Avian Influenza H5N2: first confirmed human death in Mexico

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently confirmed the first human death related to avian influenza H5N2 in Mexico. This significant development raises concerns about public health and highlights the need for vigilance.

David Corredor

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently confirmed the first human death related to avian influenza H5N2 in Mexico. This significant development raises concerns about public health and highlights the need for vigilance. Let’s explore the details of this case.

Details of human death case

1. Patient profile
   • The victim was a 59-year-old man who resided in the State of Mexico.
   • He had no known exposure to poultry or other animals, according to the WHO.
   • The patient had underlying health conditions and had been bedridden for three weeks before developing acute symptoms.
2. Symptoms and hospitalization
   • On April 17, the patient developed symptoms including fever, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, nausea, and general malaise.
   • He was admitted to the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosío Villegas (INER) in Mexico City.
   • Unfortunately, he succumbed to complications related to his illness on the same day.
3. Investigation and contagion risk
   • The WHO conducted an epidemiological investigation and tested 17 identified contacts of the patient.
   • No traces of influenza were found in any of these contacts.
   • The origin of transmission remains unknown, as the patient had no direct exposure to birds.
4. Global significance
   • This case marks the first laboratory-confirmed human infection with the influenza A (H5N2) virus worldwide.
   • While cases of this variant have been reported in Mexican poultry, the source of transmission to humans remains a mystery.

Differences with H5N1 avian influenza

Avian influenza is a disease caused by viruses of the Orthomyxoviridae family (H5N1, H5N3, H5N8, etc.), which usually infect wild birds and poultry, such as chickens.