H5N2 flu case in Mexico

Professor Ian Jones (Biomedical Sciences) responds to news of a death from H5N2 bird flu, in Mexico: "It is impossible to generalise from a single case. However, as H5N2 is present in Mexico and the infected individual had underlying medical conditions, which may have contributed to the outcome, it would be reasonable to suppose this is a one-off case of zoonotic transfer with no potential to spread. This would be consistent with previous examples of occasional avian influenza infections in people. Unless or until there is evidence of strain adaptation or sustained transmission, the risk to the population is very low. The case should act to reinforce the importance of monitoring and eradicating outbreaks in poultry as soon as they occur."