Human Health Issues related to Avian Influenza in Canada

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Appendix B: WHO Case Definitions for Influenza A/H5

Reference: WHO Guidelines for Global Surveillance of Influenza A/H5. February 6, 2004 (from WHO website: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/guidelines/globalsurveillance.pdf)

Confirmed case definition for influenza A/H5

A confirmed case of influenza A/H5 infection is an individual, alive or deceased, in whom laboratory testing demonstrates one or more of the following:

• Positive viral culture for influenza A/H5;
• Positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for influenza A/H5;
• Positive inmmunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test for H5 antigen using H5 monoclonal antibodies;
• 4-fold rise in H5 specific antibody titre in paired serum samples.

The laboratory tests for the diagnosis of influenza A/H5 infection included in the case definition are considered the standard for the identification of these viruses.

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