Recombinomics: Hospitalized Brother of Kellin Toddler Raises Concerns in Egypt

Commentary

Recombinomics Commentary 21:56
April 21, 2009

Said Dr. Susan Abbasi - Director of Kafr El-Sheikh hospital admitted: that the hospital had received 8 cases of suspected SARS patients, including children, Amr Ibrahim Zidan - 5 years - the brother of Ibrahim al-Manar, which the girl child infected with the disease have been confirmed.

cases were 5 children and 3 women

The above translation describes the hospitalization of the brother of the 66th confirmed H5N1 case in Egypt. The siblings live in the village of Shabas Emier, which is in the Kellin district (see updated map ). The 64th confirmed cases also lives in the Kellin district, raising the possibility of direct contact between these two cases, which were admitted to the Kafr El Sheikh hospital 8 days apart.

However, the infections of two cases in the same small district signal a more efficient H5N1 transmission, increasing the likelihood that the brother is also infected. Similarly, the clustering of suspect cases in the same hospital increases concerns that some or all of these cases will test positive, like 99% of the suspect cases in Egypt.

These suspect cases are in addition to the 67th confirmed case which was announced today. That case was in Sohag, where there have been no confirmed H5N1 poultry cases announced this year,

The almost daily reports of confirmed H5N1 cases, as well as the potential expansion of the Kellin clusters, continue to increase concerns.

Many of these new cases are likely linked to the deletion of position 129, S129del.

Release of the sequences from the human cases this season is long overdue.

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