title: Troop education and avian influenza surveillance in military barracks in Ghana, 2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Influenza A viruses that cause highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) also infect humans. In many developing countries such as Ghana, poultry and humans live in close proximity in both the general and military populations, increasing risk for the spread of HPAI from birds to humans. Respiratory infections such as influenza are especially prone to rapid spread among military populations living in close quarters such as barracks making this a key population for targeted avian influenza surveillance and public health education.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve military barracks situated in the coastal, tropical rain forest and northern savannah belts of the country were visited and the troops and their families educated on pandemic avian influenza. Attendants at each site was obtained from the attendance sheet provided for registration. The seminars focused on zoonotic diseases, influenza surveillance, pathogenesis of avian influenza, prevention of emerging infections and biosecurity. To help direct public health policies, a questionnaire was used to collect information on animal populations and handling practices from 102 households in the military barracks. Cloacal and tracheal samples were taken from 680 domestic and domesticated wild birds and analysed for influenza A using molecular methods for virus detection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1028 participants that took part in the seminars, 668 (65%) showed good knowledge of pandemic avian influenza and the risks associated with its infection. Even though no evidence of the presence of avian influenza (AI) infection was found in the 680 domestic and wild birds sampled, biosecurity in the households surveyed was very poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active surveillance revealed that there was no AI circulation in the military barracks in April 2011. Though participants demonstrated good knowledge of pandemic avian influenza, biosecurity practices were minimal. Sustained educational programs are needed to further strengthen avian influenza surveillance and prevention in military barracks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: John Kofi
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Odoom
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bel-Nono
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Prince G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Agbenohevi
authors.forename: Courage K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Dafeamekpor
authors.forename: Roland M L
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sowa
authors.forename: Fenteng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Danso
authors.forename: Reuben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tettey
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suu-Ire
authors.forename: Joseph H K
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bonney
authors.forename: Ivy A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Asante
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aboagye
authors.forename: Christopher Zaab-Yen
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Abana
authors.forename: Joseph Asamoah
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frimpong
authors.forename: Karl C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kronmann
authors.forename: Buhari A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Oyofo
authors.forename: William K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ampofo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D058749:Military Facilities; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity