By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today it received a report from the hospital in October 2022 that a type A influenza virus that could not be subtyped was isolated from the respiratory specimen of a 7-year-old girl with mild influenza who lived in central Taiwan, which was further tested and sequenced by the department as H1N2v influenza virus.

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After an investigation, there were 6 close contacts of the case, 2 of whom had flu-like symptoms, and no H1N2v influenza virus infection was found. After inviting the agricultural administration unit and relevant medical experts to hold a meeting to discuss, based on the above-mentioned existing epidemiological investigation results, the case was judged to be a sporadic case, which is similar to past international cases. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. The health and agricultural authorities will continue to strengthen the monitoring of humans, animals and the environment.

CDC says this is the second case of H1N2v influenza virus in the country.

The patient had no recent travel history abroad, and his family is engaged in poultry farming. On September 24 this year, he developed symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite, cough and runny nose. , On September 26, he went to the doctor due to a high fever. The rapid COVID-19 test was negative and the rapid influenza test was positive for type A. After the doctor’s evaluation, he did not need to be hospitalized. He returned home after prescribing influenza antiviral drugs and has recovered.

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The CDC further pointed out that the H1N2v influenza virus was isolated from the girl’s respiratory specimen on October 18, and tests for common viruses in respiratory infections such as adenovirus, respiratory fusion virus, enterovirus, and rhinovirus were all negative. . In addition, the agricultural administration unit also collected specimens from pigs in the pig farm run by the case family, and the results showed that no H1N2 influenza virus was detected. In response to the second confirmed case in my country, the CDC will simultaneously notify the World Health Organization through the IHR contact window.

According to the CDC, the first case of H1N2v type A influenza in my country was detected in April last year (2021). It was a 5-year-old girl who lived in the central region. The source of feed and pigs, the slaughterhouse where the livestock is raised, the route of the transport vehicle, and the gene of the virus are all different, and the two cases are determined to be unrelated.

H1N2v is a low-pathogenic influenza virus that exists in pigs, and there are occasional cases of human infection reported, and most of them are mild. Since 2011, there have been at least 45 confirmed cases of H1N2v influenza in the world, with 41 cases in the Americas. Most of the cases have a history of contact with pigs or exposure to contaminated environments. There is no case of infection through eating meat. The gene sequence of the virus isolated from the patient this time is similar to the H1N2 virus strain isolated from pigs in the past, but not the same. It is sensitive to the current public-funded influenza antiviral drugs.