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Recent North American Outbreaks of Avian Influenza with Transmission to Humans
H7N3 in Canada - 2004

On February 19, 2004 , the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced an outbreak of avian influenza A (H7N3) in poultry in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia . Culling operations and other measures were performed in an effort to control the spread of the virus. Health Canada reported two cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza A (H7): one in a person involved in culling operations on March 13-14, and the other in a poultry worker who had close contact with poultry on March 22-23. Both patients developed conjunctivitis (eye infection) and other flu-like symptoms. Their illnesses resolved after treatment with the antiviral medication oseltamivir.

Although these are the only laboratory-confirmed cases of avian influenza A (H7) in humans during this outbreak in Canada , approximately 10 other poultry workers exhibited conjunctival and/or upper respiratory symptoms after having contact with poultry. Use of personal protective equipment is mandatory for all persons involved in culling activities, and compliance with prescribed safety measures is monitored. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and clinical evaluation is ongoing, as is surveillance for signs of avian influenza in exposed persons. There is currently no evidence of person-to-person transmission of avian influenza from this outbreak. For more information about this outbreak, visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/avflu/situatione.shtml .

H7N2 in New York - 2003
In November 2003, a patient with serious underlying medical conditions was admitted to a hospital in New York with respiratory symptoms. One of the initial laboratory tests identified an influenza A virus that was thought to be H1N1. The patient recovered and went home after a few weeks. Subsequent confirmatory tests conducted in March showed that the patient had been infected with an H7N2 avian influenza A virus.

Recent Outbreaks among Poultry in the United States with No Transmission to Humans
H5N2 in Texas – 2004

In February 2004, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N2) was detected and reported in a flock of 7,000 chickens in south-central Texas . This was the first outbreak of HPAI in the United States in 20 years.

H7N2 in Delaware , New Jersey , and Maryland - 2004

In February 2004, an outbreak of low pathogenic avian influena (LPAI) A (H7N2) was reported on 2 chicken farms in Delaware and in four live bird markets in New Jersey supplied by the farms. In March 2004, surveillance samples from a flock of chickens in Maryland tested positive for LPAI H7N2. It is likely that this was the same strain.

For Additional Information

For information about plans for preventing and responding to avian influenza outbreaks in poultry in the United States, visit “Safeguarding the United States from Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza” on the the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Web site.

 

Recent Developments
H5N1 Among Animals
Beginning in late June 2004, new outbreaks of lethal avian influenza A (H5N1) infection among poultry were reported by several countries in Asia: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Since May 2005, outbreaks of H5N1 disease have been reported among poultry in Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Romania. Mongolia has reported outbreaks of H5N1 in wild, migratory birds. In October 2005, H5N1 was reported among migrating swans in Croatia. For additional information about H5N1 and other avian influenza outbreaks among animals, visit the World Organization for Animal Health Web site.

Human H5N1 Cases
During August to October 2004, sporadic human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) were reported in Vietnam and Thailand. Since December 2004, a resurgence of poultry outbreaks and human cases has been reported in Vietnam. On February 2, 2005, the first of four human cases of H5N1 infection from Cambodia was reported. On July 21, 2005, the first human case of H5N1 in Indonesia was reported. Indonesia has continued to report human cases in August, September, October, and November 2005. Thailand also reported new human cases of H5N1 in October 2005.

 

Fatal avian influenza A (H5N1) in a child presenting with diarrhea followed by coma.

de Jong MD, Bach VC, Phan TQ, Vo MH, Tran TT, Nguyen BH, Beld M, Le TP, Truong HK, Nguyen VV, Tran TH, Do QH, Farrar J.

Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

In southern Vietnam, a four-year-old boy presented with severe diarrhea, followed by seizures, coma, and death. The cerebrospinal fluid contained 1 white cell per cubic millimeter, normal glucose levels, and increased levels of protein (0.81 g per liter). The diagnosis of avian influenza A (H5N1) was established by isolation of the virus from cerebrospinal fluid, fecal, throat, and serum specimens. The patient's nine-year-old sister had died from a similar syndrome two weeks earlier. In both siblings, the clinical diagnosis was acute encephalitis. Neither patient had respiratory symptoms at presentation. These cases suggest that the spectrum of influenza H5N1 is wider than previously thought. Copyright 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.

 

Avian H5N1 influenza in cats.

Kuiken T, Rimmelzwaan G, van Riel D, van Amerongen G, Baars M, Fouchier R, Osterhaus A.

Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands. t.kuiken@erasmusmc.nl

During the 2003 to 2004 outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in Asia, there were anecdotal reports of fatal infection in domestic cats, although this species is considered resistant to influenza. We experimentally inoculated cats with H5N1 virus intratracheally and by feeding them virus-infected chickens. The cats excreted virus, developed severe diffuse alveolar damage, and transmitted virus to sentinel cats. These results show that domestic cats are at risk of disease or death from H5N1 virus, can be infected by horizontal transmission, and may play a role in the epidemiology of this virus.
Shoot the cats!!!!