Abstract Title
The Hidden Hurdle: Laboratory-Unconfirmed Poultry Diseases May Hinder HPAI Surveillance in Resource Constrained Settings
Abstract
Background: Newcastle Disease (ND) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) affect poultry worldwide, across economies. These diseases exhibit similar clinical presentations, necessitating laboratory testing to differentiate. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recommends laboratory confirmation for ND diagnosis, though resource-limited countries often rely on presumptive evidence for diagnosis, risking misclassification of HPAI. We explored differences in poultry outbreaks reported for these diseases by country income level.
Methods: We analyzed reports of poultry outbreaks submitted by WOAH member countries (Members) from July–December 2023. For each Member, we assigned country income level according to World Bank classifications. Members were categorized based on outbreaks reported during the six-month period: exclusively ND, exclusively HPAI, or a combination of ND and HPAI outbreaks. Differences among these categories and income level were assessed using Fisher’s exact test.
Results: Of the 114 Members with data available, 11 (10%) were assigned to low-income countries and 45 (39%) high-income countries. Among Members reporting outbreaks (n=84), 67% of low-income countries reported exclusively ND, none exclusively HPAI, and 33% both ND and HPAI. Conversely, 82% of high-income countries reported exclusively HPAI outbreaks, 7% exclusively ND, and 11% both ND and HPAI (p-value<0.001).
Conclusion: Lower-income countries predominantly reported ND outbreaks and had scarce HPAI detections, suggesting potential misdiagnosis of HPAI due to lack of systematic testing during poultry illness outbreaks. In light of the global spread of HPAI and its clinical resemblance to ND, public and animal health authorities should promote adherence to laboratory-confirmation of ND as recommended by WOAH.
Methods: We analyzed reports of poultry outbreaks submitted by WOAH member countries (Members) from July–December 2023. For each Member, we assigned country income level according to World Bank classifications. Members were categorized based on outbreaks reported during the six-month period: exclusively ND, exclusively HPAI, or a combination of ND and HPAI outbreaks. Differences among these categories and income level were assessed using Fisher’s exact test.
Results: Of the 114 Members with data available, 11 (10%) were assigned to low-income countries and 45 (39%) high-income countries. Among Members reporting outbreaks (n=84), 67% of low-income countries reported exclusively ND, none exclusively HPAI, and 33% both ND and HPAI. Conversely, 82% of high-income countries reported exclusively HPAI outbreaks, 7% exclusively ND, and 11% both ND and HPAI (p-value<0.001).
Conclusion: Lower-income countries predominantly reported ND outbreaks and had scarce HPAI detections, suggesting potential misdiagnosis of HPAI due to lack of systematic testing during poultry illness outbreaks. In light of the global spread of HPAI and its clinical resemblance to ND, public and animal health authorities should promote adherence to laboratory-confirmation of ND as recommended by WOAH.
Co-Author(s)
Girum S. Ejigu (presenting author), Lindsey M. Duca, Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, Christine M. Szablewski
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
Abstract Category
Notable outbreaks, field and molecular epidemiology, and surveillance in poultry