ARS | Publication request: Avian influenza: Current world situation

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 15, 2010
Publication Date: April 29, 2010
Citation: Suarez, D.L., Pantin Jackwood, M.J. 2010. Avian influenza: Current world situation [abstract]. 12th International Program on Avian Pathology and Production, April 29, 2010, Athens, Georgia. CDROM.

Technical Abstract: The human pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus had its origin with animal influenza viruses, likely through a reassortment event between a North American swine influenza virus and another unidentified virus. The first turkey flock to be diagnosed with pH1N1 occurred in Chile, in August 2009. The flock suffered a drop in egg production similar to what is seen in turkey flocks infected with swine influenza viruses. Experimentally the intrauterine route of inoculation is a likely source of field exposure because turkeys are artificially inseminated and virus could be introduced on the insemination equipment. Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) remains an ongoing and costly issue to the poultry industry, and vaccination is still widely used for control. The Asian lineage H5N1 HPAI virus, that was first isolated in 1996, continues to be the most important avian influenza virus in the world. This lineage of virus has a number of unusual features that has made control difficult. The H5N1 virus continues to pose a public health threat with human infections occurring every year. Vaccination of poultry continues to be a commonly used tool for the control of H5N1 HPAIV, but the field continues to rapidly change.