Risk of Human Infections With Highly Pathogenic H5N2 and Low Pathogenic H7N1 Avian Influenza Strains During Outbreaks in Ostriches in South Africa

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Venter, Marietjie ; Treurnicht, Florette K. ; Buys, Amelia ; Tempia, Stefano ; Samudzi, Rudo ; McAnerney, Johanna ; Jacobs, Charlene A. ; Thomas, Juno ; Blumberg, Lucille
• Description:
  Background
  
  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.
  
  Methods
  
  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 42 000 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.
  
  Results
  
  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.
  
  Conclusion
  
  (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.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Animals Animals, Wild Antibodies, Viral Antigens, Viral Article Disease Outbreaks Female Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests Humans Influenza, Human Influenza A Virus, H5N2 Subtype Influenza A Virus, H7N1 Subtype Influenza In Birds Male Middle Aged Risk Factors Seroepidemiologic Studies Specimen Handling Struthioniformes Surveys And Questionnaires Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  J Infect Dis. 216(Suppl 4):S512-S519
• Pubmed ID:
  28934458
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC5666040
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Place as Subject:
  South Africa
• Volume:
  216
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:58280a09a170432d99f2dfd6030de58a06d7ace2a3a7903a03624108a7442001
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/49556/cdc_49556_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 101.76 KB ]