As of April 12, 2013, China, the only country to report Avian Influenza A: H7N9 human cases, has reported a total of 43 cases of human infection. 11 of these cases have resulted in death. There are no reported cases in the United States or anywhere else outside of China, but the CDC is taking standard precaution in case of a pandemic, including beginning to develop a candidate vaccine.
After the first human infections with H7N9 were detected, Chinese authorities detected the virus in poultry in the same area where human infections have occurred. Many of the reported human cases have had contact with poultry, but follow-up investigations have to be conducted to assess whether human-to-human spread is occurring. Investigations at this time suggest that there is no sustained (ongoing) spread of the virus from person to person at this time.
While no cases resulting from human-to-human transmission have been reported at this time, there is some concern that the H7N9 virus might change or adapt to allow for efficient transmission among mammals. There is also concern that viral gene segments may reassort with human influenza viruses and result in a new virus that would be transmissible from person to person.
New information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Avian Influenza Page.
Image source: CDC
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