Detection of Avian influenza viral antigen in ducks of Haor areas of Netrakona district using rapid antigen testing

The study was carried out to detect Avian Influenza (AI) viral antigen using rapid antigen detection kit from free ranged ducks in haor areas of Bangladesh. The cloacal swabs were collected randomly from 20 duck farms of two Upazilas of Netrakona district and a total of 65 field samples were tested in this study. The overall proportion of avian influenza H5 antigen positive reactivity was 6.2% in Netrakona district. The proportion of avian influenza H5 antigen positive reactivity was 6.7% in Netrakona Sadar. Beside in Atpara Upazila, the proportion of avian influenza H5 antigen positive reactivity was 5.7%. In this study, significant (p>0.05) relationship was not drawn between the presence of AIV in domestic ducks in two Upazilas. This is the first report that successfully detect avian influenza virus antigen in ducks of Bangladesh using rapid test kits. The ducks in the haor area could act as a source of AI viruses towards infecting domestic chickens and other free living birds of Bangladesh