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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #312397
Title: Airborne transmission of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses during simulated home slaughter

Author
item BERTRAN, KATERI - Consultant
item Balzli, Charles
item Moresco, Kira
item Swayne, David

Submitted to: International Symposium on Avian Influenza
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2015
Publication Date: 4/12/2015
Citation: Bertran, K., Balzli, C.L., Moresco, K.A., Swayne, D.E. 2015. Airborne transmission of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses during simulated home slaughter [abstract]. 9th International Symposium on Avian Influenza, Athens, Georgia. p. 47.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Most H5N1 human infections have occurred following exposure to H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) virus-infected poultry, especially when poultry are home slaughtered or slaughtered in live poultry markets. Previous studies have demonstrated that slaughter of clade 1 isolate A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (VN1203/04) H5N1 HPAI virus-infected chickens produces airborne virus capable of infecting naïve chickens and ferrets. In the current study, adult White Leghorn hens and Pekin ducks were inoculated intranasally with 6log10 EID50/0.1ml of the following H5N1 HPAI isolates: clade 1 VN1203/04, clade 1.1 A/chicken/Vietnam/NCVD-878/2011 (VN878/11), clade 2.1.3 A/chicken/West Java-Subang/29/2007 (WJ/07), clade 2.2.1 A/chicken/Egypt/102d/2010 (Eg102d/10), clade 2.2.1 A/Egypt/N6658/2011 (Eg6658/11), clade 2.3.2.1 A/chicken/Vietnam/NCVD-675/2011 (VN675/11), and clade 7.2 A/chicken/Vietnam/093/2009 (VN093/09). At 24 hrs (hens) or 2.5 days (ducks) post-inoculation, all birds were infected based on virus isolation from oral swabs and were slaughtered following a simulated home slaughter protocol with testing for virus in large (>4 µm), small (1-4 µm), and fine (<1 µm) airborne particles. Small and large airborne particles containing infectious HPAI virus were successfully recovered from air after the slaughter of hens infected with VN878/11, Eg6658/11, WJ/07, and VN1203/04 isolates, and after the slaughter of ducks infected with VN878/11, Eg6658/11, and VN1203/04. The present study indicates that human-origin viruses from clades 1 and 2.2.1 and avian-origin viruses from clades 1.1 and 2.1.3 may harbor distinct abilities to produce airborne virus. Future experiments will determine the potential for transmission of such H5N1 HPAI virus clades to ferrets exposed during simulated home slaughter of infected hens and ducks.