BBC Bird flu cases 'underestimated'

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>

>BBC DAILY E-MAIL: UK EDITION

>Thursday, 17 February, 2005, 9:00 GMT 01:00 -08:00:US/Pacific

>

> * Bird flu cases 'underestimated' *

>Scientists say the number of cases of humans

>being infected with bird flu may have been

>underestimated.

>Full story:

>http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/health/4270755.stm

>

Bird flu cases 'underestimated'

The spread of the deadly bird flu virus may have

been underestimated because of a misunderstanding

of how it affects the body, British scientists

have said.

 

Oxford University experts studying deaths in

Vietnam suggest the disease can attack all parts

of the body, not just the lungs as had been

thought.

 

They told the New England Journal of Medicine

they also believe humans could pass the virus on

to each other.

 

So far, there have been 42 bird flu deaths, all in Asian countries.

 

But the Oxford University scientists say their

findings suggests the number of cases of human

infection with the virus may have been

under-estimated.

 

The World Health Organization said it would

change its definition of what constituted a bird

flu infection.

 

So far, the WHO says there have been 55 confirmed

cases of bird flu in humans, and 42 deaths.

 

However, experts believe millions could be at

risk if the virus acquires the ability to jump

from person to person by combining with a form of

human flu to make a new, mutated, version.

 

The researchers examined the deaths of two young

children - a brother and sister - who lived in a

single room with their parents in southern

Vietnam.

 

They were admitted to hospital suffering from

gastro-enteritis and acute encephalitis, which

are common ailments in the country.

 

Neither displayed respiratory problems, which

have been considered typical in cases of avian

flu.

 

Widespread attack

 

But analysis revealed the four-year-old boy had

traces of the virus in his faeces, blood, nose

and in the fluid around the brain.

 

This indicates the virus - known as H5N1 - can

attack all parts of the body, not just the lungs.

 

It is suspected his nine-year-old sister, who

died two weeks earlier in February last year, was

also suffering from the virus.

 

The lead researcher is Dr Menno de Jong, a

virologist at the Oxford University Clinical

Research Unit who is based at the Hospital for

Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh.

 

He said: " This illustrates that when someone is

suffering from any severe illness we should

consider if avian flu might be the cause.

 

" It may be possible to treat but you have to act

in the early stages, so awareness of the whole

spectrum of symptoms in an emerging disease like

avian flu is vital.

 

" It appears this virus is progressively adapting

to an increasing range of mammals in which it can

cause infection, and the range of disease in

humans is wide and clearly includes encephalitis. "

 

Different manifestations

 

Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome

Trust's Vietnam unit, said: " This latest work

underlines the possibility that avian influenza

can present itself in different ways.

 

" The main focus has been on patients with

respiratory illnesses but clearly that's not the

only thing we should be looking for.

 

" Therefore the number of cases of H5N1 may have been underestimated. "

 

Dr Farrar said the presence of the virus in the

faeces suggested that it could be spread from

person to person - especially where people are

living in crowded conditions.

 

It is not believed that either of the children

passed the virus on, but it is also not clear how

they contracted it.

 

However, the girl often swam in a nearby canal

which may have been contaminated by ducks

carrying the virus.

 

Dick Thompson, of the World Health Organization,

told the BBC the findings were significant.

 

He said: " It means the range of illnesses we have

been looking for when considering a diagnosis of

avian flu will now be expanded.

 

" We will have to change the way we conduct our

investigations, the management of hospital

patients and even the way we deal with their

bodily secretions. "

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/4270755.stm

 

Published: 2005/02/17 13:45:37 GMT

 

© BBC MMV

 

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