ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the transmission of swine influenza through occupational exposure and to assess some risk factors for zoonotic transmission in workers from commercial farms in Mexico. Seroprevalence to swine influenza subtypes was determined by hemagglutinin inhibition assay and was higher in exposed (E), in comparison with unexposed (UE) participants (P<0.05). Percentages of seropositivity between UE and E were 28.57% and 19.35% to A/NewCaledonia/20/99 (H1N1), 68.25% and 33.87% to A/Panama/2001/99-like (H3N2), 1.58% and 12.9% to A/Sw/England/163266/87 (H3N2), respectively. No antibodies were detected against A/Sw/Wisconsin/238/97 (H1N1) in the UE subjects, and only 3.22% were positive in the E group (P<0.05). A significant association between elevated antibody titres to swine influenza virus (SIV) H3N2 and the exposition to swine [OR 3.05, 95% (CI) 1.65-5.64] and to geographic location [OR 8.15, 95% (CI) 1.41-47.05] was found. Vaccination appeared as a protective factor [OR 0.05, 95% (CI) 0.01-0.52]. Farms with high number of breeding herd were associated with increased anti-SIV antibodies in the E group [OR 3.98, 95% (CI) 1.00-15.86]. These findings are relevant and support the evidence of zoonoses in swine farms and point out the need to implement preventive measures to diminish the occurrence of the disease and the potential emergence of pathogenic reassortant strains.
