Mexico City, Mexico – The World Health Organization (WHO) reported the first confirmed human infection of H5N2 bird flu, resulting in the death of a 59-year-old man. The man, who had a history of chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and systemic arterial hypertension, was bedridden for three weeks before developing acute symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, and malaise.
Upon admission to a hospital in Mexico City on April 24, the man passed away later that day. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier clarified that the death was due to various factors rather than solely attributed to H5N2. Tests revealed the presence of the virus in the man’s body after routine flu and virus screenings.
Contact tracing identified 17 individuals in the hospital and 12 in the man’s place of residence, all of whom tested negative for influenza. Investigations into the source of exposure to the virus are ongoing, with particular attention to possible contact with animals or infected individuals.
Although H5N2 viruses have been detected in poultry in Mexico, the WHO assesses the current risk posed by the virus to the general population as low. Markus Lipp, a senior food safety officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, emphasized that the likelihood of contracting avian influenza through poultry consumption is negligibly low.
While a different variant, H5N1, has been affecting dairy cow herds in the United States, cases among humans remain rare and primarily non-transmissible between individuals. The emergence of H5N1 in 1996 has seen a significant increase in outbreaks among birds and infected mammals, leading to the deaths of millions of poultry and some wild animals.
Overall, the cases of H5N2 and H5N1 serve as stark reminders of the continuous surveillance and monitoring required to prevent the spread of avian influenza among both animals and humans. The WHO continues to investigate potential sources of infection and evaluate the risks associated with these strains to safeguard public health.