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HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

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  • #16
    Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

    Hong Kong bird flu infected infants who confirmed infections in Shenzhen
    http://www.sina.com.cn 2009 on 01 day 01 years 02:31 大洋网- Guangzhou Daily
    <!-- 正文内容 begin --><!-- google_ad_section_start -->
    本报深圳讯(记者柯学东、鲍文娟)昨天,深圳市卫生局公布了香港籍陈姓婴儿感染禽流感的相关情况:该婴儿家住深圳南山区沙河街道下白石新村,去年12月22日以来因身体不适,先后到深圳沙河医 院、香港屯门医院、南山区人民医院、市儿童医院就诊,并于12月29日到香港屯门医院住院治疗,诊断为H9 N2型人禽流感感染。
    Shenzhen newspaper (Reporter Ke Xue-dong,鲍文娟) yesterday, the Shenzhen City Health Bureau released the nationality of Hong Kong Chen babies infected with bird flu-related situations: the baby, who lives in Shahe, Nanshan District, Shenzhen Xiabaishi Village street last year, since December 22 due to health does not have to Shenzhen Shahe Hospital, Hong Kong Tuen Mun Hospital, Nanshan District People's Hospital, Children's Hospital for treatment, and December 29 in Hong Kong Tuen Mun Hospital in-patient treatment of people diagnosed with H9N2 type of avian flu.
    通报中表示,深圳市疾病预防控制中心调查了患儿外婆和医护人员等9名密切接触者,并对密切接触者和患儿住所 附近经营活鸡餐馆的4名工作人员采集咽拭子和血样进行检测,送检的样品中均未检出H9禽流感病 毒。
    Communications, said the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention survey of children with health care professionals, such as grandmother and nine close contacts, and in close contact with persons and children with live chickens near his home restaurants operating four staff throat swab and blood sample collection tested the samples submitted were not detected H9 avian influenza virus.
    深圳市、区疾病预防控制机构已对患者居住地和就诊医院分别进行终末消毒,目前,患儿及父母仍在香港,深圳家 中仅有患儿外婆1人。
    Shenzhen City, the district disease prevention and control agencies have been living on the patients and hospital treatment for terminal disinfection, respectively, at present, children and parents are still in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, only children at home grandmother 1.http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...zHNbeIgKL-Zlww
    CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

    treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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    • #17
      Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

      Shenzhen girl living in Hong Kong infected H9N2 bird flu

      2008-12-31 08:10:06 来源: 南方都市报网络版 暂无网友评论
      2008-12-31 08:10:06 Source: online version of Nanfang Dushi Bao, No User Reviews
      : <FORM id=friendEmailTj>Hong Kong yesterday to lift 21-day ban so that the resumption of live poultry trading, unexpectedly the same day also revealed a bird flu.
      </FORM><CENTER></CENTER>

      A people living in Shenzhen, Hong Kong baby girl, in Hong Kong was confirmed to have contracted H9N2 avian influenza. Is currently being treated in isolation in Hong Kong Tuen Mun Hospital in stable condition. Government health officials that the case because of the possibility of human-to-human infection is not high. Yesterday (30) afternoon, the Hong Kong Department of Health Emergency held a press conference that has, together with the Guangdong Provincial Health Department to investigate the source of infection.
      Government health officials said, H9 virus relatively minor, patients can generally be recovered, the baby is currently on a sample for further testing, until after genetic analysis in order to know whether there is person-to-person situation. Which requires 12 weeks of time.
      Yesterday reporters learned from relevant departments of Shenzhen, the only 82-day-old baby girl, and his family live in Nanshan, Shenzhen health authorities have sent officers to the baby girl living in Shenzhen district will be investigated and issued a unified message.

      Virus against the odds?

      H9N2 viruses are relatively less powerful and more patients can be cured

      Hong Kong Department of Health Director of the Center for Health Protection Thomas Tsang, the conference stressed that the baby girl was infected with H9 avian influenza virus, and most people are familiar with different H5 avian influenza virus. H9 virus relatively minor, patients can generally be recovered. Before Hong Kong, four cases occurred in 1999, two cases, and in 2003 the case of 2007, four infected later fully recovered.

