[A fatal infection due to avian influenza-A (H7N7) virus and adjustment of the preventive measures].
In February 2003, the highly pathogenic avian influenza-A virus, subtype H7N7, was the causative agent of a large outbreak of fowl plague in the Netherlands. Two days after visiting a poultry farm that was infected by fowl plague, a 57-year-old male veterinarian developed malaise, headache and fever. After 8 days he was admitted to hospital with signs of pneumonia. Five days later, his condition deteriorated alarmingly. Despite extensive pharmacotherapy he died 4 days later of acute pneumonia. Influenza-A virus, subtype H7N7, was identified by means of reverse transcriptase/PCR in broncho-alveolar washings that had been obtained earlier; routine virus culture yielded the isolate A/Nederland/219/03, which differs by 14 amino-acid substitutions from the first isolate in a chicken (A/kip/Nederland/1/03). Partly as a result of this case, the preventive measures were then adjusted; people who came into contact with infected poultry were given increased possibilities for vaccination and the administration of oseltamivir.
Kemink
S A G
SA
Afd. Interne Geneeskunde, Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis, Nieuwstraat 34, 5311 NL 's-Hertogenbosch.
Fouchier
R A M
RA
Rozendaal
F W
FW
Broekman
J M
JM
Koopmans
M
M
Osterhaus
A D M E
AD
Schneeberger
P M
PM
D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D053126:Influenza A Virus, H7N7 Subtype; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018634:Veterinarians; D015047:Zoonoses