WHO confirms Mexico man’s death from bird flu strain never before seen in humans
A man in Mexico has died from a strain of bird flu called H5N2, in what is the first laboratory-confirmed case of the strain in a human, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday. The H5N2 bird flu strain in Mexico is different from the H5N1 strain found in the United States that has sickened three dairy farmers. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
The World Health Organization confirmed Wednesday a man in Mexico has died from a strain of bird flu called H5N2, in what is the first laboratory-confirmed case of that strain in a human.
While cases of A(H5N2) viruses have been reported in poultry in Mexico, the 59-year-old victim had had no exposure to poultry or other animals, according to WHO. There have been a total of three poultry outbreaks of H5N2 in Mexico as scientists have so far been unable to find a connection to the victim who died April 24.
The man was hospitalized in Mexico City with a fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea and nausea, according to WHO. His relatives reported he “had already been bedridden for three weeks, for other reasons, prior to the onset of acute symptoms.”
The U.N. agency said lab results confirmed it was the first human H5 virus infection reported in Mexico and the first human death of someone infected with the avian influenza subtype H5N2.
Mexico’s health ministry issued a statement Wednesday saying the man, who officials did not identify, had several underlying medical conditions before contracting the strain. The ministry said all people who had contact with him have tested negative with no evidence of person-to-person transmission.
At this point, the risk of the bird flu virus to Mexico’s general population is low. “This case does not change the current WHO recommendations on public health measures and surveillance of influenza,” according to the health organization.
The bird flu strain in Mexico, H5N2, is unrelated to the strain of bird flu in the United States, called H5N1 that infected three dairy farm workers who were exposed to cattle.
Last week, CSL Seqirus announced it is preparing nearly 5 million doses of vaccine against H5N1 avian flu for possible use in humans “later this summer.” The new vaccine combines an antigen that targets the H5 portion of H5N1 with an ingredient to boost the immune response.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk to public health is low as human cases of bird flu in the United States are rare, they have occurred “sporadically worldwide.”