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More H5N1 Bird Flu Confirmation in Navapur India
Recombinomics Commentary
February 22, 2006
Initial reports have confirmed mild bird flu in two out of the nine people who were under observation in Navapur in Maharashtra.
The individuals are reported to be down with mild infections.
The above comments indicate that two additional patients in India have tested positive for H5N1. Media reports are conflicting on the status of the fatal index case, who had bird flu symptoms, including coughing up blood. For that case family members and contacts have been hospitalized with symptoms. It is not clear if these cluster members are among the two positives described above.
However, additional H5N1 cases in patients are cause for concern, even if the cases are mild. Surveillance of mild cases has been poor and transparency has been virtually non-existent. In northern Vietnam there were mild cases reported a year ago and WHO has yet to release the specifics on the 1000 serum samples that were collect and tested by several groups. In Indonesia, mild cases associated with zoo visits have not been well described and most patients have not been tested. Similarly, testing worldwide is largely limited to suspect patients with contact with poultry, which reduces detection of human-to-human transmission.
Mild infections increases the possibility of dual infections in humans involving H5N1 and human flu such as H3N2 or H1N1.
More information on symptoms and contacts of the above cases would be useful.
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