Second H5N1 Confirmed Case in Northern Vietnam This Week
Recombinomics Commentary 15:01
February 14, 2008
The 27-year-old man named Hoang Van Doan, admitted to the Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi capital on Feb. 12, currently needs respirator assistance. He slaughtered chickens for meal on Feb. 5.
Vietnam's Health Ministry confirmed a 40-year-old man from northern Hai Duong province, who died on Tuesday after four days of treatment in the capital city, was infected with H5N1. The man slaughtered two dead chickens for meal before exhibiting bird flu symptoms early this month. He was hospitalized on Feb. 8 when his lung and kidneys were damaged.
The above comments describe the second confirmed H5N1 case this week from northern Vietnam. Both patients had increased risk of H5N1 infections earlier this month. However, the independent infections of the two patients signal a more efficient transmission of H5N1 to humans in northern Vietnam.
It is likely that both victims have been infected by the Fujian strain (clade 2.3) of H5N1. The recent prior cases beginning in late December, 2007 have been fatal and coincide with wild birds deaths in Hong Kong, which are also likely linked to the Fujian strain of H5N1.
Sequence data from the Hong Kong and northern Vietnam isolates would be useful.
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