Person-to-person transmission of avian flu in China

In December 2007, researchers in China found two family members infected with a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (H5N1)in Jiangsu Province. The 24-year old person who was initially infected with the virus apparently died, but his 52-year old father - who had probably caught the virus from his son - survived after receiving early antiviral treatment and an experimental vaccine. Only two of 91 close contacts of the infected pair appeared to have been infected, but had only a mild illness.