      Hong Kong Director of the Center for Infection and infectious diseases, also said al Ho, H9N2 avian influenza virus is relatively low power, most patients can be cured. He pointed out that, according to Hong Kong in the past cases, H9N2 virus appear in the concentration of children under 5 years of age, who may be the infection of children to the market and contact with poultry, or family members to deal with bird secretions did not wash their hands, and then take care of children.


      Published in Hong Kong

      By yesterday afternoon, the Hong Kong Department of Health held an emergency press conference. The Director of the Center for Health Protection confirmed Thomas Tsang, a Hong Kong baby girl who was diagnosed with H9N2 avian influenza infection. Thomas Tsang said that the patients were born in Hong Kong, but has been working with the parents and grandmother lived in Shenzhen.

      Confirmed avian influenza and from the Shenzhen and Hong Kong for medical treatment before

      Conference revealed that the December 22, the baby because of coughing and vomiting, by their parents to the Hong Kong Tuen Mun Hospital for medical checkup. One night in hospital and discharged. But after the children returned to Shenzhen, the parents found her unwilling to eat, so a doctor in Shenzhen. Shenzhen doctors discovered the baby is too high white blood cell, the child of parents on the 29th of this month, she will be sent to Tuen Mun Hospital.

      Thomas Tsang said that the baby girl when first admitted to hospital because there is no typical bird flu symptoms - fever, so hospitals are not be classified as suspected cases of bird flu only through a quick test to detect its suffering from influenza. Subsequently, the hospital will submit a sample of the baby. Yesterday, the test results come out, the authorities only knew that she suffered from H9N2 avian influenza.

      At present, the baby girl has been at the Tuen Mun Hospital for isolated treatment in stable condition. But the case of a baby girl, Thomas Tsang, another bad news release. He said that doctors in the girls found a very high white blood cell, which has nothing to do with avian flu, indicating girls may be suffering from leukemia. http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...6PXdbdN9pYMqHQ
      Last edited by AlaskaDenise; January 17, 2009, 06:15 AM. Reason: remove photo
      CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

      treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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      • #18
        Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

        The province there were no bird flu
        香港女婴莫名感染禽流感,全省严查禽类高致病性禽流感疫情
        Hong Kong, nameless baby girl infected with avian flu, the province's investigation of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in poultry <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="95%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=line height=1 vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD class=font_12_666666_h26_center>
        日期:[2009年1月1日] 版次:[AA16] 版名:[城事] 稿源:[ 南方都市报 ] 网友评论:
        Date: [1 January, 2009] Revision: [AA16] version Name: [City thing] is issued on the source: [Nanfang Dushi Bao] User Comments: 0
        Article </TD></TR><TR><TD class=line height=1 vAlign=top></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=0%><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><FOUNDER-CONTENT>
        本报讯 (记者 杨晓红 通讯员 粤农信)前日,一名居住在深圳的香港女婴,在香港被证实感染H9N2禽流感。
        By (Xinhua Correspondent Yang Xiaohong Guangdong agricultural letter) the day before yesterday, a people living in Shenzhen, Hong Kong baby girl, in Hong Kong was confirmed to have contracted H9N2 avian influenza.
        其感染病源来自哪里呢?广深两地及全省随即紧急排查,目前排查结果显示:省内依然没有发生禽流 感疫情。
        The source of infection come from? Canton and Shenzhen and the province's emergency investigation immediately, the current investigation results show that: the province is still no outbreak of bird flu.

        据了解,这名被证实感染禽流感病毒的女婴和家人,现居住在深圳南山区。
        It is understood that this was confirmed to have contracted avian influenza virus-old baby girl and his family are now living in Shenzhen, Nanshan District.
        省农业厅获知后,立即指示深圳市农业局,加紧排查,进一步在全市强化高致病性禽流感疫情防控,严防发生禽类 禽流感疫情。
        Provincial Agriculture Department notified immediately after the Shenzhen Municipal Agriculture Bureau instructed to step up investigation, and further strengthened in the city's epidemic prevention and control of highly pathogenic avian influenza to prevent bird flu occurred in poultry.

