Philippine DOH Monitoring Two `Symptomatic' Farm Workers

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While we still await identification of the exact HPAI H5 avian flu virus announced last Friday (see Philippines: Culling Ordered After First Detection Of HPAI H5 Avian Flu), today their MOH announced the detection of two workers on affected farms who have been isolated due to having `flu-like' symptoms; one with a cough and the other with a fever. 

As flu season in the Philippines typically runs from June through November - coinciding with their rainy season (cite) - there is a pretty good chance these are both just seasonal flu cases. 

But given both have probable exposure to infected birds, it only makes sense to treat these cases as `suspected' avian flu infections, until proven otherwise.

The Philippine DOH has yet to post a statement, but local media are reporting an announcement was made from a DOH press conference held earlier today.  Some excerpts from a report in today's Manila Bulletin.

DOH monitors 2 ‘suspect cases’ of human influenza caused by bird flu

Updated August 15, 2017, 5:02 PM

By Charina Clarisse Echaluce

The Department of Health (DOH) disclosed on Tuesday that it is currently monitoring two “suspect cases” of human influenza which was caused by bird flu.

In a press conference, Health Spokesperson Eric Tayag said the department is currently waiting for the test results of two people who are considered as “suspect cases” of bird flu.

. . . . "I was given a preliminary report. They have interviewed 20 people from different farms. Two of them have symptoms; one has cough, the other has fever. The farm workers or handlers working in affected farms were the ones who were prioritized,” Tayag said.

The two farm workers from San Luis, Pampanga are currently “isolated” in undisclosed hospitals.

. . .  “They are now considered as ‘suspect cases’, meaning they have symptoms and exposure. You cannot be called a suspect case if you have fever but you don’t have exposure to affected animals,” Tayag explained.

He, clarified that such cases could be just influenza.

(Continue . . . )

 

Even though the HPAI H5 viruses that impacted the United States' during the epizootic of 2014-2015 (and Europe last winter) have never been linked to human infection, they are closely related to a couple of Asian lineage viruses (H5N1 & H5N6) that have. 

Knowing that the behavior of these viruses can change over time, the CDC published extensive interim guidelines on the handling of suspected novel flu patients for clinicians and public health entities in January of 2015.

CDC Interim Guidance For Testing For Novel Flu

Interim Guidance On Antiviral Chemoprophylaxis For Persons With Exposure To Avian Flu.

While there is a pretty good chance neither of these `suspected' cases will turn out to have an H5 infection, it is reassuring to see the Phlippine DOH aggressively looking for, and isolating, potential cases.