Large Suspect H5N1 Cluster in South Sulawesi Indonesia

Commentary

Large Suspect H5N1 Cluster in South Sulawesi Indonesia
Recombinomics Commentary 12:45
November 13, 2008

As many as six of the 17 patients treated at the hospital Wahidin, are children with the age of three months to 10 years, respectively Salman, 5, Nurul Awaliah, 3, Nur Fadilah, 4 months (with) and the neighboring Saleha, 10, Irwan, 8, Ibn Fauzi, who is 3 months younger sister.

"From the results of the examination while in the laboratory, six patients experienced a type of influenza A disease that leads to the AI and three more from the results of the photo shows the torax to bronchopneumonia, which also have the opportunity to the AI," she said.

About the chickens were found dead on the patient around the house, the head of the Office of Makassar Health Naisyah Tun Asikin said based on the results of Health Office of Makassar on the sample of dead chickens known chickens are positive to have the H5N1 virus.

From the number of patients admitted to this yesterday and seven people directly in isolation because the lead to symptoms of bird flu, namely Nurul Awaliyah (3.6), Nur Matan (4 months), Salman (6.10), Irwan (6), Saleha (12 , 3), Fauzi Ibn Rajab (3 months) and Johani (60). Meanwhile, the ten patients who entered the day this is Ilham (2), firdaus (6), Alif (3 months), Desi (5), Eki Desviani (5 months), Rahmawati (2), Hartati (26), Nuraine (31) , Hasnawati (34) and Annisa (6).

The above translations describe 17 patients hospitalized in Makassar, South Sulawesi with bird flu symptoms. H5N1 has been confirmed in local poultry, and at least 6 of the hospitalized patients are influenza A positive based on the rapid test, while three more have lab confirmed bronchopneumonia.

Although it remains possible that these are seasonal flu cases, the hospitalization of this large number of patients is cause for concern. Yesterday, wire service (AP and Reuters) described a lab confirmed fatality (15F) in Semarang, but the Ministry of Health today claimed that the two positive lab tests were negative. The official denials follow the suspension of timely reporting or lab confirmed human H5N1 cases and denials that fatal respiratory infections of family members of H5N1 cases were due to H5N1 infections.

Similarly, the MOH has claimed that the reduction in reported cases was due to prompt treatment, which lacks logic unless there is extensive human to human transmission, which the MOH has denied.

The H5N1 situation in Indonesia, and lack of WHO oversight, remain hazardous to the world’s health.