Assessment of low pathogenic avian influenza virus transmission via raw poultry meat and raw table eggs

Abstract

A rapid qualitative assessment has been done by performing a theoretical analysis on the transmission of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) via fresh meat from poultry reared or kept in captivity for the production of meat (raw poultry meat) or raw table eggs. A predetermined transmission pathway followed a number of steps from a commercial or non‐commercial poultry establishment within the EU exposed to LPAI virus (LPAIV) to the onward virus transmission to animals and humans. The combined probability of exposure and subsequent LPAIV infection via raw poultry meat containing LPAIV is negligible for commercial poultry and humans exposed via consumption whereas it is very unlikely for non‐commercial poultry, wild birds and humans exposed via handling and manipulation. The probability of LPAIV transmission from an individual infected via raw poultry meat containing LPAIV is negligible for commercial poultry and humans, whereas it is very unlikely for non‐commercial poultry and wild birds. The combined probability of exposure and subsequent LPAIV infection via raw table eggs containing LPAIV is negligible for commercial poultry and humans and extremely unlikely to negligible for non‐commercial poultry and wild birds. The probability of LPAIV transmission from an individual infected via raw table eggs containing LPAIV is negligible for commercial poultry and humans and very unlikely to negligible for non‐commercial poultry and wild birds. Although the presence of LPAIV in raw poultry meat and table eggs is very unlikely to negligible, there is in general a high level of uncertainty on the estimation of the subsequent probabilities of key steps of the transmission pathways for poultry and wild birds, mainly due to the limited number of studies available, for instance on the viral load required to infect a bird via raw poultry meat or raw table eggs containing LPAIV.

The Genomic Evolution and the Transmission Dynamics of H6N2 Avian Influenza A Viruses in Southern China

“…Perhaps more concerning, since 2003, 861 cases of human infection with H5N1 AIVs have been confirmed, 455 of which ended in death, for a case fatality rate of approximately 53% [6]; and, since 2013, 1567 cases of infection with H7N9 AIVs have been confirmed, 615 of which were fatal, for a case fatality rate of approximately 39% [7], posing considerable threats to public health. Relative to HPAIVs, low pathogenic AIVs (LPAIV) cause only mild clinical disease in poultry, commonly associated with a decline in egg production, abnormal eggs, and high morbidity but low mortality [8,9]. Of particular note is that the H6 subtype viruses in aquatic birds rose significantly in China in recent years.…”

Neuraminidase-associated plasminogen recruitment enables systemic spread of natural avian Influenza viruses H3N1

“…inoculation, some strains replicate in renal tubules and pancreatic acinar cells [20,21]. In wild birds, the infection is subclinical and usually only detected in active surveillance studies [22,23]. In poultry (gallinaceous birds kept for egg or meat production), infection is associated with no or only mild clinical disease of the upper respiratory tract and/or drop in egg production [24][25][26][27].…”

The Emergence and Zoonotic Transmission of H10Nx Avian Influenza Virus Infections

“…Absence of the polybasic cleavage site usually classifies the virus as being LPAIV ( 13 , 14 ), but the presence of di- or tribasic cleavage sites can lead to enhanced pathogenicity ( 15 ). LPAIV typically causes milder clinical disease in poultry, often associated with high morbidity (>50%) and low mortality (<5%) ( 16 , 17 ). However, in some cases of LPAIV infection, mortality can increase, depending on the host susceptibility as well as instances of concurrent or secondary infection with other diseases ( 16 , 18 , 19 ).…”