Browsing by Author "Palma, Tamara"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Exposure Practices to Animal-Origin Influenza A Virus at the Animal-Human Interface in Poultry and Swine Backyard Farms
    (2024) Baumberger, Cecilia; Anriquez, Gustavo; Galdames, Pablo; Palma, Tamara; Gonzalez, Maria Antonieta; Orozco, Katherinne; Oyarzun, Cristobal; Rojas, Camila; Marambio, Victor; Ruiz, Soledad; Di Pillo, Francisca; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey; Jimenez-Bluhm, Pedro; Rushton, Jonathan; Hamilton-West, Christopher
    Aim: Backyard production systems (BPS) represent an interface of contact between people, domestic and wild animals. Studies conducted in Chile during the last decade have provided extensive evidence of influenza A virus (IAV) circulation in backyard poultry and swine. The aim of this study was to investigate exposure practices of humans to animal-origin IAV within backyards. Methods and Results: Backyard farmers and household members of a total of 101 BPS in the proximity of wetlands located throughout Chile were interviewed between 2021 and 2022. Data were collected on the nature of human-animal contacts through participation in productive activities conducted within backyards, which was used to estimate participants' exposure risk to animal-origin IAV. Additionally, RT-qPCR and serologic IAV active surveillance was carried out in backyard animals. Multilinear regression was used to identify factors associated with exposure risk. Overall, IAV prevalence was 10.1% (95% CI: 4.7%-15.5%) and seroprevalence was 43.5% (95% CI: 29.7%-54.2%), both at the BPS level. Of 180 interviewees, 86% reported par-ticipating regularly in poultry or swine exposure activities within the backyard. A greater participation of male participants was observed when evaluating swine exposure activities, while female participation was greater for some activities related to poultry handling. Handwashing was a very extended hygiene practice; however, the use of personal protective equipment was uncom-mon. Different factors related to participants, households and backyards were associated with an increased exposure risk of participants to animal-origin IAV: (i) older age, (ii) less years of education, (iii) no off-farm work, (iv) greater backyard production value and (v) greater household consumption of backyard products.