China Hunts Father-and-son Bird Flu Link

BEIJING - Chinese health authorities said on Monday they were hunting for the causal link between a son and his father both struck by bird flu, but have found no evidence that the virus has mutated into a new strain.

The 52-year old father was diagnosed with the H5N1 strain of bird flu late last week in the eastern province of Jiangsu, days after his 24-year old son died from the disease.

This rare case of two family members struck by the disease has drawn urgent concern from health authorities, because humans almost always contract H5N1 from infected birds.

Experts fear the virus could mutate into a strain that jumps easily from person to person, risking wider outbreaks.

Chinese Health Ministry spokesman Mao Qun'an said analysis of a sample taken from the dead son indicated the bird flu virus had not mutated, but he could not exclude the possibility of human-to-human infection in this case.

"The virus is still avian and has not undergone a mutation in its nature," he told a news conference.

Mao said one of the men might nonetheless have infected the other through close contact, or they might have become infected from another source or separate sources.

"We can't offer a final determination on these three possibilities," he said, according to a government Web cast (www.china.com.cn). "There is a thorough investigation under way."

Hans Troedsson, the World Health Organisation's China country representative, said that even if the man was infected by his son, he had no epidemic fears at present following the new case. 





More Information

More Articles
Ancient bones could help combat TB, say scientists
By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM - A team of German, Israeli and Palestinian researchers is studying ancient bones found in the biblical ci......

Music to your ears? Music for your heart, too
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor WASHINGTON - Songs that make our hearts soar can make them stronger too, U.S. researcher......

Samsung chip lines fully working
By Rhee So-eui SEOUL - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) said its chip production lines hit by a......

Brazilian blue parrot makes a comeback: report
WASHINGTON - A spectacular Brazilian blue parrot, the Lear 's Macaw, has come back from the brink of extinction with more than 750 birds......

U.S. facing possible hearing loss epidemic: study
CHICAGO - One of three U.S. adults already suffers from some degree of hearing loss and the use of personal stereos and an aging populat......