Jiangxi Province – Credit Wikipedia – Site of 3 H10N8 Cases
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Over the past couple of months a new avian flu virus – H10N8 – has emerged in mainland China, infecting and killing two people since last December. A little over a week ago, in Lancet: Clinical & Epidemiological Characteristics Of A Fatal H10N8 Case, we saw an analysis of this virus that warned `The pandemic potential of this novel virus should not be underestimated.’
Over the past hour news of a third H10N8 infection has filtered through the Chinese media, and very recently the Jiangsu Provincial MOH has posted the following statement (h/t Sharon Sanders on FluTrackers).
Jiangxi 1 new confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza H10N8
Jiangxi Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission www.jxwst.gov.cn 2014 年 2 月 13, 2008 Source: Office of Emergency Committee
Recently, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province monitoring found one case of severe pneumonia cases. February 13, 2014, the provincial health planning committee then China Disease Prevention and Control Center laboratory test reports, the case for the specimens showed H10N8 avian influenza virus nucleic acid positive. Ministry of Health and Family Planning Organization expert consultation, based on the cases of clinical manifestations, laboratory and epidemiological findings, such as the diagnosis of the human cases of avian influenza infection H10N8 confirmed cases.
Hu patient, male, 75 years old, who lives in Nanchang. The patients with fever, fatigue and other symptoms on February 4 hospitalized, February 5 aggravate lung infection, Feb. 8 died.
While three cases does not a public health emergency make, this reaffirms that this virus continues to circulate in Jiangxi province – probably in poultry – and that it occasionally jumps to humans.
While we watch H7N9 and H5N1 with the most concern, as we recently discussed in The Expanding Array Of Novel Flu Strains, we could just as easily be blindsided by a novel virus coming out of left field.
All of which highlights the need for continual and enhanced surveillance of humans, livestock, and wild birds for emerging viral threats.
