Risk factors influencing swine influenza A virus infection in South Korea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and seroprevalence

Abstract

The past and current burden of swine influenza A viruses (swIAV) must be estimated since pigs act as mixing vessels and are considered a potential source of newly emerging IAV variants. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to integrate data on the prevalence and seroprevalence of swIAV in South Korean domestic pigs and evaluate important risk factors that influence these outcomes. Eight databases were searched for studies that evaluated the prevalence and seroprevalence of swIAV in South Korean pigs using a specified search string; twenty-seven eligible studies were identified after application of a set of pre-determined inclusion criteria by three authors. The reported prevalence and seroprevalence were pooled separately in proportions between 0 and 1, using a random-effect meta-analysis. To identify and quantify potential sources of heterogeneity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses were conducted using covariates (publication type, swIAV subtype, growth stage of pigs, sampling region, publication year, sampling season, facility, detection method, sample type, and sample size). The overall prevalence and seroprevalence in domestic pigs were 0.05 [95% confidence intervals (CIs): 0.05–0.12] and 0.35 (95% CIs: 0.14–0.63), respectively. To identify the impact of covariates on effect size, a suitable meta-regression model was determined using predictor importance estimates with corrected Akaike information criterion values. Consequently, the best-fit model included two covariates, publication year and sample size, which were significantly associated with high heterogeneity in the subgroup analysis. Furthermore, data visualization depicted a significant non-linear association between swIAV prevalence and seroprevalence and specific growth stages of pigs. These findings suggest that the periodic monitoring of pigs at different growth stages in large farms may help to establish the status of swIAV-spread across species in the region, and thereby minimize pandemic risk.

Seroprevalence of Swine Influenza A Virus (swIAV) Infections in Commercial Farrow-to-Finish Pig Farms in Greece

“…In a recent meta-analysis, pigs were found to play a key role in the emergence of new types of epidemic zoonoses [65]. The swIAV seroprevalence rate in pigs and the swIAV infection trend in humans demonstrate the potential transmission of influenza from humans to pigs [66].…”

Changes in the N-glycosylation of porcine immune globulin G during postnatal development

“…These investigations are also important regarding zoonotic diseases such as influenza ( 23 , 24 ). Pig endemic viruses represent a serious threat to public health ( 25 ).…”