The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the first known case of a human death from an infection with the H5N2 strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, in Mexico. The 59-year-old individual, who had prior health complications, died on April 24 after being hospitalized in Mexico City.
According to the WHO, the person developed a fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, and general discomfort, but the source of exposure to the virus was unknown. The WHO stated that although H5N2 viruses have been reported in poultry in Mexico, there was no identified history of exposure to poultry or other animals in this case.
The victim had multiple underlying medical conditions, including chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes, which put them at a higher risk of severe illness from influenza, even with seasonal flu. However, how this individual contracted the H5N2 virus remains a “big question mark” that the initial report does not address thoroughly, according to Andrew Pekosz, an influenza expert at Johns Hopkins University.
The WHO emphasized that the current risk of the bird flu virus to the general population is low. After the death, Mexican authorities confirmed the presence of the virus and reported the case to the WHO.
This is the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with an influenza A(H5N2) virus globally, as well as the first avian H5 virus reported in a person in Mexico, according to the WHO.
The case is unrelated to the ongoing outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in the United States, which has so far infected three dairy farm workers. However, scientists have expressed concern that these spillover events in mammals, including the case in Mexico, represent an opportunity for the virus to accumulate mutations that could enable it to spread more easily among humans.
The WHO and health authorities in Mexico are closely monitoring the situation and emphasize the importance of vigilance in monitoring for these types of infections, as they could lead to the virus adapting to better infect humans.