[Study on human case of avian influenza in Guangzhou 2006 without causing human-to-human transmission among close contacts].
Study on human case of avian influenza in Guangzhou 2006 without causing human-to-human transmission


OBJECTIVE
To explore the possibility of transmission from a human case of avian influenza to his close contacts.


METHODS
Close contacts of the human case of avian influenza in Guangzhou 2006 were found out according to the definition and methods publicized by the Ministry of Health, People's Republic of China. Epidemiological investigation and medical observation were carried out. Serum antibodies were tested in some of the close contacts.


RESULTS
The avian influenza patient had never left Guangzhou in the month prior to disease onset. No contact history with dead or diseased poultry was found. A total of 56 close contacts, including his girl friend, relatives, friends and medical staff who had taken care of him, were brought under medical observation for 7 days but none of them showed signs of infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Unlike SARS, direct contact with patient contracted with avian influenza at the end of incubation period and in the stage of illness through flying droplets, saliva, mucous membrane and skin injuries will not lead to human-to-human transmission, indicating the virus' ability to pass from human to human is limited.
Wang
Yu-Lin
YL
Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Qin
Peng-Zhe
PZ
Liu
Yu-Fei
YF
Wu
Xin-Wei
XW
Liu
Yang
Y
Fan
Jian-Wen
JW
Zhan
Liu-Hua
LH
Guo
Ju-Xuan
JX
Chen
Xiao-Shuang
XS
Jiang
Li-Yun
LY
Zhou
Duan-Hua
DH
Di
Biao
B
Wang
Ming
M
D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male