Epidemiology of avian influenza H5N1 virus in Egypt and its zoonotic potential

ObjectiveTo investigate the epidemiology of avian influenza H5N1 virus in domestic poultry and its zoonotic potential in Egypt.MethodsTracheal swabs were collected from two hundred and forty three domestic poultry (chickens, ducks and geese) from commercial farms and backyards, and thirty two blood samples from unvaccinated chickens. Fifty two throat swabs and twenty blood samples were collected from persons who are in contact with diseased and/or infected birds. Tracheal and throat swabs were examined for the presence of avian influenza virus H5N1 genome by real-time RT-PCR whereas blood samples were tested by competitive ELISA for the presence of avian influenza virus H5 antibodies.ResultsThe overall prevalence of H5N1 in the examined birds was 5.3% while the prevalence rates among different poultry species were 9%, 4.7% and 0% for ducks, chicken and geese respectively. Moreover, we detected H5 antibodies in 12.5% of the examined backyard chickens. All examined humans were negative for both viral RNA and antibodies.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the broad circulation of H5N1 virus among poultry in Egypt whereas it still has a limited zoonotic potential so far.