Introduction
Epidemiological research and contact tracing have been carried out. There have been no other cases discovered among the infected person's close contacts.
Based on the information available, it appears that this virus does not spread easily from person to person, and thus the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered low. However, because influenza viruses are constantly evolving, WHO emphasizes the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological, and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses that may affect human (or animal) health.
Situational Description
On March 27, 2023, the People's Republic of China's National Health Commission notified WHO of one confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H3N8) virus. The patient was a 56-year-old female from Guangdong province who became ill on February 22, 2023. She was admitted to the hospital on March 3, 2023, for severe pneumonia and died on March 16, 2023.
The case was discovered through the surveillance system for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). The patient had a number of underlying medical conditions. She had a history of live poultry exposure prior to the onset of the disease, as well as a history of wild bird presence around her home. At the time of reporting, no close contacts of the case had developed an infection or symptoms of illness.
Environmental samples were collected from the patient's home and the wet market where he spent time before becoming ill. The results of the testing revealed that the wet market samples tested positive for influenza A(H3).
Disease epidemiology
Disease epidemiology
Zoonotic influenza infections in humans can be asymptomatic or fatal. Disease can range from conjunctivitis or mild flu-like symptoms to severe acute respiratory disease or even death, depending on factors related to the specific virus and the infected host. Although gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms have been reported, they are uncommon.
Human cases of avian influenza virus infection are typically the result of direct or indirect contact with infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments.