The man's underlying illnesses were added to by chills and productive cough from 28-Dec when he was admitted to hospital with a fever.
Sputum tested positive for H9N2. Not sure if an upper respiratory sample was tested.
He had no recent contact with poultry and no contacts have shown signs of illness.
Mild human cases in Hong Kong have previously been reported in 1999, 2003 and 2007 and imported cases in 2008 and 2009.
As ProMED moderator CP (Craig R. Pringle) noted, enhanced surveillance in the region is likely to continue to pick up all sorts of H and N viruses and variants. Interesting watching these pop up - especially if they remain as mild infections, unlike H7N9 has so far.
Sources...
- Centre for Health Protection, Hong Konghttp://www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/32802.html
- South China Morning Posthttp://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1393266/86-year-old-man-infected-h9n2-avian-flu
- FluTrackershttp://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=518167
- ProMED AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (165): CHINA (HONG KONG) H9N2 FOLLOW-UPhttp://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20131231.2145404
- ProMED AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (164): CHINA (HONG KONG) H9N2http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20131230.2143709
