B.C. teen with avian flu off oxygen, no longer infectious, Canadian health officials tell medical journal

A recent letter sent to the editor of The New England Journal of Medicine by Canadian health officials provides an update on the case of a British Columbia teenager who tested positive for avian flu. The letter, signed by doctors from various health institutions in B.C., states that the teenager has been taken off supplemental oxygen and is no longer infectious.

According to the letter, the patient, a 13-year-old girl, initially presented to a B.C. emergency room on November 4 with a fever and conjunctivitis in her eyes. Despite being discharged without treatment, the girl returned on November 7 in respiratory distress, experiencing symptoms such as cough, vomiting, and diarrhea. She was subsequently transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at British Columbia Children’s Hospital for treatment, including temporary tracheal intubation.

The update mentions that the patient was deemed no longer infectious on November 29 and no longer required supplemental oxygen as of December 18. The patient and her family consented to releasing additional details on her case, although the source of her H5N1 exposure has not yet been determined. Fortunately, there have been no secondary cases of transmission of the virus in the girl’s home or at the hospital.

The teen’s infection, announced in November, was the first human case of H5N1 avian flu acquired in Canada. The Ministry of Health confirmed that the teenager is from the Fraser Health region, which includes several suburbs of Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. The B.C. poultry sector has been affected by avian flu outbreaks in recent years, with over 8.5 million birds impacted in the province since the spring of 2022.

The investigation into the teenager’s case included testing of pets, birds, and other animals in the vicinity, as well as environmental testing of soil and water. It was determined that the strain of avian flu contracted by the teen closely matched the strain found in wild birds in the Fraser Valley area in October, and was not directly linked to outbreaks at poultry farms in B.C.

The letter emphasizes the severity of the H5N1 virus and its potential to cause severe human illness. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist, highlighted the importance of minimizing opportunities for the virus to mutate and become more readily transmissible between humans. While the virus is not currently being readily transmitted from human to human, authorities are urged to take precautions to prevent further spread.

Overall, the letter provides a detailed account of the teenager’s case, highlighting the challenges posed by avian flu and the need for continued vigilance in monitoring and controlling the spread of the virus.