7th H5N1 avian influenza case confirmed in Cambodia
In a follow-up on a report this weekend, Cambodian health authorities reported an additional human case of H5N1 avian influenza. The latest case is in a 5-year-old girl from Po village, Preah Bat Choan Chum commune, Kirivong district, Takeo province.
The girl is the cousin of the 3-year-old boy on July 5, 2024 and lived in the same house.
The girl presented with fever and is currently hospitalized with a mild illness.
Like her cousin, she touched a dead chicken that was brought home.
This is the seventh human H5N1 avian influenza case reported in Cambodia this year.
According to the World Health Organization, H5N1 is one of several influenza viruses that causes a highly infectious respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza (or "bird flu"). Infections in mammals, including humans, have also been documented.
H5N1 influenza virus infection can cause a range of diseases in humans, from mild to severe and in some cases, it can even be fatal. Symptoms reported have primarily been respiratory, but conjunctivitis and other non-respiratory symptoms have also been reported. There have also been a few detections of A(H5N1) virus in persons who were exposed to infected animals or their environments but who did not show any symptoms.
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Almost all cases of H5N1 virus infection in people have been associated with close contact with infected live or dead birds, or H5N1-contaminated environments, for example live bird markets. There have been some instances of spread from infected mammals to humans as well. While there may have been some cases that were not detected, the virus does not seem to easily infect humans or spread from person to person, based on the current knowledge and understanding.
Since 2003, nearly 900 human cases have been reported globally, with approximately half the cases being fatal.