Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L2462395.htm

CAIRO, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Egypt has detected two new human cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus, both in a single household that raised ducks, a World Health Organisation official said on Sunday.


Hassan el-Bushra, regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance at the World Health Organisation, said the two people had tested positive for the avian influenza virus.


The new infections bring the total number of human cases in Egypt to 17, of whom seven have died since the virus first surfaced in Egyptian poultry in February.


The two cases were a brother and sister from a village near the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Cairo.

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[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/arti...orld-C3-More-8

Egypt detects two new human H5N1 bird flu cases

Sun Dec 24, 2006 7:54 AM GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) - A brother and sister in Egypt have tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, a World Health Organisation official said on Sunday.

The siblings are from a village near the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Cairo, Hassan el-Bushra, regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance at the WHO, said.

Bushra said the family raised ducks, and the brother, 26, and sister, 15, had slaughtered the flock after a number of ducks had become sick and died.

Both have been moved to hospitals in Cairo and have been treated with the drug Tamiflu, with the rest of the family being kept under medical surveillance, Bushra said.



The new infections bring the total number of human cases in Egypt to 17, of whom seven have died since the virus first surfaced in Egyptian poultry in February.

The initial bird flu outbreak caused panic in Egypt, where poultry is a major source of protein, and poor families frequently breed chicken and ducks domestically in cities and rural areas to supplement their diet and income.

The Egyptian cabinet announced in November that the country's poultry production had recovered to almost the same level as before the deadly virus hit in February.

An official with the Food and Agriculture Organisation had said in October that the onset of cooler weather could cause a flare-up of cases in poultry

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[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Egypt detects third new human H5N1 bird flu case

24 Dec 2006 08:07:03 GMT

CAIRO, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Egypt has detected a third new case of the H5N1 bird flu virus, just hours after confirming two new cases in a brother and sister, a World Health Organisation official said on Sunday.

Hassan el-Bushra, regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance at the WHO said the three cases were from the same household, which houses an extended family of 33 people living together in a village in Egypt's Gharbiya province.

Bushra said the family raised ducks, and had slaughtered the flock after a number of ducks had become sick and died.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24658408.htm

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Three in Egypt family test postive for bird flu-WHO

24 Dec 2006 08:48:03 GMT

CAIRO, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Three members of the same family in Egypt have tested positive for H5N1 bird flu, a World Health Organisation official said on Sunday.

The WHO earlier said a brother, 26, and sister, 15, had the virus and then said a third relative, a woman aged 30, had contracted it.

All three are from the same extended family of 33 living in a single house in a village near the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Cairo, Hassan el-Bushra, regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance at the WHO, said.

Bushra said the family raised ducks, and the brother and sister had slaughtered the flock after a number of ducks had become sick and died.

The three have been moved to a hospital in Cairo and have been treated with the drug Tamiflu, with the rest of the family being kept under close medical surveillance, Bushra said.

The new infections bring the total number of human cases in Egypt to 18, of whom seven have died since the virus first surfaced in Egyptian poultry in February.

The initial bird flu outbreak caused panic in Egypt, where poultry is a major source of protein, and poor families frequently breed chicken and ducks domestically in cities and rural areas to supplement their diet and income.

The Egyptian cabinet announced in November that the country's poultry production had recovered to almost the same level as before the deadly virus hit in February.

An official with the Food and Agriculture Organisation had said in October that the onset of cooler weather could cause a flare-up of cases in poultry.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24166943.htm

[HenryN]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 3 human bird flu cases

Three members of extended family in Egypt test positive for bird flu, WHO says
The Associated Press
Sunday, December 24, 2006

CAIRO, Egypt Three members of an extended family living together in the same house in Egypt have tested positive for the bird flu, a World Health Organization official said on Sunday.
A sister, 15, and brother, 26, and a 30-year-old woman were diagnosed over the past week with the lethal H5N1 virus, said Hassan el-Bushra, a WHO regional adviser.