        染病女婴事发当日,省农业厅还和广州市农业局一道,当即组织人员对广州市部分家禽批发市场等流通场所,再次 开展禽类和禽类产品的专项检查,确保各项检疫监督措施落实到位。
        Sick baby the day of the incident, the provincial agricultural department, and also the agriculture bureau in Guangzhou, together personnel immediately on some of the poultry wholesale market in Guangzhou and other places in circulation again poultry and poultry products to carry out special checks to ensure that the supervision and quarantine measures put in place.
        深圳市当天对全市开展禽流感疫情排查。
        Shenzhen, the city that day to carry out bird flu investigation.
        据了解,深圳市目前禽类禽流感平均免疫率超过100%,居全省前列。
        It is understood that the Shenzhen Municipal current avian flu in poultry average immunization rate of more than 100 percent, ranking the forefront of the province.
        到昨日晚,省农业厅也没有接到深圳市发生禽类禽流感的报告。
        Late yesterday, the provincial agricultural department has not received Shenzhen bird flu occurred in poultry reported.

        冬季历来是高致病性禽流感的高发季节,针对前段时间香港发生禽流感疫情,以及江苏海安、东台个别农户饲养的 蛋鸡中监测到H5N1禽流感病原学阳性样品等情况,广东省农业厅早在入冬之初,即对防控禽流感疫情采取了周 密部署,前后共派出5个飞行检查组,突击检查省内各地禽流感疫情防控工作的开展情况。
        Winter has always been a highly pathogenic avian influenza high season, against the earlier outbreak of avian flu in Hong Kong, as well as Jiangsu Hai'an, dongtai individual farmers laying hens kept in monitored pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza-positive samples and so on, the Agriculture Department of Guangdong Province As early as the beginning of winter, that is, on the prevention and control of bird flu has taken to make careful arrangements, before and after the flight had sent five inspection teams to conduct surprise checks throughout the province of bird flu prevention and control work situation.
        截至目前,全省抽查结果表明,我省禽流感抗体合格率在80%以上,高于国家规定70%的标准,家禽全部处于 有效免疫保护之中。
        Up to now, the province's inspection results show that the avian influenza antibodies in our province in the passing rate of more than 80%, higher than the 70 percent stipulated by the state standards, all poultry in the protection of an effective immune.
        全省至今未接到发生禽流感疫情的相关报告。
        The province has not received a bird flu outbreak occurred in the relevant report. http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...Kk7-mNMkIhwetg

        </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
        CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

        treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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        • #19
          Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

          01/01/2009, on Thursday in the morning 08:09



          The port hears the abstract

          More pictures

          Poisonous source Shenzhen treats three hospital mother to rejoice to improve
          The bird flu female infant doubts the food live chicken to broadcast the poison

          [Daily Sun special news]Shuttles back and forth and two places ?the stealth bird flu female infant? only then to examine slowly infects H9N2, stirs up the community to erupt panic, the female infant mother yesterday for the first time responded the event in Shenzhen to indicate that nearly three month big daughters to improve, in Japan might leave the hospital. The female infant eliminates twice comes the port to seek medical help in the Tuen Mun Hospital, originally also once treated in the inland three between hospitals, the population which contacts with her was once numerous, the good fortune has not for the present some people to present symptom. Guangdong Province health authority confirmed that the female infant nearby the white stone new village's residence has the food located at Shenzhen under to raise few chicken. The expert believed that the food live chicken is this bird flu virus source opportunity is very big.
          Shenzhen Sanitation bureau indicated that infects the H9N2 bird flu's female infant to be surnamed Chen, approximately 83 days ago are born in Hong Kong, last month 22nd started the body to be ill, arrived at Shenzhen Shahe Hospital, the Mt. Nan area People's Hospital and the city Pediatric hospital three inland hospitals successively treats.
          Shahe Hospital Department of pediatrics department Dr. Zhou Xing indicated yesterday that this Monday in the afternoon once diagnosed for Chen surname Hong Kong female infants, the female infant at that time presented the vomitive symptom, although has not had a fever, but the blood test demonstration has exceptionally, thus transfers the patient to further inspect to the large-scale hospital. Dr. Zhou refers to, yesterday read a newspaper only then learned about that this female infant infected the H9N2 bird flu virus, big feeling shock.

