title: Risk factors for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 infection in backyard chicken farms, Thailand.
abstract: To reduce the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 infection in humans, the pathways by which HPAI is spread in poultry must be determined. Backyard poultry farmers are particularly vulnerable to the threat of HPAI, with both their health and livelihoods at risk. Identifying the risk factors for HPAI infection in backyard farms should allow control measures to be better targeted. To study the risk factors of HPAI H5N1 infection, we carried out a case-control study on backyard chicken farms in Thailand, analyzing 104 case farms and 382 control farms. Data on farming practices and environmental characteristics were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models. We show that farms where owners bought live chickens from another backyard farm had a higher risk of HPAI H5N1 infection (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.72-6.47), while those where owners used a disinfectant to clean poultry areas were exposed to lower risk (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.87). Our results highlight the important role of the trade of poultry between farms in the transmission of HPAI H5N1, in addition to farming practices and environmental characteristics. Findings from this study may help to tailor prevention measures to the local circumstances of backyard farms in different regions of the world.
authors: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Unité Epidémiologie Animale UR 346, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France. mpaul@clermont.inra.fr
authors: Mathilde
authors: M
authors: Paul
authors: Sirichai
authors: S
authors: Wongnarkpet
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Gasqui
authors: Chaithep
authors: C
authors: Poolkhet
authors: Sukanya
authors: S
authors: Thongratsakul
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Ducrot
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Roger
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002645:Chickens; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology