title: Zoonotic transmission of avian influenza virus (H5N1), Egypt, 2006-2009.
abstract: During March 2006-March 2009, a total of 6,355 suspected cases of avian influenza (H5N1) were reported to the Ministry of Health in Egypt. Sixty-three (1%) patients had confirmed infections; 24 (38%) died. Risk factors for death included female sex, age > or = 15 years, and receiving the first dose of oseltamivir >2 days after illness onset. All but 2 case-patients reported exposure to domestic poultry probably infected with avian influenza virus (H5N1). No cases of human-to-human transmission were found. Greatest risks for infection and death were reported among women > or = 15 years of age, who accounted for 38% of infections and 83% of deaths. The lower case-fatality rate in Egypt could be caused by a less virulent virus clade. However, the lower mortality rate seems to be caused by the large number of infected children who were identified early, received prompt treatment, and had less severe clinical disease.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kandeel
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manoncourt
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abd el Kareem
authors.forename: Abdel Nasser
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Mohamed Ahmed
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Refaie
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Essmat
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tjaden
authors.forename: Cecilia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: de Mattos
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Earhart
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Marfin
authors.forename: Nasr
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000635:transmission*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission*
chemical_list: D053139:Oseltamivir