Possible Route of Transmission of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Virus Type H5N1 in Family Poultry at Rural Bangladesh
M. S. I. Khan1, 2*, S. M. F. Akbar3, S. T.
Hossain4, M. Mahatab5, M. M. Hossain2
and Z. Idrus1
1Institute
of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400
UPM
Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia;
2Department
of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University,
Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh;
3Department
of Medical Science, Toshiba General Hospital, Tokyo 140-8522, Japan;
4Friends
In Village Development Bangladesh, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh;
5Department
of Hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University,
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
*Corresponding author:
sakirul.khan@gmail.com;
sakirul.khan@putra.upm.edu.my
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus type H5N1 represents one of the major
causes of morbidity and mortality of poultry in both developed and developing
countries. However, little is known about the transmission of this virus in
developing countries that
usually raise
poultry as family-based farming. The study was conducted at 10 of total 64
administrative districts of Bangladesh that experienced H5N1 virus outbreaks
since 2007. Trained field workers visited 30 rural families at each district to
check family poultry management system. The collected data were transcribed and
coded according to the standardized mutual performance of the field workers.
Approximately
two-third
of farmers (67%) were rearing only chickens and remaining (33%)
both
chickens and ducks. Most of the farmers provided
night shelter to their birds inside their living room (24%) or close proximate
(69%).Usually
ducks were scavenged in water land (58.6%) or paddy field (18.2%). The majority
of owners (93%) also shared
the same water land with migratory/wild birds
for their daily necessity.
The marketing system of poultry was characterized by comprehensive interactions
among family poultry and commercial birds for prolonged duration. Unsold or
newly bought birds were
brought back
to farmer’s house in almost all instances (97.8%). Findings from this study
indicated that
interactions of
domestic chickens and ducks
with
their owners (through
contaminated agricultural and fisheries tools or clothing)
are partially, if not solely, responsible for wide spread transmission of Avian
influenza virus type H5N1.
Key words:
Avian influenza (H5N1),
Family poultry,
Integrated farming,
Risks of infection,
Rural area