The three lived with 30 other family members in the same house in the Gharbiya province, north of Cairo, with several ducks, three of which died recently, he said.
The 30-year-old woman was hospitalized on Dec. 17 but did not tell health officials until a few days later that she had been in contact with birds. The two others were hospitalized shortly after, el-Bushra said.


All three have been transferred to a hospital in Cairo, and the 30-year-old woman was in good conition. El-Bushra did not know the conditions of the other two and said the rest of the family is being monitored.

The latest cases bring the number of Egyptians who have contracted the avian flu to 18, el-Bushra said. Seven have since died.

Bird flu was first detected in Egypt in February and has spread to at least 19 of the country's 26 provinces. Egypt lies on a migratory route for wild birds.

The discovery of avian flu in the Middle East has led to widespread culling of birds. The H5N1 strain has hit at least 45 countries and killed more than 150 people worldwide.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/...t_Bird_Flu.php

[HenryN]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Egypt reports three human bird flu cases
Cairo, Dec. 24 (Xinhua): Egypt detected three new human bird flu cases, all of whom came from a family in the Egyptian Delta governorate of Gharbiya, some 90 km north of Cairo, Cairo office of the World Health Organization (WHO) told Xinhua on Sunday.

The WHO in Egypt said two of the three infected people had slaughtered the poultry after some ducks had become sick and died.

However, a statement released by the Egyptian Health Ministry on Saturday said only two persons were tested positive for the deadly H5N1 virus strain after contacting infected domestic birds.

They were admitted to Cairo's Abbasiya fever hospital. And medical teams were sent to the infected area to cull all birds around and examine people handling poultry.

With the three new infections, Egypt has reported a total of 18 human bird flu cases.

Egypt found the first bird flu case in dead poultry on Feb. 17, 2006 and then the virus spread to 20 of the country's 26 governorates.
The populous Arab country reported first human bird flu case on March 18 of 2006. Since then, seven people have died of the fatal virus in the country.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus...0612241624.htm

[HenryN]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...ypt_3_New.html

[HenryN]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Bird flu confirmed in Egypt trio

Three members of an Egyptian family have tested positive for the virulent H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.


A 30-year-old woman was first treated on 17 December, before a brother and sister, aged 26 and 15, fell ill.

The World Health Organization confirmed the test results on the three, who live with 30 other family members raising poultry in a town north of Cairo.

The positive tests raise to 18 the total number of human cases in Egypt. Seven of those people have died.

The family live together in one house in the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province, about 80km (50 miles) north of Cairo.

Family farm

A WHO official said the family raised ducks, and the brother and sister had become infected after slaughtering the flock in an effort to stem the spread of the H5N1 virus.

The 30-year-old woman, who also developed symptoms, is recovering well in a Cairo hospital, said Hassan el-Bushra, a WHO regional adviser.

Three of the family's ducks had died of the virus, he added.

Egypt is a major route for migratory birds and is one of the countries worst hit by the virus outside Asia.

Government officials had hoped an initial outbreak of H5N1 among poultry in February had been contained and would not further affect the country's food supply.
In the Middle East, the disease is also known to be present in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.


Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...st/6207797.stm


Published: 2006/12/24 12:42:38 GMT

[HenryN]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Another translation of yesterday's report

<TABLE dir=rtl style="DIRECTION: ltr; TEXT-ALIGN: left" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="99%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR style="DIRECTION: ltr; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><TD dir=ltr style="DIRECTION: ltr; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left>

A young man and injuring his cousin Pzfti avian influenza

</TD></TR><TR dir=rtl><TD class=myfont align=middle>

طنطا ـ عاطف دعبس:

Tanta Atef Khamaisa :

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

كشفت معامل وزارة الصحة اصابة شاب ?25 سنة? وابنة عمه 15 سنة بزفتي بمرض انفلونزا الطيور وتم نقلهما أمس إلي مستشفي حميات العباسية ومعهما شقيقة المصاب الأول والتي تم احتجازها تحت الاشتباه.

