Avian Influenza H7 Surveillance on Backyard Birds around El-Abassa Lake in Egypt, 2007
Avian Influenza H7 Surveillance on Backyard Birds around El-Abassa Lake in Egypt, 2007
Arafa, A.; Kanawaty, Z.; Abdclwhab. E. M.; Hassan, M.K.; and Aly M.M.
ABSTRACT
Since Egypt in the main fly-way of migratory birds, so there is permanent risk of the transmission of emerging transboundary diseases, in particular Avian Influenza, from European and Asian countries to Egypt. Moreover, absence of biosecurity measures in backyard birds and possibility of continuous contact with wild migratory birds make the vulnerability of backyards to avian influenza much easier than commercial poultry farms. Avian Influenza subtype H7 was isolated from wild migratory ducks in El-Abassa Lake at El-Sharkia Governorate in 2007. To avoid repeating the scenario of H5N1 introduction to Egypt through wild migratory ducks to Egyptian poultry sectors, this prompted us to survey avian influenza in Egyptian wetlands, especially El-Abassa Lake and neighboring areas. Eleven villages around the lake were included in the surveillance. Serological examination using Avian Influenza type (A) antibody ELISA revealed 4/73 positive samples of chicken sera, while HI test against AI-H7 revealed negative results for all examined species. Molecular examination of swab samples by RRT-PCR revealed negative results for Avian Influenza H7. The current paper documents absence of Al-H7 in backyard birds around El-Abassa Lake in Egypt during the surveillance in October, 2007. Also this study highlights the need for continuous active surveillance of poultry especially in areas with high risk of exposure to migratory birds and wetlands and to monitor the presence of avian influenza viruses especially H5 and H7 which are known to threaten the domestic poultry.
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