Avian flu symptoms may not always be respiratory

摘要

Avian influenza may have a wider clinical spectrum than previously thought,say scientists who report a further fatal case of the disease in Vietnam.A four-year-old boy died after suffering from severe diarrhoea followed by seizures and a coma.Although the clinical diagnosis was acute encephalitis,later analysis showed the presence of the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in the child's cerebrospinal fluid and faecal,throat and serum specimens.