Enhanced environmental surveillance for avian influenza A/H5, H7 and H9 viruses in Guangxi, China, 2017–2019

• Published in: Biosafety and health Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 30 - 36
• Main Authors: Chen, Tao, Tan, Yi, Song, Ying, Wei, Guangwu, Li, Zhiqiang, Wang, Ximing, Yang, Jing, Millman, Alexander J., Chen, Minmei, Liu, Deping, Huang, Tao, Jiao, Ming, He, Weitao, Zhao, Xiuchang, Greene, Carolyn M., Kile, James C., Zhou, Suizan, Zhang, Ran, Zeng, Xiaoxu, Guo, Qian, Wang, Dayan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Avian influenza virus; Environmental surveillance; Live-poultry-market; Avian influenza virus; Live-poultry-market; Environmental surveillance
• ISSN: 2590-0536; 2590-0536
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bsheal.2022.12.006

•Scientific questionLive poultry markets can promote the amplification and dissemination of avian influenza viruses and serve as ideal settings for influenza virus transmission at the animal-human interface. Therefore, it is essential for the detection and response to avian influenza viruses surveillance in live poultry markets.•Evidence before this studyDuring the fifth epidemic in 2016-2017, the number of human cases spiked, geographic distribution of low pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) increased. Moreover, a novel highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H7N9) virus was detected in chickens and humans.•New findingsWe conducted environmental surveillance to detect avian influenza viruses circulating at live poultry markets (LPMs) as well as poultry farms at Guangxi, China, where is near China-Vietnam border. Four cross-sectional questionnaire surveys among stall owners on biosecurity practices in LPMs of two study sites were conducted. Among 16,713 environmental specimens were collected and detected, with the median weekly positive rate for avian influenza A 53.6% (range = 33.5% - 66.0%), including 25.2% for H9, 4.9% for H5, and 21.2% for other avian influenza virus A subtypes, whereas a total of two H7 positive samples were detected. Among the 189 LPM stalls were contained in the investigation, in which most stall owners (73.0%) sold both chicken and ducks.•Significance of the studyContinued surveillance for avian influenza virus is necessary for detecting and responding to emerging trends in avian influenza virus epidemiology. We conducted environmental surveillance to detect avian influenza viruses circulating at live poultry markets (LPMs) and poultry farms in Guangxi Autonomous Region, China, where near the China-Vietnam border. From November through April 2017–2018 and 2018–2019, we collected environmental samples from 14 LPMs, 4 poultry farms, and 5 households with backyard poultry in two counties of Guangxi and tested for avian influenza A, H5, H7, and H9 by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). In addition, we conducted four cross-sectional questionnaire surveys among stall owners on biosecurity practices in LPMs of two study sites. Among 16,713 environmental specimens collected and tested, the median weekly positive rate for avian influenza A was 53.6% (range = 33.5% − 66.0%), including 25.2% for H9, 4.9% for H5, and 21.2% for other avian influenza viruses A subtypes, whereas a total of two H7 positive samples were detected. Among the 189 LPM stalls investigated, most stall owners (73.0%) sold chickens and ducks. Therefore, continued surveillance of the avian influenza virus is necessary for detecting and responding to emerging trends in avian influenza virus epidemiology.