          Before it happened entire family Zeng Shiji hot pot
          It is known that the female infant and the parents and grandmother family of four, live under Shenzhen Mt. Nan area a white stone new village four two unit unit, the Shahe Hospital under white stone new village neighbor, estimated that this courtyard is female infant first treats the place.
          The insider pointed out that the female infant majority of time look after by the grandmother, have the neighbor to bump into the grandmother to hug the granddaughter frequently to come in and go out the nearby downtown shopping, also some neighbors said that the female infant before it happened once arrived at the residence downstairs restaurant feed chicken hot pot. And a restaurant person in charge disclosed that Shenzhen Sanitation bureau personnel after it happened once arrived at the nearby restaurant extraction live chicken sample chemical examination, and carries on the disinfection to the matter host family.
          Newspaper reporter interviewed yesterday afternoon to the female infant family, several passed through knocks on a door, but nobody answered the door. Reporter when the downstairs waits for are many, the female infant mother finally makes an appearance, her hand pulls a suitcase after a baby thing shop hurried shopping prepares to return to Hong Kong. Worried Chen Tai saw reporter feels is very stunned, only said that the daughter the condition changed for the better, may be discharged within several days, afterward jumps up the taxi to depart.

          The female infant examines the marrow card to contract leukemia
          Guangdong Province health authority investigation discovery, nearby the female infant residence has the food to raise few chicken, has extracted the food four staffs, the female infant grandmothers and eight once considered female infant's medical care personnel pharynx and larynx secretion and the blood sample carries on the test, has not for the present examines the H9 virus, various person has also not had a fever and so on flu symptoms.
          The Hong Kong health protection center indicated that the female infant parents pharynx and larynx secretion sample also assumes the negative reaction to the H9N2 virus. The female infant yesterday still stayed in hospital in the Tuen Mun Hospital, the situation is stable, her respiratory infections symptom abated.
          It is known that the Tuen Mun Hospital examines the marrow after the female infant discovered that she suffers from the acute lymph leukemia (popular name leukemia), after the hospital will treat her bird flu, first reprocessing other vigorous sickness. Yesterday large quantities of reporters interviewed outside the Tuen Mun Hospital Department of pediatrics isolation ward, to about 7:00 pm, before a visiting the sick man entered the hospital ward, doubted is photographed discontentedly by reporter, had the conflict with a newspapers photojournalist, the hospital security goes forward to prevent, this man only then ablazed with anger departs.
          Moreover, Guangdong Province agriculture department to has included Shenzhen's Guangdong Province domesticated fowl wholesale market to carry on the urgent investigation, has not discovered the bird flu epidemic.
          http://66.196.80.202/babelfish/trans...%26id%3d124583
          Last edited by AlaskaDenise; January 17, 2009, 06:17 AM. Reason: remove photo
          CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

          treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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          • #20
            Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

            01/01/2009, on Thursday in the morning 08:10



            The port hears the abstract

            And shuttled back and forth seek medical help once contacted the over hundred people
            H9N2 fears the large-scale eruption

            [Daily Sun special news]
            Infects the H9N2 bird flu's two month big female infant is taken bad the period, successively arrives at the Hong Kong Tuen Mun Hospital and the Shenzhen three hospitals treats, least 129 person and the female infant contacts, the virus possibly widely spreads in Shenzhen. Although had not discovered that other people receive infect, but health protection center inspector general Zeng Haohui does not remove H9N2 to have the large-scale eruption risk, will strengthen with inland prevention department cooperation.
            Once with the female infant 15 sick children who had a sexual intercourse in the Tuen Mun Hospital Ordinary Department of pediatrics hospital ward, still five people stayed in hospital, the hospital has arranged them to accept the treatment and the medical inspection in the independent room, other contacts have not examined the virus, also did not have symptom.
            Zeng Haohui believed that cannot underestimate H9N2 the dissemination risk, will also not remove the virus to erupt greatly, pays attention to this virus between the person and person's dissemination strength whether to enhance, as well as dissemination pattern whether or not change. He indicated that will strengthen two place cooperations, if will have is unusual erupts, may send the expert to Guangdong Province understanding virus dissemination situation.

