Avian influenza, Iraq--update (1)/Grippe aviaire, Iraq--mise a jour (1).(OUTBREAK NEWS/LE POINT SUR LES EPIDEMIES)

On 17 February 2006, the Ministry of Health in Iraq confirmed the country's second case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case, a 39-year-old man from the northern province of Sulaimaniyah, developed symptoms on 18 January and died on 27 January.

He was the uncle of the country's initial case, a 15-year-old girl who died on 17 January, and provided care for her during her illness. He also had a documented history of exposure to infected domestic birds.

Problems with the shipment of patient specimens for external diagnostic confirmation have been resolved. Samples from an initial 15 patients under investigation for possible infection …