Dr. Fanta Desissa, Dr. Gezahegne MamoDr. Abraham AliMaranatha, Wondatir2020-11-232023-11-082020-11-232023-11-082020-09http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/23447Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease of birds and mammals including humans caused by influenza viruses A, B, C and D. Influenza A virus (IAV) subtypes possesses the greatest zoonotic potential. Continuous circulation of Influenza A virus in different animal species may cause influenza virus to acquire adaptive genetic features for efficient human to human transmission through mutations. An abattoir based cross-sectional study was conducted from November, 2019 to August, 2020 to evaluate the prevalence of Influenza A virus infection in camels at Akaki municipal abattoir and assess the public health importance of the virus. The study animals were camels slaughtered at Akaki municipal abattoir, central Ethiopia in which the camels were brought for slaughter from camel rearing pastoral areas of Ethiopia. A total of 392 nasal swab samples were tested for the presence of viral RNA using Reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), at the National Influenza Reference Laboratory at EPHI and their result showed no occurrence of Influenza A virus RNA in sampled camels. The public health significance was evaluated using questionnaire survey. A total of 19 participants who had direct contact with the camels at Akaki municipal abattoir (12) and traders (7) participated in the study. In conclusion, the present study showed that there were no camels with current infection. Yet serologic tests should be done to see the presence of antibodies. The zoonotic importance of the disease is not something that can be neglected due to the potential risk factors at Akaki municipal abattoir such as the high frequency of contact with the camels as well as consumption of raw camel meat and milk and lack of appropriate personal protective equipments. Hence, this warrants further study in camel population of pastoralist area of Ethiopia in order to confirm the occurrence of Infulenza A virus in camel and design a control options to reduce its zoonotic chance to the high-risk pastoralist population.enInfluenza A virusprevalencepublic health importanceRT-PCRAkaki municipal abattoirEthiopiaThesis