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. 2019 Sep 24;12(1):628.
doi: 10.1186/s13104-019-4667-4.

Detection of pandemic influenza A/H1N1/pdm09 virus among pigs but not in humans in slaughterhouses in Kenya, 2013-2014

Eric Mogaka Osoro  1 , Shirley Lidechi  2 , Jeremiah Nyaundi  2 , Doris Marwanga  2 , Athman Mwatondo  3 , Mathew Muturi  4 , Zipporah Ng'ang'a  5 , Kariuki Njenga  6
Affiliations

Detection of pandemic influenza A/H1N1/pdm09 virus among pigs but not in humans in slaughterhouses in Kenya, 2013-2014

Eric Mogaka Osoro et al. BMC Res Notes. .

Abstract

Objective: We conducted four cross-sectional studies over 1 year among humans and pigs in three slaughterhouses in Central and Western Kenya (> 350 km apart) to determine infection and exposure to influenza A viruses. Nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) swabs were collected from participants who reported acute respiratory illness (ARI) defined as fever, cough or running nose. Nasal swabs and blood samples were collected from pigs. Human NP/OP and pig nasal swabs were tested for influenza A virus by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and pig serum was tested for anti-influenza A antibodies by ELISA.

Results: A total of 288 participants were sampled, 91.3% of them being male. Fifteen (5.2%) participants had ARI but the nine swabs collected from them were negative for influenza A virus by PCR. Of the 1128 pigs sampled, five (0.4%) nasal swabs tested positive for influenza A/H1N1/pdm09 by PCR whereas 214 of 1082 (19.8%) serum samples tested for Influenza A virus antibodies. There was higher seroprevalence in colder months and among pigs reared as free-range. These findings indicate circulation of influenza A/H1N1/pdm09 among pigs perhaps associated with good adaptation of the virus to the pig population after initial transmission from humans to pigs.

Keywords: Human; Influenza A virus; Surveillance; Swine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map of Kenya showing the three counties where the sampling was conducted. Inset is a map of Africa with Kenya highlighted. Map created in QGIS
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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