Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Human Case Confirmed in Bangladesh

Avian Influenza A (H5N1) case, Bangladesh—The Influenza Division reports the following from the World Health Organization (WHO): The Ministry of Health, Bangladesh has confirmed its first human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus infection. The patient was identified retrospectively as part of seasonal surveillance activities run by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB).

The patient is a 16-month-old male from Komalapur, Dhaka. He developed symptoms on January 27, 2008, and subsequently recovered. The boy was confirmed as being infected with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus by the WHO H5 Reference Laboratory, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The boy was exposed to live and slaughtered chickens at his home. Specimens have been collected from his family members and neighbors, and all remain healthy to date.

This brings the total number of countries reporting confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) to 15. There are no reports of animal or human avian influenza A (H5N1) infections in the United States.

For more information, see WHO's Avian Influenza—Situation in Bangladesh and Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO.