PAKISTAN VETERINARY JOURNAL

Pak Vet J, 2013, 33(3): 272-276

Zoonosis Update on H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus

Abdul Ahad*, Masood Rabbani, Altaf Mahmood¹, Zulfiqar Hussan Kuthu², Arfan Ahmad and Muhammad Mahmudur Rahman

Department of Microbiology, ¹Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, ²Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan; ³Department of Pharmacology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
*Corresponding author: ahadvet1969@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract

Influenza A viruses infect various mammals like human, horse, pig and birds as well. A total of 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) subtypes have been identified. Most of the combinations are found in birds and relatively few have been isolated from mammals. Although there is no report of human to human transmission till to date, several cases of H5N1, H7N7 and H9N2 identified in humans since 1997 raised serious concern for health and veterinary profession. This review paper will focus H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) with special emphasis on zoonosis. The virus H9N2 though not highly pathogenic like H5N1 but can be virulent through antigenic drift and shift.

Key words: Avian Influenza Virus, H9N2, Pandemic

Abstract

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)
ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)