Avian Influenza is back in the headlines with the recent outbreak in a family group in Karo North Sumatra. As announced by World Health Organization (WHO) on 18 and 23 May 2006, seven people within the same family contacted by H5N1 avian influenza virus and six of them were fatal.
On 29 May 2006, The Ministryof Health in Indonesia has confirmed additional six cases of human infection with the H5N1 virus -three of these cases were fatal. None of these newly confirmed cases is associated with the family cluster in Karo, North Sumatra. This means the cases are widely dispersed geographically. The newly confirmed cases bring the cumulative total in Indonesia to 48 cases, 36 of them were fatal.
Please note that this outbreak does not represent a change in the virus ability to be easily transmitted from human to human. As in previous family outbreaks it appears either to be a particular genetic susceptibility in the family or a common source of exposure (sharing of infected food) as the cause of the outbreak.
Full genetic sequencing of two viruses isolated from cases in North Sumatra has been completed by WHO and found no evidence of genetic swapping with human or pig influenza viruses and no evidence of significant mutations.The viruses showed no mutations associated with resistance to the neuraminidase inhibitors (ways of antivirus works) including oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Our overall risk at this time for Avian Influenza remains very low and maintaining good personal hygiene, avoiding poultry markets and farming areas, and properly preparing and cooking meals are measures that remain very effective in protecting ourselves and our loved ones.
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