First human case of H5N2 died from multiple factors – WHO

A man infected with H5N2 bird flu, the first confirmed human infection with the strain, died from multiple factors, the WHO said on Friday, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with H5N2 avian influenza virus had been reported from Mexico.

Mexico’s health ministry said the 59-year-old man had “a history of chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes (and) long-standing systemic arterial hypertension”.

ALSO READ: Czech farmers cull 140,000 birds in bird flu outbreak

He had been bedridden for three weeks prior to the onset of acute symptoms, developing fever, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, nausea and general malaise on April 17.

The man was taken to hospital in Mexico City on April 24 and died later that day.

“The death is a multi-factorial death, not a death attributable to H5N2,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a media briefing in Geneva on Friday.

“The patient came to the hospital after weeks of multi-factorial background of multi other diseases.”

His body was subsequently routinely tested for flu and other viruses, and H5N2 was detected, Lindmeier said.

ALSO READ: Bird flu outbreak: Govt’s promised support for poultry farmers yet to materialise

Seventeen contacts of the case in the hospital were identified. All tested negative for influenza.

In the man’s place of residence, 12 contacts in the weeks beforehand were identified. All likewise tested negative.

“Investigations are ongoing. Serology is ongoing. That means the blood testing of contacts to see if there was any possible earlier infection,” said Lindmeier.

“At this point in time, as its multi-factorial, it’s a multi-factorial death.

“But the infection of H5N2 is being investigated to see whether he was infected by somebody visiting or by any contact with any animals before.”

ALSO READ: Fewer than 5 cases of bird flu in November, but price of eggs could still go up

The WHO said on Wednesday the source of exposure to the virus was currently unknown, though H5N2 viruses have been reported in poultry in Mexico.

Based on available information, the United Nations’ health agency assesses the current risk to the general population posed by the virus as low.

– Low food risk –

Markus Lipp, senior food safety officer at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, explained why the risk of contracting avian influenza though eating poultry was “negligibly low”.

“In all the hundred years of avian influenza… there has not been any demonstrated food-borne transmission,” he told the briefing, via video-link from the FAO’s headquarters in Rome.

“Animal handlers, of course, who are in extremely close contact with animals may get an infection but it’s an occupational risk. It’s not a food-borne transmission.

ALSO READ: Government to draw from R3.5bn scheme for Bird Flu relief

“Humans do not have avian influenza receptors in their gastro-intestinal tract, contrary to certain animal species, as far as we know.

“So there is a very slim likelihood, just from that perspective.”

Of all the food safety risks when eating poultry, “probably the lowest risk is connected to avian influenza. There are many other microbiological risks that are more likely to cause harm to consumers if food is inadequately prepared,” he said.