title: Avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in eastern Turkey in 2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) that had previously been detected throughout Asia, with major economic and health repercussions, extended to eastern Turkey in late December 2005 and early January 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  We documented the epidemiologic, clinical, and radiologic features of all cases of confirmed H5N1 virus infection in patients who were admitted to Yuzuncu Yil University Hospital in Van, Turkey, between December 31, 2005, and January 10, 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H5N1 virus infection was diagnosed in eight patients. The patients were 5 to 15 years of age, and all eight had a history of close contact with diseased or dead chickens. The mean (+/-SD) time between exposure and the onset of illness was 5.0+/-1.3 days. All the patients had fever, and seven had clinical and radiologic evidence of pneumonia at presentation; four patients died. Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and rapid influenza tests were negative in all patients, and the diagnosis was made by means of a polymerase-chain-reaction assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H5N1, which causes a spectrum of illnesses in humans, including severe and fatal respiratory disease, can be difficult to diagnose.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey. afo59@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ahmet Faik
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bay
authors.forename: Sukru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Hayrettin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akdeniz
authors.forename: Huseyin Avni
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cesur
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Epcacan
authors.forename: Neziha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Deger
authors.forename: Baran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kizilyildiz
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karsen
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceyhan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053139:Oseltamivir