Avian Influenza H9N2 Seroprevalence among Poultry Workers in Pune, India, 2010

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 5; p. e36374
• Main Authors: Pawar, Shailesh D., Tandale, Babasaheb V., Raut, Chandrashekhar G., Parkhi, Saurabh S., Barde, Tanaji D., Gurav, Yogesh K., Kode, Sadhana S., Mishra, Akhilesh C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 18.05.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agricultural Workers' Diseases - epidemiology; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - immunology; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - virology; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Assaying; Avian flu; Avian influenza; Avian influenza viruses; Biology; Birds; Chickens; Epidemiology; Hemagglutination inhibition; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; Humans; India - epidemiology; Influenza; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype - immunology; Influenza in Birds - epidemiology; Influenza in Birds - immunology; Influenza in Birds - transmission; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - immunology; Influenza, Human - virology; Medicine; Neutralization Tests; Occupational Exposure; Pandemics; Poultry; Poultry industry; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Seroepidemiology; Veterinary Science; Viral antibodies; Viruses; Workers; India; Hong Kong China; Asia; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036374

Avian influenza (AI) H9N2 has been reported from poultry in India. A seroepidemiological study was undertaken among poultry workers to understand the prevalence of antibodies against AI H9N2 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. A total of 338 poultry workers were sampled. Serum samples were tested for presence of antibodies against AI H9N2 virus by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and microneutralization (MN) assays. A total of 249 baseline sera from general population from Pune were tested for antibodies against AI H9N2 and were negative by HI assay using ≥40 cut-off antibody titre. Overall 21 subjects (21/338 = 6.2%) were positive for antibodies against AI H9N2 by either HI or MN assays using ≥40 cut-off antibody titre. A total of 4.7% and 3.8% poultry workers were positive for antibodies against AI H9N2 by HI and MN assay respectively using 40 as cut-off antibody titre. This is the first report of seroprevalence of antibodies against AI H9N2 among poultry workers in India.