Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Seroevidence for High Prevalence of Subclinical Infection with Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus among Workers in a Live Poultry Market in Indonesia
Abstract
[FONT="]Background. In Indonesia, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus has become endemic in poultry, and has caused sporadic deadly infections in human. Since 2012 we have conducted fixed-point surveillance of avian influenza viruses at a live poultry market in East Java, Indonesia. In this study we examined the seroprevalence of the virus infection among market workers.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Methods. Sera were collected from 101 workers in early 2014 and examined for antibody activity against avian A(H5N1) Eurasian lineage virus by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Results. By the HI assay, 84% of the sera tested positive for antibody activity against the avian virus. Further analysis revealed the average HI titer in 2014 to be 2.9-fold higher than in 2012 and that seroconversion occurred in 44% of paired sera (11/25) between 2012 and 2014. A medical history survey was carried out in 2016; responses to questionnaires indicated that none of workers had suffered from severe acute respiratory illness during 2013.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Conclusions. This study provides evidence of a high prevalence of avian A(H5N1) virus infection in 2013 among workers of a live poultry market. However no instances of hospitalizations were reported, we can therefore conclude the virus did not manifest any clinical symptoms in workers.
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE (PDF)[/FONT]
October 7, 2016
Abstract
[FONT="]Background. In Indonesia, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus has become endemic in poultry, and has caused sporadic deadly infections in human. Since 2012 we have conducted fixed-point surveillance of avian influenza viruses at a live poultry market in East Java, Indonesia. In this study we examined the seroprevalence of the virus infection among market workers.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Methods. Sera were collected from 101 workers in early 2014 and examined for antibody activity against avian A(H5N1) Eurasian lineage virus by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Results. By the HI assay, 84% of the sera tested positive for antibody activity against the avian virus. Further analysis revealed the average HI titer in 2014 to be 2.9-fold higher than in 2012 and that seroconversion occurred in 44% of paired sera (11/25) between 2012 and 2014. A medical history survey was carried out in 2016; responses to questionnaires indicated that none of workers had suffered from severe acute respiratory illness during 2013.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Conclusions. This study provides evidence of a high prevalence of avian A(H5N1) virus infection in 2013 among workers of a live poultry market. However no instances of hospitalizations were reported, we can therefore conclude the virus did not manifest any clinical symptoms in workers.
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE (PDF)[/FONT]
