Bird Flu in Ankara

ProMED-mail has been tracking the breakout of avian influenza in humans in Turkey, which has spread beyond the original three child deaths in Dogubeyazit, Van to several confirmed cases in Ankara.

Although the number of independently confirmed cases is given variously as 2 to 4, another 12 people are considered as "highly probable" and 32 others as "probable" cases of bird flu; so far, the parents of infected children have tested negative; and in the case of 2 of the Ankara patients, contact with gloves used to handle dead wild ducks are the suspected source of the virus.