Serologic evidence of avian adeno-associated virus infection in an unselected human population and among poultry workers.

Six (6.0%) of 100 serum samples from an unselected adult population were positive for antibody to avian adeno-associated virus (A-AV) by agar gel precipitation (AGP), and 10 (15.6%) of 64 were positive by virus neutralization (VN). Three (14.3%) of 21 samples from poultry workers (industry or research) were positive for avian A-AV antibody by AGP and 14 (66.7%) of 21 were positive by VN. All sera positive by AGP were also positive by VN. Twenty-two of 244 sera positive for antibody to avian A-AV by VN were positive for human adenovirus antibody. None of the sera were positive for avian adenoviral antibody by AGP. No cross reaction was noted by AGP when antiserum to avian A-AV was reacted against primate antigens of serotypes 1-4 or when antiserum to A-AV serotypes 1-14 were reacted against avian A-AV antigen. Antiserum prepared against primate A-AV serotypes 1-4 did not neutralize the avian A-AV. These results suggest that avian A-AV infections are not restricted to avian species but are found in the human adult population.