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After last year’s sudden jump in the number of human swine-variant flu infections linked to exposure to pigs at state and county fairs - from a dozen in 2011 to 300+ in 2012 - authorities this year have been braced for a repeat performance.
This year, we’ve yet to see a repeat of last year’s mini-epidemic. Friday’s FluView report summarizes this year’s activity:
Novel Influenza A Viruses:
No additional infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant (H3N2v) virus were reported to CDC during week 33. A total of 16 H3N2v cases have been reported this summer (Illinois [1], Indiana [14], and Ohio [1]).
So far during 2013, one person has been hospitalized as a result of H3N2v illness; no deaths have occurred. At this time no ongoing human-to-human transmission has been identified and all 16 cases have reported close contact with swine in the week prior to illness onset.
Nonetheless, fair season runs through late fall, and there remain ample opportunities for variant flu transmission to humans. On Thursday The CDC updated their advice on preventing the spread of flu at the fair, and for people exhibiting pigs at fairs this year on their
- UPDATED: Take Action to Prevent the Spread of Flu Between People and Pigs at Fairs PDF Thursday, August 22, 2013 5:06:00 PM
- UPDATED: Key Facts for People Exhibiting Pigs at Fairs PDF Thursday, August 22, 2013 5:02:00 PM
On Thursday, Minnesota Public Radio carried the following report on how that state is working to prevent flu transmission at their state fair, which runs through September 2nd (Labor Day).
State Fair watching closely for signs of swine flu
by Lorna Benson, Minnesota Public Radio
August 22, 2013
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Hundreds of thousands of visitors will wander through the animal barns at the Minnesota State Fair over the next 12 days to view some of the state's top farm animals.
Whenever people and animals are in close proximity there's always a chance that a disease can pass between them.
A strain of swine influenza swept through fairs last summer sickening 309 people in a dozen states, including Minnesota. One person died from the new virus. This year 16 people have contracted influenza from pigs after visiting fairs in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. So far, Minnesota hasn't had any cases.
Although it is likely (see CID Journal: Estimates Of Human Infection From H3N2v (Jul 2011-Apr 2012)) that the number of confirmed cases (this year, and in previous years) under-represents the total number of infections that occur each year - for now, the threat to the public from these swine variant viruses appears low.
The CDC, in a statement on June 28th of 2013, offered this assessment:
CDC will continue to watch this virus closely to make sure there are no changes in the epidemiology of related human infections. That means watching for any changes in the severity of illness caused by infection with this virus and any signs that the virus is becoming more adept at spreading from person-to-person. Like all influenza viruses, it’s possible that mutations could occur that would allow this virus to become more severe or to spread more easily between people.
The risk of this virus triggering a full-blown pandemic is considered relatively low, however, because serology studies have suggested that significant numbers of adults have some existing immunity against this virus. Children younger than about 10 years old, however, have little to no immunity against H3N2v virus. Given this, a more likely scenario if H3N2v were to become more transmissible among people would be localized outbreaks in pockets of the population that do not have immunity against this virus, for example, in day care or school settings.
