Serological Evidence of Human Infection with Avian Influenza A H7virus in Egyptian Poultry Growers.
Avian influenza viruses circulate widely in birds, with occasional human infections. Poultry-exposed individuals are considered to be at high risk of infection with avian influenza viruses due to frequent exposure to poultry. Some avian H7 viruses have occasionally been found to infect humans. Seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies against influenza A/H7N7 virus among poultry-exposed and unexposed individuals in Egypt were assessed during a three-years prospective cohort study. The seroprevalence of antibodies (titer, ≥80) among exposed individuals was 0%, 1.9%, and 2.1% annually while the seroprevalence among the control group remained 0% as measured by virus microneutralization assay. We then confirmed our results using western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Although human infection with H7 in Egypt has not been reported yet, our results suggested that Egyptian poultry growers are exposed to avian H7 viruses. These findings highlight the need for surveillance in the people exposed to poultry to monitor the risk of zoonotic transmission of avian influenza viruses.
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Mokhtar R
MR
Gomaa
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed
A
Kandeil
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed S
AS
Kayed
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Mona A
MA
Elabd
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Shaimaa A
SA
Zaki
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Dina
D
Abu Zeid
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Amira S
AS
El Rifay
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of science, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Adel A
AA
Mousa
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of science, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mohamed M
MM
Farag
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.
Pamela P
PP
McKenzie
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.
Richard J
RJ
Webby
Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Mohamed A
MA
Ali
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.|Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America.|Human Link, Hazmieh, Lebanon.
Ghazi
G
Kayali
D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D004534:Egypt; D006801:Humans; D053126:Influenza A Virus, H7N7 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011200:Poultry; D011446:Prospective Studies
D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing