New human case of avian flu in Louisiana

A further human infection with the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus has been reported in Louisiana, USA. The patient presented with symptoms that necessitated hospitalisation. Although the diagnosis was made by the local health department, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the implementation of new tests to confirm the presence of the H5N1 virus. According to preliminary data, the infected individual had been near sick or dead avian specimens and exposed to a strain of the virus. More than sixty cases of avian influenza in humans have been confirmed in the United States. However, the actual number of cases may be much higher.