Suspect H5N1 Cluster in Phichit Thailand
Recombinomics Commentary 18:05
February 8, 2008
In Phichit, the provincial hospital said yesterday it had admitted 32-year-old Muang district scrap collector who developed suspicious symptoms two days after touching 10 dead chickens he recovered from a dump and then fed to his dogs.
Khaneung Lermchai was suffering from a high fever and respiratory difficulties.
Officials also inspected Khaneung's home and examined the family's nine members for the virus. All appeared healthy except for Khaneung's 12-year-old brother Saichol Khochasi, who had flu.
The above comments describe a suspect H5N1 cluster in Phichit, Thailand where H5N1 was recently confirmed (see satellite map). This outbreak may be related to recent fatal cases in northern Vietnam. The outbreaks likely involve the Fujian (clade 2.3) strain of H5N1, which has caused human cases in China since 2005.
More information on the index case and his brother, including disease onset dates for his brother, would be useful.
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