India - 'Doctor supervising cullings did not die of bird flu'

[Theresa42]

'Doctor supervising cullings did not die of bird flu'
April 23, 2006

New Delhi: The country does not have any human case of bird flu so far and the death of a doctor who had supervised culling operations in the affected area of Nandurbar and Jalgaon in Maharashtra was not due to the avian influenza, government said today.

"There is no human case of bird flu in India so far," Health Secretary P Hota told PTI.

Blood samples of the Akola-based doctor, who was suspected to have died of bird flu were sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, he said and added that results of all the three tests were negative for avian influenza.

However, the people should be cautious and vigilant about the threat of bird flu, he said.

The doctor was suffering from high fever for some time.

http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=47565

[DB]

Re: India - 'Doctor supervising cullings did not die of bird flu'

We must remember, the lab is Bhopal is THE ONLY PLACE where H5N1 avian influenza testing is being done in India.

See http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4394

Excerpt:
"...The Bhopal laboratory is the only one in India carrying out tests for the H5N1 strain of bird flu. The facility, manned by 14 researchers, is testing over 3,000 bird samples each week..."

Not Pune.

"Blood samples of the Akola-based doctor, who was suspected to have died of bird flu were sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, he said and added that results of all the three tests were negative for avian influenza."

So the fact that the person tested negative means absolutely nothing.

Ouch.

The truth hurts don't it.

[Theresa42]

Re: India - 'Doctor supervising cullings did not die of bird flu'

Excerpt:
"...The Bhopal laboratory is the only one in India carrying out tests for the H5N1 strain of bird flu. The facility, manned by 14 researchers, is testing over 3,000 bird samples each week..."

However, from Feb 27...

CDC supplies diagnostic reagents for bird flu investigation
Rahul Wadke

Testing the outbreak
CDC reagents could test a series of avian flu virus variants to establish the type currently hitting India.
National Institute of Virology was sharing its data with the CDC about the outbreak of avian flu in Navapur.

Mumbai , Feb. 27

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA, has supplied diagnostic reagents (biochemicals) to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for absolute identification of bird flu virus in human samples.

CDC, Atlanta, is the world's leading authority on infectious diseases and one of the 13 major operating components of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Ms Kathryn Harben, Coordinating Office for Global Health, CDC, has confirmed that CDC has already shipped US Food and Drug Administration- approved diagnostic reagents to India for use in the investigation.

In an e-mail reply to Business Line she said, "CDC's influenza team has consulted with the National Institute of Virology in Pune and with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in Delhi about laboratory testing for H5N1. CDC has also shipped FDA-approved diagnostic reagents to India for use in the outbreak investigation. Discussions continue and CDC will work to respond to additional requests as received."

Sharing and comparing

Dr B.J. Rao, an eminent geneticist from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, said that CDC reagents could test a series of avian flu virus variants to establish the type currently hitting India.

"A thorough analysis on large number of samples is very important. It is equally important that our results should be shared and compared with the existing CDC data to unveil the overall prevalence patterns of this viral spread," he said.

The Director of NIV was not available for comment.

Mr Vijay Satbir Singh, Public Health Secretary, Maharashtra, said that NIV was sharing its data with the CDC about the outbreak of avian flu in Navapur. We could think of a long-term collaboration with the CDC, but it would be very premature for me to comment now," he said.

Mr Singh said that officials from the US Consul Office in Mumbai had contacted him, as they were worried about the health of their citizens in the city. "We have informed them that the poultry products supply for the city is from western Maharashtra and not Navapur, which is in the northern part of the State," Mr Singh said.

No human cases

Of the 14 people who were admitted to isolation ward at Navapur Hospital, three were discharged on Friday, as they did not develop any avian flu symptoms during their mandatory quarantine period. Rest of the patients would be discharged by Monday, Mr Singh said.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/28/stories/2006022801360500.htm

[DB]

Re: India - 'Doctor supervising cullings did not die of bird flu'

Does Bhopal test avian and human samples?

Does Pune test avian and human samples?

Does Bhopal test avian samples and Pune test human samples?

Are Pune's samples in the same shape as Bhopal's, deplorable?

[Theresa42]

Re: India - 'Doctor supervising cullings did not die of bird flu'

Does Bhopal test avian and human samples?

Does Pune test avian and human samples?

Does Bhopal test avian samples and Pune test human samples?

Are Pune's samples in the same shape as Bhopal's, deplorable?

In answer to your first three questions: I dunno. I dunno. I dunno. (I had wondered along similar lines, too.)

In answer to your last question: probably.