            Worries the virus to teach other people the frequency to increase

            The Hong Kong University infection and infectious disease center inspector general He Bailiang believed that the female infant family member does not have symptom, the medical care personnel and the contact is infected the opportunity to be very low, must penetrate the viral gene arrangement first, whether discovers the viral variety, if were still the birds type, the large-scale eruption's opportunity is not high.
            But he indicated that the human exposure H9 virus case from 99 years to 7 years, presents one time every three years; But 7 year two year appearance, worried continuously the virus teaches other people the frequency to increase, suggested the authority by the fast test substitution virus cultivation, diagnoses the patient early whether to receive infects.
            http://66.196.80.202/babelfish/trans...%26id%3d124629
            Last edited by AlaskaDenise; January 17, 2009, 06:19 AM. Reason: remove photo
            CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

            treyfish2004@yahoo.com

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

              From Boxun
              Google Translation:
              H9N2 bird flu infected baby chickens near his home in Shenzhen
              Yesterday confirmed to have contracted H9N2 avian flu two-month old baby girl is still in Tuen Mun Hospital and treated in isolation in stable condition and symptoms of respiratory tract infection has subsided, the child of parents of the virus were negative.
              Guangdong Province, health authorities confirmed, the child's home in Shenzhen, near the restaurant have a small number of chickens in keeping with the girl in Shenzhen have been in close contact and restaurant workers do not have symptoms, the Guangdong Provincial Health Bureau They will carry out medical monitoring. (香港電台) (Radio Television Hong Kong) (博讯boxun.com) (Boxun.com)

              Originally posted by Shiloh View Post
              Source: http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/h...231en05008.htm

              December 31, 2008
              Avian flu

              Toddler recovering from avian infection
              *
              Centre for Health Protection

              The symptoms of the two-month-old girl infected with influenza-A (H9N2) are subsiding, the Centre for Health Protection says, adding her parents have tested negative for the virus.


              She is stable and still isolated in Tuen Mun Hospital. Other patients and health workers who might have been exposed to the girl are being examined. None have developed respiratory-infection symptoms so far.


              Guangdong health authorities have found a small number of chickens kept in a food premises near the girl's Shenzhen home. Her contacts in Shenzhen and the food premises workers are asymptomatic and under medical surveillance.

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Hong Kong baby suspected to have mild bird flu

                Originally posted by ironorehopper View Post
                . . . .

                Dr Tsang said this was the fifth time H9N2 viruses, an avian influenza virus, had been isolated from humans in Hong Kong.

                Three girls and a boy were confirmed to have suffered from H9N2 infection in 1999, 2003 and 2007 respectively.
                . . .

                View Original Article
                Human Infection with an Avian H9N2 Influenza A Virus in Hong Kong in 2003

                K. M. Butt,1 Gavin J. D. Smith,1,2 Honglin Chen,1,2 L. J. Zhang,1,2 Y. H. Connie Leung,1 K. M. Xu,1,2 Wilina Lim,3 Robert G. Webster,1,4 K. Y. Yuen,1 J. S. Malik Peiris,1,2 and Yi Guan1,2* Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Medicine Building, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China,<sup>1</sup> Joint Influenza Research Centre (SUMC & HKU), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515031, People's Republic of China,<sup>2</sup> Virus Unit, Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China,<sup>3</sup> Virology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105<sup>4</sup>
                <sup>
                </sup>
                Received 26 April 2005/ Returned for modification 19 July 2005/ Accepted 13 August 2005


                <!-- ABS --> Avian H9N2 influenza A virus has caused repeated human infections<sup> </sup>in Asia since 1998. Here we report that an H9N2 influenza virus<sup> </sup>infected a 5-year-old child in Hong Kong in 2003. To identify<sup> </sup>the possible source of the infection, the human isolate and<sup> </sup>other H9N2 influenza viruses isolated from Hong Kong poultry<sup> </sup>markets from January to October 2003 were genetically and antigenically<sup> </sup>characterized. The findings of this study show that the human<sup> </sup>H9N2 influenza virus, A/Hong Kong/2108/03, is of purely avian<sup> </sup>origin and is closely related to some viruses circulating in<sup> </sup>poultry in the markets of Hong Kong. The continued presence<sup> </sup>of H9N2 influenza viruses in poultry markets in southern China<sup> </sup>increases the likelihood of avian-to-human interspecies transmission.

                Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2005, p. 5760-5767, Vol. 43, No. 11
                0095-1137/05/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.43.11.5760-5767.2005


                http://novel-infectious-diseases.blogspot.com/

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

                    Hong Kong: Gene sequencing of H9N2 virus shows avian origin (1/7/2009) [CHP]

                    The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (January 7) completed gene sequencing on an influenza A (H9N2) virus found in a two-month-old girl in December and the results indicated all the genes were of avian origin.


                    A CHP spokesman said all the eight genes of the virus sample taken from the girl had been sequenced.

                    "DNA sequences of the genes concerned show that they are of avian origin and re-assortment with genes of human influenza origin has not been found.

