Published Date: 2005-12-08 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human - East Asia (195): China
Archive Number: 20051208.3538

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN - EAST ASIA (195): CHINA
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Sponsored in part by Elsevier, publisher of
Tropical Infectious Diseases, 2nd edition
<http://thelancet.url123.com/an525>
[1]
Date: Thu 8 Dec 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: The Courier-Mail (Queensland, Australia), Thu 9 Dec 2005 [edited]
<http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17511225%255E1702,00.html>

A 31-year-old farmer has been confirmed as China's 5th human case of avian
influenza after she fell sick following contact with dead birds. However,
she has since recovered. "The Ministry of Health reported on 8 Dec 2005
that a pneumonia case of unknown reason in Heishan county, Liaoning
province, has been confirmed as having contracted avian influenza," the
Xinhua news agency stated.
The woman, a resident of Heishan county, was treated for pneumonia after
contact with dead birds in the area, which had been hit by an outbreak of
avian influenza. She fell ill on 30 Oct 2005 with high fever and
pneumonia-like symptoms that became more serious. Following treatment at a
hospital, the woman recovered and was discharged on 29 Oct 2005.
China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention tested samples from the
woman many times, but the samples came back negative. They conducted
another test on 5 Dec 2005, which confirmed she was positive for the H5N1
avian influenza virus that has been responsible for almost 70 deaths in
Asia since late 2003, the agency said. Local health officials put family
and friends who had contact with her under strict medical surveillance, but
they had not shown any signs of the virus and have been released.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
******
[2]
Date: Thu 8 Dec 2005
From: Juliet R.C. Pulliam <pulliam@Princeton.EDU>

[The following information is in response to the request posted by Colleen
McKay-Wharton <McKayWharton@co.somerset.nj> on Thu 3 Nov 2005 as
ProMED-mail post "Avian influenza, human - East Asia (157): China, RFI
20051103.3214". Other responses can be found at Avian influenza, human -
East Asia (159): China, H5 antibody 20051104.3231]

I looked up the articles that were cited as implying that approximately 35
million Chinese citizens have antibodies to H5N1 influenza.
The article referenced in the RFI is Palese, P. 2004. Influenza: old and
new threats. Nature Medicine 10(12): S82-S87. This article states that:
"...seroepidemiological studies conducted among the rural population in
China suggest that millions of people have been infected with influenza
viruses of the H4-to-H15 subtypes. Specifically, seroprevalence levels of
2-7 percent for H5 viruses alone have been reported...".
The reference given for this claim is Shortridge, K.F. 1992. Pandemic
influenza: a zoonosis? Seminars in Respiratory Infections 7(1):11-25. This
paper reports seroprevalence ("presumptive antibody detected by single
radial hemolysis using antigenic material from avian virus only") of 13 HA
subtypes (H1 to H13) in 4 human populations. H5 antibodies were detected in
2 percent of samples from the Pearl River Delta (n=400), 7 percent of
samples from Jiangsu Province (n=300), 2 percent of samples from Taichung,
Taiwan (n=150), and [nearly] 0 percent of samples from Urban Hong Kong
(n=100). There are no corresponding data reported for N subtypes, so a
conclusion that these antibodies indicate prior presence of H5N1 in the
human population is unfounded, and there is no support for an estimate of
35 million Chinese citizens with H5N1 antibodies.
This same paper reports the results of a study of ducks (8737), geese
(1353), and chickens (1708) originating from southern China and Hong Kong
over a 5-year period (Nov 1975-Oct 1980) at a poultry-dressing plant in
Hong Kong. Of 586 viral isolates obtained from this survey, 23 had HA
subtype H5: 22 of these isolates were H5N3 (one from a goose, and 21 from
ducks), and one isolate was H5N2 (from a duck). No H5N1 virus was found.
--
Juliet Pulliam
Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey 08544
<pulliam@Princeton.EDU>
[Elsevier on-line reference:
Confronting the avian influenza threat: vaccine development for a potential
pandemic. The Lancet, Infectious Diseases August 2004,
<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_origin=SDPROMED&_urlVersion=4&_returnURL=&_method=citationSearch&_version=1&_volkey=1473-3099%234%23499%238&md5=3454a534d4ef838886e5a0c4881a5122>]
[There have been persisting rumours of outbreaks of human cases of avian
influenza in the People's Republic of China. None of these have yet been
substantiated, although the results of limited seroprevalence studies have
offered some support. Dr. Pulliam's comments, however, cast doubt on the
interpretation of some of these seroprevalence studies. As of Thu 8 Dec
2005, 5 human cases of avian influenza virus infection have been confirmed
by the Chinese authorities (and WHO). These cases are sporadic in nature,
having been located in 4 different provinces -- Anhui (2 cases), Guangxi
Zhuang, Henan, and Liaoning -- with no evidence of person-to-person
transmission. As in the rest of East Asia, there is the urgent need for
comprehensive seroprevalence studies to allow prediction of the future
course of human avian influenza in the region and beyond. - Mod.CP]
[see:
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (194): China 20051207.3530
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (193): China, Indonesia 20051206.3516
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (187): Indonesia, China 20051129.3453
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (185): China 20051125.3424
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (184): China 20051125.3423
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (183): China, WHO 20051124.3412
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (182): China 20051124.3405
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (181): China 20051123.3400
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (180): China, RFI 20051123.3399
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (159): China, H5 antibody 20051104.3231
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (157): China, RFI 20051103.3214
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (147): WHO 20051014.2991
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (138): WHO review 20051003.2892
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (117): WHO Update 20050818.2423
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (105): CDC update 20050724.2144
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (79): WHO update 20050519.1376
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (09): CDC update 20050116.0144
2004
----
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (52): update 20041004.2738
Avian influenza, human - East Asia (35): Update 20040717.1939
Avian influenza - Thailand: OIE update 20040207.0438
2000
----
Avian influenza virus, update 20001028.1878]
..................mpp/cp/pg/dk

*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Please support ProMED-mail by donating to the 2005 Internet-
a-thon at <http://www.isid.org/netathon2005.shtml>
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at <http://www.promedmail.org>.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
############################################################
############################################################