A man in Indonesia has recently died of bird flu, bringing the country’s death toll to the disease this year to 9.

According to a Global Alert Health Response (GAR) on the World Health Organization Website, dated 10 August, the Ministry of Health in Indonesia recently reported a lab-confirmed new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.

The man was 37 years old and came from Yogyakarta province. He lived 50 metres from a poultry slaughter house and also near a farm. Plus, an investigation revealed he had four pet caged birds in his home.

The man developed fever on 24 July, was admitted to hospital on 27 July and died 3 days later.

H5N1 is a subtype of the influenza A virus that can cause illness in humans and many other animals. It has killed tens of millions of birds, predominantly in Asia, and spurred the culling of hundreds of millions of others to stop it spreading.

Since 2003, more than half of the 606 cases of human infection of H5N1 reported to the WHO worldwide, have resulted in death. Most of the cases in humans appear to have occurred as a result of contact with infected birds. Indonesia remains the hardest hit country: this latest death brings their total toll to 160.

So far, H5N1 has not triggered a pandemic in humans because it does not spread easily among mammals, and some experts say it never will.

Others are not so sure.

Three studies published earlier this year identified the genetic changes that the virus would have to undergo in order to make it spread easily in humans. One study said there were five changes, another said there were only four, and the third said some of them were already under way.

The reports were held back from last year among fears that making the data public would make it easier for terrorists to make bioweapons.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD