Mb Rahman

Surveillance, epidemiological, and virological detection of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses in duck and poultry from Bangladesh.

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) continue to pose a global threat. Waterfowl are the main reservoir and are responsible for the spillover of AIVs to other hosts. This study was conducted as part of routine surveillance activities in Bangladesh and it reports on the serological and molecular detection of H5N1 AIV subtype. A total of 2169 cloacal and 2191 oropharyngeal swabs as well as 1725 sera samples were collected from live birds including duck and chicken in different locations in Bangladesh between the years of 2013 and 2014. Samples were tested using virus isolation, serological tests and molecular methods of RT-PCR. Influenza A viruses were detected using reverse transcription PCR targeting the virus matrix (M) gene in 41/4360 (0.94%) samples including both cloacal and oropharyngeal swab samples, 31 of which were subtyped as H5N1 using subtype-specific primers. Twenty-one live H5N1 virus isolates were recovered from those 31 samples. Screening of 1,868 blood samples collected from the same birds using H5-specific ELISA identified 545/1603 (34%) positive samples. Disconcertingly, an analysis of 221 serum samples collected from vaccinated layer chicken in four districts revealed that only 18 samples (8.1%) were seropositive for anti H5 antibodies, compared to unvaccinated birds (n=105), where 8 samples (7.6%) were seropositive. Our result indicates that the vaccination program as currently implemented should be reviewed and updated. In addition, surveillance programs are crucial for monitoring the efficacy of the current poultry vaccinations programs, and to monitor the circulating AIV strains and emergence of AIV subtypes in Bangladesh.

Molecular detection of Pasteurella multocida type B causing haemorrhagic septicemia in cattle and buffaloes in Bangladesh

Haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) is an acute and highly fatal septicemic disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by Pasteurella multocida. The disease has a high morbidity and mortality in cattle, particularly in buffaloes. P. multocida are classified into several serotypes based on their capsular and somatic antigens. According to the capsular polysaccharides P. multocida according are classified into five serotypes designated A, B, D, E and F, while according to the cell wall lipopolysaccharides typing they are classified into 16 somatic serotypes (Cartet, GR., 1955; Carter and Alwis, 1989). The general and biochemical properties of the various strains are very similar, and from this point of view these organisms all belong to the single species, but different serotypes show different pathogenicity when tested in various hosts. The etiology of HS is P. multocida serotype B: 2 and E: 2 (Annas et al., 2014; Chung et al., 2015; Marza et al., 2015).