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Epidemiology of WHO-confirmed human cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) infection
Introduction
In 1997, the first cases of human infection with the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus were reported in China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR). These 18 cases included 6 deaths and coincided with outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 in poultry on farms and in markets selling live poultry. Human cases ceased following the rapid destruction of the entire chicken population in Hong Kong SAR. In February 2003, 2 further human cases, with 1 death, were confirmed in a family in Hong Kong SAR who had recently travelled to Fujian Province in mainland China.
In mid-2003, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus began to circulate widely in poultry in parts of south-east Asia, spreading within months to affect 8 countries in an outbreak unprecedented in its geographical extent. In December 2003, the first human cases associated with this outbreak occurred in Viet Nam. The disease remained confined to animals and humans in South-East Asia until mid-2005, when the virus expanded its geographical range through parts of central Asia to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Between 1 December 2003 and 30 April 2006, 205 laboratory-confirmed cases and 113 deaths were reported to WHO from 9 countries. During that same period, the World Organisation for Animal Health reported outbreaks of H5N1 infection in domestic or wild birds in approximately 50 countries (Map 1). The objective of this analysis is to describe the epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed cases of H5N1 infection in humans. . . .
World Health Organization, Weekly Epidemiological Record: No. 26, 2006, 81, 249-256.
Complete article available at: http://www.who.int/wer/wer8126.pdf
Introduction
In 1997, the first cases of human infection with the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus were reported in China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR). These 18 cases included 6 deaths and coincided with outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 in poultry on farms and in markets selling live poultry. Human cases ceased following the rapid destruction of the entire chicken population in Hong Kong SAR. In February 2003, 2 further human cases, with 1 death, were confirmed in a family in Hong Kong SAR who had recently travelled to Fujian Province in mainland China.
In mid-2003, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus began to circulate widely in poultry in parts of south-east Asia, spreading within months to affect 8 countries in an outbreak unprecedented in its geographical extent. In December 2003, the first human cases associated with this outbreak occurred in Viet Nam. The disease remained confined to animals and humans in South-East Asia until mid-2005, when the virus expanded its geographical range through parts of central Asia to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Between 1 December 2003 and 30 April 2006, 205 laboratory-confirmed cases and 113 deaths were reported to WHO from 9 countries. During that same period, the World Organisation for Animal Health reported outbreaks of H5N1 infection in domestic or wild birds in approximately 50 countries (Map 1). The objective of this analysis is to describe the epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed cases of H5N1 infection in humans. . . .
World Health Organization, Weekly Epidemiological Record: No. 26, 2006, 81, 249-256.
Complete article available at: http://www.who.int/wer/wer8126.pdf