Friday, December 14, 2007

Pakistan to United States: Human to Human H5N1 transmission?

In Pakistan Friday, "Health officials ... were investigating a possible human-to-human transmission of bird flu among four brothers in north-west Pakistan, two of whom later died."

A poultry farmer in Manshera, North-West Frontier Province was confirmed to have contracted H5N1. That man survived the virus, but now officials fear he may have infected three of his brothers. None of his brothers had ever been to the farm nor were they believed to have been in close contact with sick birds, Pakistan's Health Minister, Khushnood Akhtar, told the press.

"Two of the brothers died from pneumonia-like symptoms but were buried by family members before health officials could take blood samples to test for the virus."

The third brother, living in the United States, was visiting the area at the time and tested positive for bird flu. "He survived and has since returned to the US," the Minister said. The ministry does not have any further information about where in the US the third brother lives.

Pakistan's Ministry of Health has called for an investigation into the matter by the WHO, which has not commented on the case.

Full Story: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/158727.html

No comments: