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**Treyfish** · July 30, 2008, 05:44 AM

Re: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

An old repeat?

**Treyfish** · July 30, 2008, 05:50 AM

Re: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

I guess not...5 in birdflu scare

By The Nation
Published on July 30, 2008

Five people admitted to Sam Ngam Hospital in Phichit with bird flulike symptoms have all had mysterious deaths of poultry near their homes.

Provincial health chief Prajak Wattanakul and a diseaseconฌtrol team went to the hospital yesterday afternoon to visit the five, who were kept in isolation.

They were Krisada Thiangyu, six, Nadda Thiangyu, 10, and Taptim Phromsri, 62, from Tambon Noen Por; Wanna Tolamlam, 70, from Tambon Nong Son, and an unnamed fiveyearold boy.

The five reportedly touched dead fowl with their bare hands and a few days later developed fevers, coughing, exhaustion and breathing problems. Lab tests on blood samples should yield results in one or two days.
Officials were dispatched to watch out for the disease.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008...l_30079349.php

**Treyfish** · July 30, 2008, 06:11 AM

Re: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Krisada Thiangyu, six, Nadda Thiangyu, 10,....family cluster?

**HenryN** · July 30, 2008, 06:35 AM

Re: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Originally posted by Treyfish View Post

An old repeat?

Thailand has never reported a cluster of five H5N1 cases.

**Treyfish** · July 30, 2008, 06:39 AM

Re: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Thanks Doc...Dengue fever is goin pretty good there too in Phichit..

to Carol in SC..
Date: 26 Jul 2008
Print E-mail Save
Pichit declares 12 districts disasters areas after dengue fever outbreak



Public Health Authority of Pichit province Doctor Prajak Wattanakul revealed to the media that following heavy rain in the province spurring on mosquito egg laying, public health officers in the province recorded the highest rate of dengue fever infection in 6 years. Doctor Prajak stated that statistics since the beginning of the year showed 800 cases of dengue fever with one fatality. He expressed deep concern for the current situation. Pichit Governor Doctor Preecha Ruangchan has declared disaster area situations in 12 districts of the province and has approved budgeting for emergency action to deter the spread of the dengue fever.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/...ry=hemorrhagic

**HenryN** · July 30, 2008, 07:00 AM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Commentary

Suspect H5N1 Cluster in Phichit Thailand

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07300801/H5N1_Phichit.html

Recombinomics Commentary

**Giuseppe** · July 30, 2008, 04:14 PM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

[With an interesting CP commentary.]

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (57): THAILAND (PHICHIT), SUSPECTED
************************************************** ********
A ProMED-mail post http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org

Date: Wed 30 Jul 20008
Source: Thaindian News, National News Bureau, Public Relations
Department of Thailand report [edited]

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/thailand/pijit-suspects-4-new-cases-of-bird-flu_10077659.html

[Phichit] suspects 4 new cases of bird flu
------------------------------------------
The public health authority of Pijit [Phichit] province, Doctor Prajak Wattanakul along with the Contagious Disease Control Unit reported from the Sam Ngam district hospital yesterday [29 Jul 2008] that the team were called on to inspect 4 new patients who are suspected of having avian flu.

The patients comprise 2 young children ages 6 and 10 and 2 elderly women ages 62 and 70. Despite the patients being from different Tambon [a local government administrative unit] in the district, physicians found that all had come into contact with poultry before falling ill and all exhibited symptoms of coughing, fatigue, shortness of breath, and other bird flu related conditions. Doctors have sent off samples of the patients to be analyzed, and are expecting results in 1-2 days. All 4 have been quarantined, as the chickens that they had contacted all experienced unexplained deaths
in the past days.

[Byline: Amrit Rashmisrisethi)
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Although this report emanates from a government agency, it seems unlikely that these suspected human cases of avian influenza will be confirmed. There have been no confirmed human cases of avian influenza in Thailand since 27 Sep 2006, and none anywhere for several months. There is also no confirmation that avian influenza was responsible for the deaths of local poultry.

