Objective To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of a case infected with avian influenza A (H5N6) virus associated with exposure to aerosol and provide evidence for the prevention and control of human infection with avian influenza virus.
Methods Epidemiological investigation was conducted to identify the history of exposure, infection route, and disease progression. Real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR was used to test the samples collected from the case, close contacts, environment and poultry market.
Results The case had no history of exposure to live poultry and poultry market. But before the onset the case had a history of exposure to the live poultry placed in a car with doors and windows closed. The samples collected from the case’s lower respiratory tract and the remaining frozen chicken meat were all influenza A (H5N6) virus positive.
Conclusions The source of infection was the live poultry, and the infection route might be the exposure to aerosol in a car with doors and windows closed, where the poultry were temporarily stored. It is necessary to promote centralized poultry slaughtering, cold chain distribution and fresh poultry sale, as well as strengthen health education and establish the concept of consuming fresh poultry.