                    "The virus is highly similar to the H9N2 virus isolated from another case involving a nine-month-old girl in 2007," he said.

                    The spokesman said the virus found in the two-month-old girl was sensitive to Tamiflu and Amantadine, two kinds of antiviral medicines.

                    The girl is still under treatment in Tuen Mun Hospital for another disease.

                    Her symptoms of H9N2 infection have subsided.

                    Nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens taken from the girl on January 2 were tested negative for influenza A H9N2.

                    All close contacts of the girl did not develop symptoms of H9N2 infection.

                    "The epidemiological and genetic findings so far suggest that the H9N2 virus has shown no signs of increased risk for human-to-human transmission," the spokesman said.
                    -

                    View Original Article

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: HONG KONG: One Human case of Avian Influenza A/H9N2 infection, confirmed by HK authorities

                      CIDRAP >> No dangerous changes seen in Hong Kong H9N2 virus
                      No dangerous changes seen in Hong Kong H9N2 virus

                      Robert Roos * News Editor
                      Jan 7, 2009 (CIDRAP News) ?

                      Hong Kong health officials reported today that the H9N2 avian influenza virus that recently infected a 2-month-old girl from mainland China has not acquired any genes from human-adapted flu viruses, implying that it is unlikely to pose a major danger to humans.


                      In a news release, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) in Hong Kong's Department of Health said genetic sequencing has shown that all the virus's genes are of avian origin.

                      "DNA sequences of the genes concerned show that they are of avian origin, and reassortment with genes of human influenza origin has not been found," an anonymous CHP spokesman said in the release.

                      "The epidemiological and genetic findings so far suggest that the H9N2 virus has shown no signs of increased risk for human-to-human transmission," he said.

                      The spokesman said the virus is very similar to an H9N2 virus isolated from a 9-month-old girl in Hong Kong in 2007. He added that the virus has been found to be sensitive to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and amantadine.

                      H9N2 viruses are distinct from the deadly Asian strain of H5N1 but are regarded as having the potential to evolve into a pandemic strain. The current case is the fifth H9N2 infection reported in Hong Kong since 1999, all of them in infants and young children who had mild illnesses and recovered.

                      The 2-month-old girl, from Shenzhen in southern China, is still being treated in Hong Kong's Tuen Mun Hospital for another disease, the CHP said. The H9N2 virus was not found in nasopharyngeal samples taken from the girl on Jan 2, the statement said.

                      In other developments, the World Health Organization (WHO) today recognized two human H5N1 cases reported by Asian governments yesterday, one in China and one in Vietnam.

                      The Chinese case involved a 19-year-old woman from Beijing who fell ill Dec 24 and died Jan 5, the WHO said in a statement. China has had 31 H5N1 cases, 21 of them fatal.

                      The patient in Vietnam is an 8-year-old girl from Thanh Hoa province who became ill Dec 27 and is in stable condition, the WHO confirmed. Vietnam has had 107 H5N1 cases with 52 deaths.

                      Echoing earlier reports, the WHO said both patients had had contact with poultry before they got sick.

                      The two cases raised the WHO's global H5N1 count to 393 cases with 248 deaths. The agency classified the two illnesses as 2008 cases, raising the total for the year to 42 cases with 31 deaths. That represents a case-fatality rate of 74%.

                      Vietnam's agriculture ministry has confirmed an H5N1 outbreak among poultry in Thanh Hoa province, the home of the sick 8-year-old, according to a Reuters report published today.

                      About 400 chickens in Ba Thuoc district, where the girl lives, died of the disease, the report said. District authorities in Ba Thuoc, about 94 miles south of Hanoi, have slaughtered nearly 8,000 chickens in efforts to stop the outbreak, Reuters reported.

                      Thanh Hoa is the second province in 2 weeks to report an H5N1 outbreak in poultry, having been preceded by Thai Nguyen, north of Hanoi, the story said.

                      See also:
                      Hong Kong news release on H9N2 case http://www.dh.gov.hk/english/press/2009/090107-2.html
                      WHO report on Vietnam case http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_01_07/en/index.html
                      WHO report on Chinese case http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_01_07a/en/index.html
                      -
                      <cite cite="http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/jan0709avian.html">CIDRAP >> No dangerous changes seen in Hong Kong H9N2 virus</cite>

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