UK officials report H1N2v infection, 1st human novel influenza A virus, or 'swine flu' case
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced Monday the detection of a single confirmed human case of influenza A(H1N2)v.
The case was detected as part of routine national flu surveillance undertaken by UKHSA and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). The individual was tested by their GP after experiencing respiratory symptoms. Influenza A(H1N2)v virus was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and characterized using genome sequencing.
The individual concerned experienced a mild illness and has fully recovered. The source of their infection has not yet been ascertained and remains under investigation.
Influenza A(H1N2)v is similar to flu viruses currently circulating in pigs in the UK. This is the first detection of this strain of flu in a human in the UK.
As is usual early in emerging infection events, UKHSA is working closely with partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and assess the risk to human health.
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When an influenza virus that normally circulates in swine (but not people) is detected in a person, it is called a “variant” influenza virus. Most human infections with variant influenza viruses occur following exposure to swine, but human-to-human transmission can occur. It is important to note that in most cases, variant influenza viruses have not shown the ability to spread easily and sustainably from person to person.
In the US, federal health officials have reported 498 total “variant flu virus” human cases , including 439 influenza A(H3N2) virus cases since 2010.