A person in Mexico has died after catching the first known human case of H5N2 bird flu.
The fatal case marks the first time someone in Mexico has been sickened by any type of influenza A(H5) virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported Wednesday (June 5). This broad category of virus also includes the one currently circulating among U.S. dairy cows, called H5N1, which recently sickened three people who had close contact with cattle.
When it’s caused sporadic infections in people, H5N1 has led to severe pneumonia and death in at least 50% of cases. The recent fatality in Mexico shows that H5N2 can also be deadly to humans.
The spread of bird flu to people is concerning, in part, because these viruses can be deadly. Another reason for concern is that the more times bird flu jumps into people, the more chances it has to pick up mutations and gain the ability to spread easily between humans. As of yet, no A(H5) viruses can sustainably spread from person to person, the WHO reported — but that could change in the future.
Related: ‘Increased evidence that we should be alert’: H5N1 bird flu is adapting to mammals in ‘new ways’
For now, though, “based on available information, WHO assesses the current risk to the general population posed by this virus [H5N2] as low,” the agency reported.
The recent case in Mexico involved a 59-year-old who developed fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea and general malaise in mid-April. The person sought medical treatment at a Mexico City hospital on April 24 but died the same day “due to complications of his condition.” The individual had multiple underlying conditions and had already been bedridden for other reasons for three weeks prior to developing any bird flu symptoms, his relatives reported.
A sample of the patient’s respiratory fluids, taken April 24, revealed he’d had H5N2. The virus is similar to H5N1, in that both viruses carry the same type of protein — H5 — on their surfaces, but a second protein called neuraminidase (N) is a slightly different shape on each virus.
According to the WHO, the person had had no recent contact with poultry or other animals; typically, people catch bird flu through contact with sick or dead animals, or from contact with materials those animals contaminated with the virus. Notably, H5N2 viruses have recently been spreading among poultry in Mexico, raising an opportunity for the virus to spread to people. Authorities in Mexico are still investigating the potential source of the patient’s fatal infection.
So far, none of the person’s close contacts have tested positive for bird flu, and there’s no evidence the virus has spread between people. “This case does not change the current WHO recommendations on public health measures and surveillance of influenza,” the agency reiterated in its statement.
Since people generally catch A(H5) viruses from animals or from handling those animals’ bodily fluids, you can reduce the risk of bird flu by avoiding sick and dead animals and regularly washing your hands with soap and water. In the U.S., dairy workers have been advised to wear personal protective equipment around potentially sick animals, as an additional safety measure, and authorities have also emphasized that drinking raw milk could pose a risk to consumers.
Again, the risk of transmission to the general public is low and overall these bird flu infections are rare. Should you catch an A(H5) virus, existing drugs for seasonal flu can help treat the infection.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
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This post was originally published on Live Science
