Active surveillance of avian influenza viruses in Egyptian poultry, 2015

Surveillance for avian influenza viruses in Egyptian poultry has been conducted since 2009. Up to 2011, all the detected viruses were H5N1, and the overall prevalence was 5%. In 2011, H9N2 viruses were observed to be co-circulating and co-infecting the same hosts as H5N1 viruses. Since then, the detection rate has increased to around 10%. In the 2014-2015 winter season, H5N1 was circulating heavily in poultry flocks and caused an unprecedented number of human infections. In contrast, surveillance in the last quarter of 2015 indicated a near absence of H5N1 in Egyptian poultry. Surveillance for avian influenza viruses must continue in Egypt to monitor further developments in H5N1 circulation in poultry

Leucocyte and lymphocyte count in cases of bird flu infection in Thailand.

Bird flu or avian flu is a new emerging Infectious disease. The H5N1 virus has not only affected the fowls but also the human beings. Severe disease with high mortality in humans in Vietnam and Thailand are reported. This mini-study was undertaken in order to document the Impact of bird flu infection on leucocyte and lymphocyte counts among patients of Thailand. This study was designed as a descriptive retrospective study. A literature review on the papers concerning human bird flu in Thailand was performed. According to this study, there are 6 cases covering 12 Thai patients with confirmed diagnosis of bird flu. However, the complete data were available on only 6 patients. The reported leucocyte count ranges from 1,200 cells/cmm to 5,680 cells/cmm and the lymphocyte count ranges from 454 cells/ cmm to 1,440 cells/cmm. The average leucocyte and lymphocyte counts equalled to 3,230.0 +/- 1,552.7 cells/cmm and 748.7 +/- 348.5 cells/cmm, respectively. According to this study, low lymphocyte count is common. This can support the previous observation for the lymphocyte suppression effect of H5N1 virus.