title: Widespread of H5N1 infections in apparently healthy backyard poultry.
abstract: Highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 represents a threat to the poultry industry and human health worldwide. Inapparently infected birds are suspected to play an essential role in the spread of avian influenza virus. In the current study, a total of 25,646 samples (16,185 chicken, 4696 ducks, 1633 geese and 3132 turkeys) from apparently healthy birds were screened for the presence of positive samples for H5N1 during 2009-2014. The samples were examined by reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) for M, H5 and N1 genes of avian influenza viruses. The results revealed that the HPAI H5N1 existed in an inapparent manner in ducks (4.68 %), geese (4.10 %), chickens (2.48 %) and turkeys (2.29 %). The current finding highlights the serious impact of such type on birds in the epidemiology of H5N1 in birds, animals and humans. It also highlights the existence of another reason other than vaccination that contributes to the widespread of inapparent infection of H5N1 in Egypt.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Health, Fayoum, 63511, Egypt.
authors.forename: Khaled G A
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Abozaid
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Health, Dokki, Giza, 12618, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mona M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62511, Egypt. asa@bsu.edu.eg.|Microbiology Department, Virology Division, College of Medicine, Taif University, Al-Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia. asa@bsu.edu.eg.
authors.forename: Ahmed S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abdel-Moneim
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62511, Egypt.
authors.forename: Magdy F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: El-Kady
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: Domestic birds; Egypt; H5N1; Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI); Inapparent infection; rRT-PCR