Revealed the Ministry of Health wounded young ?? 25 years and the daughter of his uncle 15 years Pzfti contracted avian flu was transported to the hospital yesterday pathogenesis Abbasiya themselves first and injured his brother, who was detained under suspicion.

<o:p></o:p>

كانت مديرية الصحة بالغربية قد احتجزت في 17 ديسمبر انتصار فريد عبدالحليم 30 سنة وشقيقها رضا 25 سنة بمستشفي حميات زفتي وفي 20 ديسمبر احتجزت ابنة عمهما شفيقة فريد 15 سنة تحت الاشتباه وتم اخذ عينات منهم لإرسالها لمعامل الوزارة. كشفت أمس نتيجة فحص الحالات اصابة رضا فريد وابنة عمه شفيقة بمرض انفلونزا الطيور مما أدي إلي اثارة فزع وخوف المواطنين وخصوصا بعد أن تم احتجاز حالتين جديدتين في طنطا والمحلة، وعلي الفور قام الدكتور السيد الحسيني وكيل وزارة الصحة وسامي فتح الباب رئيس مركز ومدينة زفتي بتشكيل لجنة لفحص جميع المخالطين واعدام الطيور في نطاق نصف كيلو من بؤرة الإصابة وأخذ عينات من جميع المخالطين بقرية كفر حانوت.

The Directorate of Health enough had been detained in the December 17 victory Farid saying 30 years and 25 years her brother Reza Hospital pathogenesis of Main and December 20 detained the daughter of their uncle Fred Shafiqah 15 years under suspicion was sampling them to be sent to labs ministry. Revealed yesterday, as a result examine situations injury Reza Farid and his cousin Shafiqah contracted avian flu, which caused panic and fear of citizens and especially after the detention of two new cases in Tanta and Mahala, and immediately, Dr. Mr. Husseini, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Sami opened the door, head of the Center City and the Main formation of a committee to examine all Almkhalten and execution of birds within a half kilo of the focus of infection and taking samples from all Almkhalten village of Kafr shop.

<o:p></o:p>

وتسود حالة من الفزع بعد اكتشاف حالات ايجابية لمرض انفلونزا الطيور وطالب المجلس المحلي للمحافظة بضرورة التشديد علي غلق محلات بيع الطيور الحية والتي مازالت مفتوحة حتي الآن رغم وجود قرار بحظر وتداول الطيور الحية بالأسواق.

There is a state of panic after the discovery of cases positive for avian influenza disease and asked the local council to maintain emphasis on the need to close down shops selling live birds, which still open so far even though a decision banning the circulation of live birds at markets.

<o:p></o:p>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...ypt_3_New.html

Commentary

H5N1 Confirmed in Three New Egyptian Patients
Recombinomics Commentary
December 24, 2006

The WHO earlier said a brother, 26, and sister, 15, had the virus and then said a third relative, a woman aged 30, had contracted it.

All three are from the same extended family of 33 living in a single house in a village near the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province.

The above comments provide additional detail on the confirmed cases in the Egyptian family cluster, which has now grown to three. This is the largest cluster reported to date in Egypt. The location is 12 miles south of the case confirmed in October. The H5N1 sequence from that case had a number of newly acquired polymorphisms, including several from H5N1 reported in neighboring countries.

One of the acquisitions, M230I, matches the receptor binding domain sequence in the three human strains, H3N2, H1N1, and Influenza B. The Influenza B match is for positions 226-230 (QSGRI). Since influenza B is efficiently transmitted from human-to-human, the presence of M230I in the Qinghai strain of H5N1 is cause for concern.

The confirmed cluster in Gharbiya province may grow into a larger geographical cluster. In addition to the four confirmed cases this season, Arab language reports in Egypt describe two additional patients hospitalized in Tanta, the capital of Gharbiya province and about 15 miles from the four confirmed cases.

Gharbiya has been recently called an H5N1 hot spot. It is in the Nile Delta and lies within major migratory bird flyways, as do most of the countries in the Middle East.

