H5N1 Infection of Veterinarian in Mongolia
Recombinomics Commentary
October 22, 2006
A scientist, who conducted researched at Ulaanbaatar agricultural university veterinary clinic, has become infected with bird flu. On October 23, the Onoodor periodical informs that Mongolian emergency ministry refuses to release any additional information; however, as it became known to the press, the scientist became infected a week ago.
The researcher was hospitalized with high temperature. As National Infectious Disease Center director Mendbayar Altanhuu stressed, preliminary analysis confirmed that the man had the avian flu virus.
The above translation suggests that the first human H5N1 case in Mongolia has been detected. It is not clear if the infection was linked to a lab procedure by the veterinarian/scientist, or was acquired through proximity to infected birds. Earlier media reports described a massive outbreak of H5N1 in Tuva and adjacent areas in Mongolia. Several Qinghai sequences from isolates in Tuva and Mongolia have been released.
However, reported human cases of the Qinghai H5N1 infections have been limited to Turkey, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Djibouti.
If confirmed, this would be the first human H5N1 case in Mongolia.
Media Sources
Phylogenetic Trees