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Review
. 2016 Nov 3;21(44):30388.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2016.21.44.30388.

Weighing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses - a literature review

Reina Saapke Sikkema  1   2 , Gudrun Stephanie Freidl  1   2 , Erwin de Bruin  2 , Marion Koopmans  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Weighing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses - a literature review

Reina Saapke Sikkema et al. Euro Surveill. .

Abstract

Assessing influenza A virus strains circulating in animals and their potential to cross the species barrier and cause human infections is important to improve human influenza surveillance and preparedness. We reviewed studies describing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses. Comparing serological data is difficult due to a lack of standardisation in study designs and in laboratory methods used in published reports. Therefore, we designed a scoring system to assess and weigh specificity of obtained serology results in the selected articles. Many studies report reliable evidence of antibodies to swine influenza viruses among persons occupationally exposed to pigs. Most avian influenza studies target H5, H7 and H9 subtypes and most serological evidence of human exposure to avian influenza viruses is reported for these subtypes. Avian influenza studies receiving a low grade in this review often reported higher seroprevalences in humans compared with studies with a high grade. Official surveillance systems mainly focus on avian H5 and H7 viruses. Swine influenza viruses and avian subtypes other than H5 and H7 (emphasising H9) should be additionally included in official surveillance systems. Surveillance efforts should also be directed towards understudied geographical areas, such as Africa and South America.

Keywords: avian influenza; emerging or re-emerging diseases; influenza; laboratory surveillance; zoonoses; zoonotic infections.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Geographical origin of animal influenza serological studies in humans, 1946–2014 (n=94 studies)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diagnostic methods used in serological studies investigating animal influenza exposure of humans according to time period, 1946–2014 (n=94 studies)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scoring results of the included swine and avian influenza serological studies in humans, 1946–2014 (n=94 studies)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Seroprevalence of antibodies to different swine influenza viruses in exposed and control humans, 1946–2014 (n=39 studies)
Figure 5
Figure 5
Seroprevalence of antibodies to different avian influenza viruses in exposed and control humans 1946–2014 (n=56 studies)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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