A map of the provinces of Thailand is available at
http://www.visit-thailand.info/infor...nd-regions.htm. Pijit (Phichit) is no. 40 in the centre of the country. - Mod.CP

Thailand's last outbreak in poultry was reported to OIE in January 2008. In March, a "final" report was submitted, stating that the outbreak was resolved. The January outbreak was reportedly in Village No 7, SakLek, PHICHIT. - Mod.AS]
-

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**Oracle** · July 30, 2008, 04:55 PM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

High probability that this outbreak will remain localized, conditions do not favor spreading. Four for four factors are positive for this locality.

H5N1 may be back in Thailand.

Dengue fever co-location is not accidental. The first case was reported this month, 2 years ago (death on July 24th, of co-infection Dengue fever, hemorrhagic form, Tambon Tap Khlo, Tap Khlo district Phichit province). Tambon refers to subdistricts, of which there are 89 in Phichit's 12 districts (Amphoe).

http://thaigcd.ddc.moph.go.th/AI_pressrelease_060726_En.html

**HenryN** · July 30, 2008, 04:59 PM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Originally posted by ironorehopper View Post

[With an interesting CP commentary.]

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (57): THAILAND (PHICHIT), SUSPECTED
************************************************** ********

This is a typical CP response.

Note that the last H5N1 positive in Thailand tested negative nine times before H5N1 confirmation at autopsy.

**Treyfish** · July 30, 2008, 06:51 PM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Four test negative for bird flu

By The Nation
Published on July 31, 2008

Four people in Phichit province who were suspected of having contracted the birdflu virus have tested negative for the disease, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.

Deputy permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit said he ordered the mobile rapid diseaseinvestigation unit to collect blood samples from the four for testing against the H5N1 strain of the virus at Nakhon Sawan's provincial Science Centre.

The laboratory results found that none of the four had the H5N1 virus, which can be lethal to humans. Three of them are suffering from seasonal influenza, while the fourth has no flu whatsoever.

The four people tested were Krisada Tiangtham, six years old, Nadda Tiangyoo, 10, Tabtim Promsri, 62, and Wanna Toramram, 70. They all remain under observation in Phichit's Sam Ngam Hospital. Krisada does not have the flu.

The four reported they had come into contact with dead chickens in their village before falling ill. Three days later, they had a high fever, and it was feared they had been infected with the H5N1 strain of the birdflu virus.

Paijit has asked healthcare volunteers in Sam Ngam district to monitor the symptoms of the relatives of the three patients with seasonal flu for the next 12 days. If any suspicious symptoms are found, they will also be sent to hospital immediately.
He also urged villagers to avoid cooking food using chickens or ducks that have died suspiciously. Villagers should incinerate any such poultry in order to minimise the risk of the H5N1 virus spreading to other areas, he said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008...l_30079410.php

**Treyfish** · July 30, 2008, 07:25 PM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu tests negative

I thought there were 5?

I ran thru a pile of Thai stuff today and the first 2 reports were all i have seen

**Sally Furniss** · July 31, 2008, 06:49 AM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu

Originally posted by niman View Post

Note that the last H5N1 positive in Thailand tested negative nine times before H5N1 confirmation at autopsy.

Were the false negatives due to Tamiflu being given?

**Anne** · July 31, 2008, 06:51 AM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu tests negative

"Deputy permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit said he ordered the mobile rapid disease investigation unit to collect blood samples from the four for testing against the H5N1 strain of the virus at Nakhon Sawan's provincial Science Centre."

I don't understand this sentence..

do they want to test antibodies ?

**kent nickell** · July 31, 2008, 07:15 AM

Re: Thailand: Pijit suspects 4 new cases of bird flu tests negative

This seems like another example of poor communication. Ideally nasopharyngeal samples should be taken to look for influenza antigen (as opposed to the antibody testing on blood samples). Some antigen tests such as the rapid tests done in North America have shown poor sensitivity to H5N1 antigens. PCR testing is more difficult but also more accurate. The primers for the pcr test should also be as closely matched to the suspected circulating strains of H5N1 in the area as possible. These nasopharyngeal secretions can also be submitted for viral culture. This is the level of information flublogia would like to have... When the media reports that testing was negative a lot is left to the imagination esp if they say blood testing. Did they really mean blood testing or is that just a 'sloppy' way of referring to the testing. Trying to get as accurate information as possible on the testing would be useful...