Number 2 of 144 suspected Thai cases, dead of H5N1

August 5, 2006

Authorities in Thailand have confirmed that a 27-year-old man who

died in Uthai Thani province on August 3 did so as a result of bird

flu infection. This is the second person to die of bird flu in the

country within the last two weeks. The other patient was a 17-year-

old man who died on July 26. Sixteen people have died of bird flu

infection in Thailand so far. The country had been free of human

infections for seven months.

The latest victim had had extensive contact with dead poultry, said

authorities.

The poultry industry is massive in Thailand - it is the fourth

largest exported of poultry in the world.

Thai authorities say they have stepped up the search for people with

H5N1 infection. So far, no other cases have been identified.

Surveillance for infection in poultry and other farmed birds has

also increased.

Health officials are concerned that during the current rainy season

more humans may come down with bird flu while at the same time being

infected with the normal human flu virus. For H5N1 to mutate it

ideally needs to come into contact with the normal human flu virus.

It can do this by infecting someone who has the normal flu. The H5N1

could then exchange genetic information with the normal human flu

virus and acquire its ability to become easily human transmissible

(it could mutate into a form that passes more easily from human-to-

human).

Recent research in the USA has indicated that perhaps a mutated bird

flu virus might not be as deadly and easily human transmissible as

first feared. However, the study only looked at a few of 50 possible

variables. Ferrets were used in this study. Ferrets and humans catch

flu in a similar way.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist

Editor: Medical News Today

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