title: Seroprevalence of avian influenza H9N2 among poultry workers in Shandong Province, China.
abstract: H9N2 avian influenza virus has been circulating widely in birds, with occasional infection among humans. Poultry workers are considered to be at high risk of infection with avian influenza due to their frequent exposure to chickens, but the frequency of H9N2 avian influenza virus infections among them is still indistinct. This study was carried out in order to identify the seroprevalence of H9N2 avian influenza virus among poultry workers in Shandong, China. During the period from December 2011 to February 2012, a total of 482 subjects took part in this study, including 382 poultry workers and 100 healthy residents without occupational poultry exposure. Serum samples were collected and tested for the presence of antibodies against H9N2 avian influenza virus by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and microneutralization (MN) assays. Nine subjects (9/382 = 2.3%) were positive for antibodies against H9N2 avian influenza virus among poultry workers by either HI or MN assays using ≥40 cut-off, while none of the 100 healthy residents were seropositive. In conclusion, our study identified H9N2 avian influenza infections among poultry workers in Shandong, China, and continuous surveillance of H9N2 avian influenza virus infection in humans should be carried out to evaluate the threat to public health.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Daizong Street 61, 271018, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: A-R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Z-H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: X-X
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y-J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Z-M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: T-J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D053127:Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011200:Poultry; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral