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Page No. : 89-96

ABSTRACT

The role of avian influenza in devastating pandemics like Spanish flu is indubitable. From time to time Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) has continuously changed itself through the processes like antigenic drift and antigenic shift which enables the virus to quickly adapt to new host environment and facilitate interspecies transmission. The direct zoonoses for the first time was reported for H5N1 highly pathogenic Avian Influenza followed by H7N9, H5N6 and H9N2. H9N2 is a Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) virus reported from wide range of birds including poultry in which it is endemic in many parts of the world. There is an increase in the number of H9N2 human cases since last few years particularly in individuals exposed to poultry mainly live bird market workers. Although H9N2 is itself a public health concern, it also played a very significant role in emergence of some other HPAI viruses with zoonotic potential like H5N1, H7N9, H10N8 by donating its internal genes. The abilities of H9N2 viruses like wide host range, adaptation to both poultry and mammals and extensive inter and intra gene reassortment along with its silent spread in the domestic poultry making it a potential threat to public health.

Key words: Avian influenza, H9N2, poultry, zoonoses