Western Cape province provide possible exposure events.
[h=4]Conclusion:[/h] (LPAI)H7N1 strains pose a greater infection-risk than (HPAI)H5N2 strains to persons involved in control of outbreaks in infected birds, with ostrich abattoir workers at highest risk.
[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Africa; Avian Influenza; H5N2; Highly pathogenic; Low Pathogenic H7N1; humans; ostriches
PMID: 28934458 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix018