title: Prevalence of antibodies against avian influenza A (H5N1) virus among Cullers and poultry workers in Ho Chi Minh City, 2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Between 2003 and 2005, highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses caused large scale outbreaks in poultry in the Ho Chi Minh City area in Vietnam. We studied the prevalence of antibodies against H5N1 in poultry workers and cullers who were active in the program in Ho Chi Minh City in 2004 and 2005.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Single sera from 500 poultry workers and poultry cullers exposed to infected birds were tested for antibodies to avian influenza H5N1, using microneutralization assays and hemagglutination inhibition assay with horse blood. All sera tested negative using microneutralization tests. Three samples showed a 1ratio80 titer in the hemagglutination inhibition assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides additional support for the low transmissibility of clade 1 H5N1 to humans, but limited transmission to highly exposed persons cannot be excluded given the presence of low antibody titers in some individuals.
authors: Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. schultsz@gmail.com
authors: Constance
authors: C
authors: Schultsz
authors: Van Dung
authors: VD
authors: Nguyen
authors: Le Thanh
authors: le T
authors: Hai
authors: Quang Ha
authors: QH
authors: Do
authors: J S Malik
authors: JS
authors: Peiris
authors: Wilina
authors: W
authors: Lim
authors: Jean-Michel
authors: JM
authors: Garcia
authors: Dac Tho
authors: DT
authors: Nguyen
authors: Thi Hoang Lan
authors: TH
authors: Nguyen
authors: Huu Tho
authors: HT
authors: Huynh
authors: Xuan Thao
authors: XT
authors: Phan
authors: H Rogier
authors: HR
authors: van Doorn
authors: Van Vinh Chau
authors: VV
authors: Nguyen
authors: Jeremy
authors: J
authors: Farrar
authors: Menno D
authors: MD
authors: de Jong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011200:Poultry / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014744:Vietnam