Researchers identify risk factors for avian influenza at live bird markets
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At live bird markets, the risk for avian influenza is higher among workers at large retail markets, women workers, and workers who clean, slaughter, defeather and eviscerate poultry, according to results of a recent meta-analysis.
Xiaoyan Zhou, MD, of the University of Queensland’s School of Veterinary Science, Australia, and colleagues said their findings may help improve infection prevention and control programs at live bird markets (LBMs), where avian influenza (AI) viruses can be maintained and transmitted over long periods of time, according to the researchers.
“After the emergence of [highly pathogenic avian influenza] H5N1 influenza in 2003, several studies have documented that LBMs could be sources of human AI infections,” the researchers wrote in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. “The importance of LBMs in the transmission of AI to humans was also highlighted by the emergence of influenza A (H7N9) viruses of low pathogenicity to poultry in early 2013, causing human infections without preceding or concomitant outbreaks in poultry. Exposure to H7N9-infected poultry at LBMs has been implicated as the main risk factor for human infection.”
Biosecurity practices have been implemented at LBMs to reduce the introduction and spread of AI infections among animal populations, Zhou and colleagues reported. These practices include limiting the number of poultry species that are sold at a single market, deploying sufficient cleaning and disinfection procedures and ensuring rest days, when markets are cleared and cleaned.
To determine the impact of biosecurity practices and better understand risk factors for AI, Zhou and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 79 studies published between 2003 and 2018. The studies — 25 in English and 54 Chinese — were conducted in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt and Indonesia.
When examining market characteristics, the risk for AI infection was lower in LBMs:
- small in size (OR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.88);
- selling only one poultry species (OR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.11-0.76);
- located in central city areas vs. noncentral city areas (OR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97);
- with cleaning and disinfection protocols in place (OR 0 0.35; 95% CI, 0.17-0.73);
- that separate different species (OR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.90);
- banning overnight storage (OR = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.29-0.86); and
- that source poultry locally rather than from other areas (OR – 0.57; 95% CI, 0.35-0.94).
Zhou and colleagues also found that AI risk was lower;
- after poultry had a day of rest vs. before a day of rest (OR = 0.20; 95% CI, 0.11-0.38);
- in summer and autumn months (OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44-0.96);
- among male workers (OR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54-0.87);
- in wholesale markets vs. retail markets (OR = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.22-0.65);
- among workers who did not clean feed trays (OR = 0.34; 95% CI, 0.13-0.90);
- among workers who were not in contact with ducks (OR = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.12-0.64);
- among workers who did not slaughter poultry (OR = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03-0.56);
- among workers who did not defeather poultry (OR = 0.19; 95% CI, 0.07-0.51); and
- among workers not involved in poultry evisceration (OR = 0.19; 95% CI, 0.07-0.52).
In light of these findings, the researchers noted that biosecurity practices should be targeted to LBMs that sell and slaughter poultry, as well as markets with multiple animal species. The results also highlight the need to focus surveillance efforts during winter and spring months.
– by Stephanie Viguers
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.