Status ofAvian Influenza (H5N1) in Poultry in three Local Government Areas of Rivers State Nigeria:- Daminabo, Gloria

ABSTRACT xi This study was carried out between July to September 2018 to determine the status of Avian Influenza (Al) in three Local Government Areas (LGA) of Rivers State affected by 2015 Al outbreak. A total of 670 samples comprising 182 sera, 244 oropharyngeal swab and 244 cloacal swabs were collected from commercial poultry farms (CPF), live bird markets (LBM) and Port-Harcourt Zoo as follow: sera, chicken (147), duck (26), turkey (3), guinea-fowl (3) and 1 each of geese, parrots and crown-crane, respectively; swab, chicken (300), duck (150), guinea-fowl (16), turkey (6), peafowl (6), pigeon (4) and 2 each from parrots, crown-crane and geese respectively. Questionnaire administered showed no Al vaccinations were carried out in CPF. 43.9% of nonchicken birds were sourced from Bauchi State, 16.7% from Yobe State and 39.4% from uncertain origin. Of the contacted farms affected by the 2015 outbreak, 40% had not returned to business, ofthe 60% still active, 66.7% rejected the survey, Sera were tested for antibody against Al using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), with a total seropositive of 3.8% comprising ducks (85.7%), and geese (14.3%), W'here, 85.7% were from LBM and 14.3% from farm. No Al virus was detected from swab samples using embryonated egg inoculation and conventional Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) using primers targeting Al matrix proteins (M-gene). Nonchicken poultry from LBM may serve as reservoir for Al, constituting epidemiological risk of an outbreak. Therefore, re-evaluation of control measures for Al to enforce strict biosecurity in LBM and CPF in study areas is recommended.