Tweet
Int J Infect Dis
. 2024 Jun 28:107146.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107146. Online ahead of print. H9N2 Influenza A Viruses Found to be Enzootic in Punjab Pakistan's Bird Markets with Evidence of Human H9N2 Nasal Colonization
Shahzad Ali 1 , Emily R Robie 2 , Usama Saeed 3 , Ghulam Jaffar 1 , Emily S Bailey 4 , Lyudmyla V Marushchak 5 , Brianna E Kreditor 5 , Laura A Pulscher 5 , Adam M Rubrum 6 , Richard J Webby 6 , Gregory C Gray 7
Affiliations
Objective: This study sought to detect and characterize influenza A (IAV) and influenza D (IDV) viruses circulating among commercial birds and shop owners in Pakistan's live bird markets.
Methods: Oropharyngeal swabs (n=600; n=300 pools) collected from poultry and nasopharyngeal swabs (n=240) collected from poultry workers were studied for molecular evidence of IAV and IDV using real-time and conventional RT-PCR protocols.
Results: Nineteen (6.3%) poultry pools were positive for IAV and 73.9% of these were positive for H9N2 subtypes. Two (0.83%) poultry workers had evidence of IAV, and both were also H9N2 subtypes. The poultry and human influenza A-positive specimens all clustered phylogenetically by Sanger and next-generation sequencing with previously detected H9N2 poultry isolates. No field specimens were positive for IDV.
Conclusion: H9N2 IAV is likely enzootic in Punjab Province Pakistan's live bird markets and may be colonizing the noses of workers and market visitors. Regular monitoring for avian influenza-associated human illness in Punjab seems to be a needed public measure.
Keywords: Human-animal interface; avian influenza; influenza A virus; influenza D virus; live bird market; poultry.
. 2024 Jun 28:107146.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107146. Online ahead of print. H9N2 Influenza A Viruses Found to be Enzootic in Punjab Pakistan's Bird Markets with Evidence of Human H9N2 Nasal Colonization
Shahzad Ali 1 , Emily R Robie 2 , Usama Saeed 3 , Ghulam Jaffar 1 , Emily S Bailey 4 , Lyudmyla V Marushchak 5 , Brianna E Kreditor 5 , Laura A Pulscher 5 , Adam M Rubrum 6 , Richard J Webby 6 , Gregory C Gray 7
Affiliations
- PMID: 38945434
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107146
Objective: This study sought to detect and characterize influenza A (IAV) and influenza D (IDV) viruses circulating among commercial birds and shop owners in Pakistan's live bird markets.
Methods: Oropharyngeal swabs (n=600; n=300 pools) collected from poultry and nasopharyngeal swabs (n=240) collected from poultry workers were studied for molecular evidence of IAV and IDV using real-time and conventional RT-PCR protocols.
Results: Nineteen (6.3%) poultry pools were positive for IAV and 73.9% of these were positive for H9N2 subtypes. Two (0.83%) poultry workers had evidence of IAV, and both were also H9N2 subtypes. The poultry and human influenza A-positive specimens all clustered phylogenetically by Sanger and next-generation sequencing with previously detected H9N2 poultry isolates. No field specimens were positive for IDV.
Conclusion: H9N2 IAV is likely enzootic in Punjab Province Pakistan's live bird markets and may be colonizing the noses of workers and market visitors. Regular monitoring for avian influenza-associated human illness in Punjab seems to be a needed public measure.
Keywords: Human-animal interface; avian influenza; influenza A virus; influenza D virus; live bird market; poultry.