Turkey has reported the deaths of chickens and sparrows. Iran has begun to cull sick chickens. Although neither country has reported H5N1 this season, last year Egypt reported H5N1 in a teal, while Iran has published the sequence of a whooper swan isolated last season.

The confirmation of the largest cluster in Egypt mirrors the largest cluster in Turkey last year. Infections in both clusters began in December, and signaled a new season of human H5N1 cases. These cases had several changes in the receptor binding domain that increased affinity to human receptors. These changes were also linked to larger clusters, as has been confirmed in Egypt.

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[HenryN]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12240603/H5N1_Egypt_Gharbiya_More.html

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...biya_More.html

Commentary

Additional H5N1 Suspect Cases in Gharbiya in Nile Delta
Recombinomics Commentary
December 24, 2006

Revealed yesterday, as a result examine situations injury Reza Farid and his cousin Shafiqah contracted avian flu, which caused panic and fear of citizens and especially after the detention of two new cases in Tanta and Mahala, and immediately, Dr. Mr. Husseini, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Sami opened the door, head of the Center City and the Main formation of a committee to examine all Almkhalten and execution of birds within a half kilo of the focus of infection and taking samples from all Almkhalten village of Kafr shop.

The above translation provides additional detail on the two suspect cases in Tanta and Mahala. These cases are in addition to the four confirmed cases in the Gharbiya Province. The first case (39F) died in October. She had raised ducks in Summanud, which is adjacent to the Nile River and about 15 miles north of Zifta, which is also on the Nile and just south of Kafr village, the location of the confirmed family cluster of three. This cluster is also linked to ducks.

H5N1 from the earlier case has been sequenced, and the HA has M230I, which is also present in all three human influenza strains (H1N1, H3N2, influenza B) that are currently circulating. This sequence has Egyptian linked polymorphisms found in H5N1 bird flu isolated earlier this year. However, it also has several additional polymorphisms found in various Qinghai isolates from Europe and Africa, signaling additional recombination between local Qinghai strains.

In addition to the four confirmed cases, the above translation describes patients in Tanta, which is about 15 miles west of Zifta. Mahala probably refers to Mahalla el Kubra, which is a few miles west of Samannud. Earlier, there were reports of an additional suspect case (23F) from Tanta.

Thus, the four confirmed cases and recent suspect cases are within a 10 mile radius of each other, in the heart of the Nile Delta, adjacent to the Nile River. This location is in the flight path of migratory birds, including the H5N1 positive teal detected in December, 2005 in Egypt.

The large number of confirmed and suspect cases in this small geographical area remains a cause for concern.

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[Theresa42]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Machine-translated from Arabic:

The injury of a young man and his cousin with "my wedding procession" by the bird flu
Dec 24, 2006

Tanta - Atef Deibis: The Ministry of Health laboratories revealed the injury of a young man "25 years" and his cousin 15 years with "my wedding procession" [I'm guessing this is the name of the village that they're from] by the bird flu disease and have been transferred yesterday to the hospital of the Abbasid fevers and with them the sister of the first injured and who has been detained under the suspicion....

BTW -- the Abbassia Fever Hospital (& the Abbassia Chest Hospital) -- "the oldest and largest fever hospital in the Middle East" -- is next-door to NAMRU-3...

http://www.nmrc.navy.mil/namru_3.htm

[Laidback Al]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Thanks for that tidbit of information, your sleuthing skills are amazing. Being that close, NAMRU-3 ought to be able turn the test results around pretty quickly.

[Theresa42]

Re: Egyptian govt reports 2 human bird flu cases

Thanks for that tidbit of information, your sleuthing skills are amazing. Being that close, NAMRU-3 ought to be able turn the test results around pretty quickly.

Actually -- someone very kindly tipped me on this. Thanks to the person that did! I tried to find the addresses for the hospital and NAMRU, but all I wound up finding was the note on the NAMRU page.