Human to Human H5N1 in Indonesia

From the Bangkok Post:

"Geneva (dpa) - A cluster of seven human bird-flu cases in Indonesia may have been caused by multiple person-to-person transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.

The apparent infection chain among an extended family in North Sumatra began with a woman who is believed to have passed on the H5N1 to relatives who were with her "in a small room" when she was sick and coughing, a WHO statement said.

The woman's 10-year-old nephew subsequently got bird flu and is considered a possible source of infection for her brother, who was "closely involved in caring for his son," WHO said. The three people are among six family members who have died since May 4.

"All confirmed cases in the cluster can be directly linked to close and prolonged exposure to a patient during a phase of severe illness," a WHO statement said.

Human-to-human transmission "cannot be ruled out," though a possible alternative source of exposure is still being investigated, WHO said.

Indonesia is second only to Vietnam in human cases and deaths in the current outbreak of bird flu. Worldwide, 218 people in 10 countries have been confirmed with bird flu, of which 124 have died, according to WHO."

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If this isn't it, the final mutations allowing for efficient H-2-H transmission could come at any time and I predict the shift will most certainly occur before this year's flu season.

I apologize for the brief haitus on this blog, I am now settled into my summer's plans so you can expect much more rigorous and often postings.

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