Surveillance for influenza viruses in poultry and swine, west Africa, 2006-2008

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases 9 (18), 1446-52. (2012)
• Main Authors: Couacy-Hymann, Emmanuel, Kouakou, Viviane A, Aplogan, Gilbert L, Awoume, Felix, Kouakou, Casimir K, Kakpo, Lamidi, Sharp, Bridgett R, McClenaghan, Laura, McKenzie, Pamela, Webster, Robert G, Webby, Richard J
• Format: Publication
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Emerging diseases; Infectious diseases; Maladies infectieuses; Maladies émergentes; Médecine vétérinaire et santé animal; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Veterinary medicine and animal Health; Virologie; Virology

To determine the extent of animal influenza virus circulation in Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo, we initiated systematic year-round active influenza surveillance in backyard birds (predominantly chickens, guinea fowl, and ducks) and pigs. A total of 26,746 swab specimens were screened by using reverse transcription PCR. Animal influenza prevalence was estimated at 0 (95% CIs for each of the 2 study years 0-0.04% to 0-1.48% [birds] and 0-0.28% to 0-5% [pigs]). In addition, 2,276 serum samples from the same populations were negative for influenza-specific antibodies. These data indicate that the environments and host populations previously identified as harboring high levels of influenza virus in Southeast Asia do not do so in these 3 countries. The combination of climate and animal density factors might be responsible for what appears to be the absence of influenza virus in the backyard sector of the 3 countries.