Dong Thap province
# 7098
While our attention continues to be focused on the H7N9 virus recently emerged out of China, the H5N1 bird flu virus continues to show up sporadically in humans as well.
In the past week we’ve seen Cambodia’s 10th case of the year, and over the weekend a report on Bangladesh’s first known fatality from the virus.
This morning, news that Vietnam has recorded its first H5N1 fatality in more than a year; a 4 year-old boy from Dong Thap province who fell ill on March 243th, and died on April 4th.
Reports indicate he developed a high fever after his family bought and slaughtered a chicken. The following account is from the Associated Press.
Vietnam confirms first human death from H5N1 bird flu in more than a year
Up until this latest case, Vietnam had recorded 123 infections with the H5N1 virus, and 61 deaths. In 2012, Vietnam reported 4 cases, 2 of which proved fatal.
With all of the news regarding the H7N9 virus over the past 9 days, it is important to remember that the H5N1 threat (and indeed, the threat from the novel coronavirus (NCoV), and other emerging pathogens) have not gone away.
Less than two weeks ago, in WER: Update On Human Cases Of Influenza At Human-Animal Interface, we saw the following analysis of the threat posed by the the more familiar H5N1 avian flu virus.
Influenza viruses are unpredictable. Their constant evolving nature raises concerns that these viruses could adapt or reassort with other influenza viruses, thereby gaining potential to become more transmissible to or more pathogenic in humans.
Continued monitoring of the occurrence of human infections with non-seasonal influenza viruses and ongoing characterization of the viruses to assess their pandemic risk are therefore critically important for public health.
Close collaboration with animal health partners allows information regarding viruses circulating in animal populations and human populations worldwide to be shared to improve assessment of global influenza risks to health.
WHO continues to stress the importance of global
monitoring of influenza viruses and recommends all
Member States to strengthen routine influenza surveillance. All human infections with non-seasonal influenza viruses should be reported to WHO under the International Health Regulations (2005).
The bulk of this epidemiological analysis focuses on the 32 lab-confirmed H5N1 cases reported last year, but attention is also paid to a pair of H7N3 last year in Mexico, and a spate of swine H1N1v, H1N2v, and H3N2v (variant) infections across North America, as well.
The full report is called:
Update on human cases of influenza at the human–animal interface, 2012
It is possible, as officials look for this emerging H7N9 virus in pneumonia cases across Asia, that we’ll also see an uptick in detections of H5N1 as well.
