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Human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in China ? update (WHO, April 4 2013) * Note - outdated info

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  • Human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in China ? update (WHO, April 4 2013) * Note - outdated info

    [Source: World Health Organization, full page: (LINK). Edited.]


    Human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in China ? update


    4 April 2013 ? On 4 April 2013 (14:00 CET), the Chinese health authorities notified WHO of an additional four laboratory-confirmed cases, including three deaths, due to human infection with influenza A(H7N9).

    The three fatal cases, all men, are a 38-year-old with illness onset on 7 March 2013 from Zhejiang , a 64-year-old with illness onset on 29 March from Zhejiang, and a 48-year-old with illness onset on 28 March from Shanghai.

    The fourth patient is a 67-year-old man with illness onset on 25 March 2013 from Zhejiang He is in critical condition.

    There is no link between the laboratory-confirmed cases.

    To date, the total number of confirmed cases of human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in China is 11, including 5 deaths.

    More than 400 close contacts of the confirmed cases are being closely monitored.

    Thus far, none of them have developed any symptoms of illness.

    The Chinese government is actively investigating this event and has heightened disease surveillance.

    Retrospective testing of recently reported cases with severe respiratory infection may uncover additional cases that were previously unrecognized.

    An inter-government task force has been formally established, with the National Health and Family Planning Commission leading the coordination along with the Ministry of Agriculture and other key ministries.

    The animal health sector has intensified investigations into the possible sources and reservoirs of the virus.

    WHO is in contact with national authorities and is following the event closely.

    The WHO-coordinated international response is also focusing on work with WHO Collaborating Centres for Reference and Research on Influenza and other partners to ensure that information is available and that materials are developed for diagnosis and treatment and vaccine development.

    No vaccine is currently available for this subtype of the influenza virus.

    Preliminary test results provided by the WHO Collaborating Centre in China suggest that the virus is susceptible to the neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir).

    At this time there is no evidence of ongoing human-to-human transmission.

    WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event, nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied.

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  • #2
    Re: Human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in China ? update (WHO, April 4 2013) * Note - outdated info

    Our list here.

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    • #3
      Re: Human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus in China ? update (WHO, April 4 2013) * Note - outdated info

      We are grateful to the samplers, the depositing labs and the GISAID consortium for making the small batch of evaluation material available on 2013-03-31 during this zoonotic epidemic emergence of H7N9 that has the very unfortunate combination of a High Case Fatality Rate and Low clinical intervention effectiveness [GISAID Citations].

      The H7N9 human cases show clinically and experimentally-confirmed Gain of Function traits on a minimum of 3 gene segments:
      • Hemagglutinin 226L
      • Neuraminidase aa69-73 stalk deletion (15 base)
      • Polymerase Basic 2 627K

      The H7N9 sequences are related at the polymorphism level to widely circulating human virus patterns including pH1N1, sH3N2 and to fatal human H5N1. Each component of the H7N9 human cases carries sub-segment genetics that have seen mammalian adaptation, including the external proteins, Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase.

      An up-to-date and comprehensive follow-up evaluation for each HA polymorphism found on the 3 human H7N9 sequences was provided Wednesday, 2013-04-03, demonstrating the Cross Serotype Homology details. The preliminary H7N9 Novelty Evaluation and Relationship Potential to pH1N1 with detailed Hemagglutinin amino-level polymorphism surfacing was made available for preview on 2013-03-31, formalised at midnight and is now being versioned.

      Genetic specifics concerning animal origins and human / mammal adaption are under analysis. The full text of those intermediate reports are currently in pre-publication viewing status and are available at the following links. These compilations will be updated as labs release new sequences.


      Additional sequences from early emergence fatal and recovered cases is critical to understanding the immune dynamics required for establishing a bulkhead toward the protection of public health.

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