15 January 2004

Avian influenza A(H5N1)

The World Health Organisation has reported three confirmed cases of avian influenza virus strain A(H5N1) in two children and one adult in Hanoi, Vietnam. Since the end of October 2003, hospitals in Hanoi and surrounding provinces have admitted 14 persons with severe respiratory illness of whom 12 have died. However, it is not known whether all these cases were caused by the avian influenza pathogen. There is no evidence that human to human transmission has occurred, and no indication that health care workers have been infected.

There have also been recent outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry in southern Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. The outbreak in Vietnam resulted in the death of 40,000 chickens and the culling of 30,000 more. No human cases of infection with the avian influenza virus have been reported in these outbreaks.

Avian influenza strains normally only infect birds and the transmission of an avian influenza virus to humans results in heightened vigilance and surveillance.

There is no vaccine for this type of influenza, and to date there are no travel restrictions. NaTHNaC will be following this development and update recommendations as necessary.

Further information about these outbreaks of avian influenza can be found on the World Health Organisation website at: http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/