[Report of the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza pneumonia in Hunan, China].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize and analyze the clinical characteristics and diagnostic and therapeutic measures for the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza pneumonia in mainland of China.


METHODS
The clinical data of the first case of H5N1 avian influenza virus infection in China were analyzed and summarized.


RESULTS
The case is a 9-year old boy, who developed acute symptoms of a light common respiratory infection, including fever and dry cough without obvious catarrh. On the 7th day after onset, his temperature reached 40 degrees C, tachypnea occurred, distinct rales could be heard and large areas of consolidation were seen in the lungs on chest X-ray. The patient's peripheral blood leukocyte count was 2.81 x 10(9)/L and neutrophils dominated. After comprehensive therapeutic approaches, including antiviral therapy (amantadine) and use of low-dosage glucocorticoid, the patient's temperature returned to normal on the 3rd hospitalization day, chest X-ray showed absorbed inflammatory change on the 5th day after admission, and leukocyte count became normal on the 6th day. No complication occurred during the whole course. The case was diagnosed by the 4 fold raised antibody to the H5N1 influenza virus in recovery stage serum because the H5N1 nucleic acid test in early stage was negative. The case was cured and discharged after 3 weeks comprehensive treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
It is very important for clinicians to pay enough attention to epidemiological history, especially history of exposure to avian influenza virus contaminated material, which will be very helpful for early detection, early diagnosis of the disease, and also very important for effective treatment and better prognosis.
Luo
Ru-ping
RP
Department of Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital of Hunan, Changsha 410007, China.
Zhu
Yi-min
YM
Xu
Zhi-yue
ZY
Gao
Ji-ping
JP
Yu
Si-jing
SJ
D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001717:Birds; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000635:transmission; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D000547:Amantadine