title: Serologic evidence of avian metapneumovirus infection among adults occupationally exposed to Turkeys.
abstract: Genetically similar, the avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) and the human MPV (hMPV) are the only viruses in the Metapneumovirus genus. Previous research demonstrated the ability of hMPV to cause clinical disease in turkeys. In this controlled, cross-sectional, seroepidemiological study, we examined the hypothesis that aMPV might infect humans. We enrolled 95 adults occupationally exposed to turkeys and 82 nonexposed controls. Sera from study participants were examined for antibodies against aMPV and hMPV. Both in bivariate (OR=3.2; 95% CI: 1.1-9.2) and in multivariate modelling adjusting for antibody to hMPV (OR=4.1; 95% CI: 1.3-13.1), meat-processing workers were found to have an increased odds of previous infection with aMPV compared to controls. While hMPV antibody cross-reactivity is evident, these data suggest that occupational exposure to turkeys is a risk factor for human infection with aMPV. More studies are needed to validate these findings, to identify modes of aMPV transmission, and to determine risk factors associated with infection.
authors: Division of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. ghazi.kayali@stjude.org
authors: Ghazi
authors: G
authors: Kayali
authors: Ernesto J
authors: EJ
authors: Ortiz
authors: Margaret L
authors: ML
authors: Chorazy
authors: Kakambi V
authors: KV
authors: Nagaraja
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: DeBeauchamp
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: Webby
authors: Gregory C
authors: GC
authors: Gray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014422:Turkeys / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral