Avian influenza, human (150): Iraq, retrospective case

International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

[1]
Source: The Washington Post, Reuters report [edited]
< http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/19/AR2006091900358.html>

A 3-year-old Iraqi boy in Baghdad has been confirmed as having
survived a mild case of bird flu last March [2006], the 1st confirmed
human infection in the capital, the World Health Organization (WHO)
said on Tue 10 Sep 2006. "The Ministry of Health in Iraq has
retrospectively confirmed the country's 3rd case of human infection
with the H5N1 avian influenza virus," the WHO said in a statement.

Initial testing on samples taken from the boy had been inconclusive,
possibly due to their deterioration during shipment, but repeated
tests using different methods has confirmed the presence of the
virus, according to WHO.

Iraqi officials said in March that the H5N1 virus had been found in
poultry in Baghdad, but to date there had been no human case
confirmed in the war-ravaged capital. An Iraqi teenage girl and her
uncle, both of whom died in January [2006] in the northern province
of Sulaimaniya, were the country's 1st [and until now only - Mod.CP]
known human cases.

The WHO said on Tue [19 Sep 2006] that Iraq's outbreak was "now
considered over." The latest confirmed case brings the global total
to 247 cases in 10 countries since 2003, with 144 deaths, WHO said.

******
[2]
Source: World Health Organisation (WHO), CSR, Disease Outbreak News [edited]
< http://www.who.int/csr/don/2006_09_19/en/index.html>


Iraq: Avian Influenza Situation - WHO Update 5
--------------------------------------------
As of 10 Sep 2006, the Ministry of Health in Iraq has retrospectively
confirmed the country's 3rd case of human infection with the H5N1
avian influenza virus. The case, a 3-year-old boy, was hospitalized
in Baghdad on 15 Mar 2006. His illness was mild and he fully recovered.

During its outbreak, which is now considered over, Iraq faced
problems in the shipment of specimens for external verification of
diagnostic tests. For the retrospectively confirmed case, initial
test results were inconclusive, possibly as a result of sample
deterioration during shipment. Repeated testing, using different
methods, was needed for diagnostic confirmation.

The 2 cases previously confirmed in Iraq occurred in January 2006.
Both cases were fatal.

Retrospective confirmation of this case raises the total of human
H5N1 avian influenza cases in Iraq from 2 to 3 with the number of
deaths unchanged at 2. The global total of confirmed cases of H5N1
virus infection is increased to 247 with 144 deaths.

It would be interesting to know the nature of the methods employed in
re-testing of the patient's samples which have given a positive
result, as opposed to those giving a negative result in the 1st round
of tests. A statement from an informed source would be welcome.