#16,002
Following quickly on the heels of Sunday's blog (see ECDC Epidemiological Updates: Avian H10N3 In China & Novel H1N2v in US), and last Friday's FluView report (see CDC FluView Week 21: Novel H1N1(v) Influenza Infection Reported In Iowa), Taiwan's CDC has announced the local infection of a child with swine Variant H1N2v.
As we've discussed often, swine variant infections in humans - while believed rare - undoubtedly happen more frequently than we know. Testing for, and subtyping, influenza viruses is only rarely done - particularly in those with mild disease.
Since influenza has been so diminished over the past year by social distancing, face covers, and probably `viral interference' from COVID, when someone does display `flu-like' symptoms they are probably more likely to be tested by doctors to rule out the coronavirus.
And that may explain, in part, the recent spate of swine variant infections we've seen reported.
Today's report mentions that 3 of the patient's contacts had `flu-like' symptoms, but they were unable to identify H1N2v in any of them. As it isn't stated, we don't know the timing of the testing of these contacts, which might have affected the ability to detect a specific subtype.
In any event, despite the plural tense in the translated title, the CDC found no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
The (translated) statement from Taiwan's CDC follows:
There have been cases of H1N2v influenza virus isolated from patients with respiratory diseases in China, and the patients have recovered. The Department of Disease Control urges the public to do a good job in personal health management
Release Date: 2021-06-07The Department of Disease Control said today (7) that it received a notification from the hospital in April of this (2021) that a 5-year-old girl living in the central area with a mildly ill patient with influenza had isolated a type A influenza virus that cannot be subtyped. , The department further tested and sequenced the gene as the H1N2v influenza virus.6 close contacts of the investigated cases, 3 of them had influenza-like symptoms, and no H1N2v influenza virus infection was found after inspection. Agricultural administration units and relevant medical and veterinary experts were invited to hold a meeting to discuss, and make judgments based on the above-mentioned existing epidemiological investigation results , This case should be a sporadic case, similar to past international cases. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. The health and agricultural administration units will continue to strengthen human, animal and environmental monitoring.
The Department of Disease Control pointed out that the girl had never gone abroad and was engaged in livestock breeding at home. She developed runny nose and cough on March 12 this year. She developed fever on March 13 and went to the doctor for persistent fever on March 14. The flu is fast. The screen was positive for type A. The doctor assessed that there is no need to be hospitalized. After prescribing influenza antiviral drugs, he returned home and has recovered. On April 5, the H1N2v influenza virus was isolated from the girl’s respiratory tract specimen, and tests for common respiratory tract infections such as adenovirus, respiratory fusion virus, coronavirus, enterovirus, and rhinovirus were all negative. In addition, the agricultural administration unit also collected specimens from pigs from the pig farms operated by the case's family, and the results showed that no H1N2 influenza virus was detected.
International H1N2 is a low-pathogenic influenza virus that exists in pigs. It rarely spreads among people, but there are occasional reports of human infection. A total of 30 confirmed cases of H1N2v influenza worldwide from 2012 to 2021 are distributed in the Americas, with the United States as the Most cases are followed by Brazil. Most cases have a history of pig exposure or have been exposed to a contaminated environment, and they will not be infected by eating meat. The gene sequence of the virus isolated from the patient this time is the closest to the H1N2 influenza virus strain isolated from pigs in the country in the past, but it is not the same, and it is sensitive to antiviral drugs such as Ke flu and Relenza.
The Department of Disease Control reminds that to prevent new type A influenza, people should follow the principle of "5 musts and 6 nos", "5 musts": meat and eggs must be cooked, hands must be washed with soap, symptoms appear, wear masks, and promptly seek medical treatment and inform the profession And contact history, people who have been in contact with poultry and livestock for a long time should be vaccinated against influenza, a balanced diet and appropriate exercise; "6 nos": do not eat raw poultry eggs or products, do not smuggle and buy meat from unknown sources, do not contact or feed Animals, do not leave them in the wild, discard animals at will, do not mix breeding animals with other poultry, and do not go to places with poor air circulation or crowded people. For relevant information, please go to the CDC Global Information Network (https://www.cdc.gov.tw/) or call the toll-free epidemic prevention hotline 1922 (or 0800-001922).
