China reports two additional H9N2 avian flu cases

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By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

Two additional H9N2 influenza cases have been reported in China, according to a Taiwan CDC release Monday (computer translated). One case was a 6-year-old boy in Weihai City, Shandong Province who had an onset on April 28 and the second case is a 10-month-old baby boy in Xiamen, Fujian Province with onset on May 4. Both cases had mild symptoms, were treated and recovered.

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Image/Robert Herriman

Both cases had a history of poultry or live poultry market exposure before the onset.

According to the CDC, there have been 7 cases of H9N2 influenza in mainland China (including Hong Kong) since October last year, with no deaths, distributed in Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong (moved from Guangdong), Hunan and Shandong The provinces are all mild and have a history of poultry or live poultry market exposure; there have been a total of 46 cases worldwide so far in 2013, with 38 cases in mainland China (including Hong Kong).

In most human cases of H9N2 avian flu, the associated disease symptoms have been mild and there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Influenza A(H9N2) viruses are enzootic in poultry populations in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Most human cases are exposed to the A(H9N2) virus through contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments. Human infection tends to result in mild clinical illness. Since the virus continues to be detected in poultry populations, further human cases can be expected.