title: Risk factors for H7 and H9 infection in commercial poultry farm workers in provinces within Pakistan.
abstract: A cross sectional survey was conducted involving 354 farm poultry workers on 85 randomly selected commercial poultry farms in high density poultry farm areas in Pakistan to estimate the sero-prevalence of H5, H7 and H9 and to identify the potential risk factors for infection with the avian influenza virus. A haemagglutination inhibition test titre at 1:160 dilution was considered positive, based on WHO guidelines. The estimated sero-prevalence was 0% for H5, 21.2% for H7 and 47.8% for H9. Based on a generalized linear mixed model, the significant risk factors for H7 infection were area, type of farm and age of poultry worker. Risk of infection increased with the age of poultry workers. Compared with broiler farms, breeder farms presented a greater risk of infection (odds ratio [OR]=3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4, 10.1). Compared with the combined Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and Federal area, North Punjab had higher observed biosecurity measures and presented a lesser risk of infection (OR=0.3, 95% CI 0.1, 0.9). Biosecurity should therefore be enhanced (especially in breeder farms) to reduce the occupational risks in poultry farm workers and to decrease the risk of emergent human-adapted strains of AI H7 and H9 viruses.
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan; Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Electronic address: ahadvet1969@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahad
authors.affiliation: AsureQuality, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ronald N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabbani
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yaqub
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Younus
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Khushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Altaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Zubair
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.affiliation: Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Mohammad Abul
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kashem
authors.affiliation: Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Zohorul
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: Punum
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mangtani
authors.affiliation: James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Graham William
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Hein Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tun
authors.affiliation: Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Electronic address: md.hoque@my.jcu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Md Ahasanul
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hoque
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D057916:Influenza A Virus, H7N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D053127:Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011200:Poultry; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Avian influenza; H7; H9; Poultry farm workers; Serological-survey