Fifth H5N1 Suspect Case in Garut Indonesia
Recombinomics Commentary
August 17, 2006
Bird flu continued to be contagious in Cikelet, GarutBandung -- MIOL: Bird Flu was contagious in the Jojok Village, the Cikelet Village, the Cikelet Subdistrict, the Garut Regency, for a last week.Two citizens Cikelet, Ismawati, 5, and Santi, 6, was run off with to RSHS Bandung, with the clinical sign similar to bird flu.
The above translation indicates the number of suspect H5N1 bird flu cases in Garut Indonesia continue to grow. The index case died with bird flu symptoms, but was not tested. However, his cousin, who lived in teh same area also developed symptoms and is H5N1 confirmed. Similarly, the death of a 9 year old in nearby Jojok village has also been confirmed. The 5 year old, mentioned above has bird flu symptoms and lived within 100 meters of the third case. Now a fifth case has been hospitalized from Jojok Village, the location of the 3rd and 4th cases.
The continued admittance of children with bird flu symptoms in the small region in West Java is cause for concern. The first three patients were almost certainly H5N1 infected, and the next two seem likely based on location, timing, and symptoms.
WHO has dispatched an investigative team to the area, where HNn1 positive birds have also been identified. The human cases in Indonesia, especially in West Java have failed to match the H5N1 from poultry.
More details on the sequences of H5n1 from birds and people in the area would be useful.
Media Sources
Phylogenetic Trees