A series of test results indicated it was likely that the
nine-month-old girl found earlier with H9N2 infection contracted
the virus from birds, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Department of
Health said Friday.
According to the spokesman, genetic sequencing studies of the
virus isolated from the girl showed that all the genes from the
virus were entirely of avian origin.
He explained that the test results indicated it was more likely
that the virus was directly transmitted from bird to human and that
there was no re-assortment with human influenza virus.
As regards the laboratory tests on the respiratory specimens
taken from a healthcare worker and three children staying in the
same cubicle in the United Christian Hospital with the baby girl in
early March, all of them yielded negative result to H9 virus.
The four had shown mild upper respiratory infection symptoms and
specimens were taken from them for testing on March 22.
Hong Kong health officials confirmed on March 20 a human case of
H9N2 infection, a mild form of avian influenza, the first of its
kind during the past three years in Hong Kong.
(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2007)