According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report Thursday, a human infection with Influenza A(H1N2) variant virus (A(H1N2)v) has been reported in an individual in Brazil.

Image/pexels via pixabay

The patient is a 22-year-old female, with no comorbidities, worked in a swine slaughterhouse in Ibiporã Municipality, Paraná State, and developed an influenza-like illness on 12 April 2020.

The patient initially sought medical care on 14 April and a respiratory specimen was obtained on 16 April as part of routine surveillance activities. The patient was treated with oseltamivir, was not hospitalized and has recovered.

The virus was confirmed using a real-time RT-PCR test. Further genetic and phenotypic characterization of the virus from the patient is ongoing.

On 26 June 2020, local authorities started a retrospective and prospective investigation in the slaughterhouse in Ibiporã Municipality and other municipalities where the slaughterhouse workers live. According to the preliminary epidemiological investigation, a second individual who also worked at the slaughterhouse developed respiratory symptoms during the same timeframe as the confirmed case, but no sample was collected from this person. No other suspected cases amongst contacts of the confirmed case have been identified.

To date, 26 cases of influenza A(H1N2)v have been reported to WHO since 2005, including two from Brazil. Most of the cases have presented with mild illness and there has been no evidence of person-to-person transmission.