GENEVA, May 28 (Reuters) - An infant in Bangladesh contracted H5N1 bird flu and survived, in the South Asian country's first human infection with the virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday.

In a statement released in Geneva, the United Nations agency said a 16 month-old boy from Komalapur, Dhaka, developed symptoms in late January and then recovered.

"The case was exposed to live and slaughtered chickens at his home," the WHO said. "Specimens have been collected from his family members and neighbours. All remain healthy to date."

The H5N1 virus has infected millions of birds in much of Asia, Africa, and some parts of Europe. Public health experts fear it could spark a human pandemic if it mutates into a form that passes easily between people.

A total of 383 humans are known to have been infected with the virus since 2003, and 241 have died, according to the WHO.

The Bangladeshi infection was flagged during surveillance activities by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, the WHO said. (Reporting by Laura MacInnis; Editing by Elizabeth Piper)

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