The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Wednesday the death of a human being due to infection with avian influenza A(H5N2), detected by a laboratory in Mexico. Reuters reported it.
The WHO said the 59-year-old Mexico resident had died on April 24 after experiencing fever, respiratory distress, diarrhea, nausea and general malaise.
This is the first laboratory-confirmed human case of avian influenza subtype A(H5N2) infection reported worldwide.
The victim had no history of exposure to poultry or other animals, the WHO said. Cases of avian influenza subtype A(H5N2) in poultry have been reported in Mexico.
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{{msg}} {{msg}}The person had multiple pre-existing medical conditions and had been bedridden for three weeks for other reasons before the onset of acute symptoms, the WHO said.
This has been the only recorded case of this strain of avian flu virus in humans in Mexico. According to the WHO, “a human infection caused by a new subtype of influenza A virus is an event that has the potential to have a high impact on public health and should be reported to the WHO”
However, he clarified that “based on available information, the WHO assesses the current risk that this virus represents for the general population as low.”
In a statement, the WHO said the patient had no history of exposure to poultry or other animals. “The case had multiple underlying medical conditions. Relatives reported that he had already been bedridden for three weeks, for other reasons, before the onset of acute symptoms,” he indicated.
Furthermore, he explained that “on April 17, the patient developed fever, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, nausea and general malaise. On April 24, he sought medical attention, was hospitalized at the “Ismael Cosio Villegas” National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER) and died that same day due to complications from his condition,” he reported.
According to the WHO, laboratory results from the respiratory sample “indicated a non-subtypeable influenza A virus. On May 8, the sample was sent for sequencing to the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Emerging Diseases Center for Research in Infectious Diseases (CIENI) of the INER, where it indicated that the sample was positive for influenza A (H5N2),” he noted.
“On May 20, the sample was received at the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE) of the National Influenza Center of Mexico, for analysis by RT-PCR, obtaining a positive result for influenza A. On May 22, the sequencing of the sample confirmed that the influenza subtype was A (H5N2),” he noted.
No further cases were reported during the epidemiological investigation. Nor among the patient’s contacts. (TN)
