Transmission of H7N9 also from person to person

Transmission of the bird flu virus H7N9 also possible from person to person

20/04/2013

In China, a new strain of bird flu H7N9 causes a stir. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), so far 87 people have been infected, 17 of whom died. The Chinese authorities report more cases every day. It can not be ruled out that "with the new bird flu strain also a human-to-human transmission is possible", said a WHO spokesman. So far, experts had only assumed a contagion from animal to human.

Transmission of bird flu in „rare cases "from person to person
According to the WHO, transmission of the avian influenza virus H7N9 in „rare cases“ also possible from person to person. The health authorities had previously considered that unlikely. In previous cases of bird flu, according to experts, the infection was due to contact with birds or poultry. As WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl reported, the cases of infection of two young children in Beijing and three families in Shanghai may be linked to human-to-human transmission. The investigations would still be ongoing. However, Hartl explicitly pointed out that "there is also the possibility that the family members were not infected with each other but with the same bird".

So far, however, H7N9 is considered an animal virus, „that in a few cases skips people, "said Michael O'Leary, WHO representative, to the news agency „dpa“ in Beijing. Thus, the WHO does not expect any major transmission between humans. „It is not untypical of this type of virus that in a few cases there is also a human-to-human transmission. "Feng Zijian, researcher at „Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention“ however, reported that around 40 percent of those infected did not remember coming into contact with poultry.

Collection of infections with avian influenza partially difficult
in the „New England Journal of Medicine“, a renowned trade magazine, two recent articles deal with the bird flu virus H7N9. Concerns were expressed about possible global expansion. Dr. Leo Poon, associate professor at the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong, told the news channel „CNN“, that the further development depends largely on whether the virus is also transferable from person to person. The infection routes should be clarified urgently.

Above all, the experts consider the infections of a four-year-old to be of concern, since the boy had shown no symptoms of bird flu. The virus was only detected in the child as part of a routine examination of relatives of those affected. Should a human-to-human transmission of avian influenza be possible, unrecognized carriers of the virus could pass it on without knowing it. In addition, a symptomless bird flu infection is difficult to detect and does not allow statements about the H7N9 spread.

17 deaths due to bird flu H7N9
The Chinese authorities first reported about a new bird flu virus about three weeks ago. Since then, according to WHO, 87 people have been infected with the virus, with new cases every day. 17 infected people have died so far.

Currently, bird flu cases are being investigated by a WHO international team of experts in China, which includes 15 scientists. According to O'Leary, these include five experts from the Chinese health authorities. The remaining scientists would come from the US, Europe, Australia and Hong Kong. In addition, five health experts from the WHO were present. The team is scheduled to spend a week in China visiting laboratories, hospitals and affected regions on a route prepared by the Chinese authorities.

The WHO explicitly praised China's handling of the new bird flu virus. Ten years ago, when the Chinese authorities first publicly commented on the outbreak of the respiratory epidemic Sars, when dozens of people died of the virus, they are much better prepared now. At that time, more than 800 people worldwide fell victim to lung disease. Around 8,000 infections were registered.

In the case of the new avian influenza virus, the Chinese authorities are doing everything they can to stem the onset of the infection. „First and foremost, there is now a system that tests patients for the first symptoms of the pathogen, "WHO representative Henk Bekedam told the news agency „dpa“. Since 2005, there has been an international health agreement with China and some neighboring countries that obliges governments to report infections. In addition, the agreement allows WHO to send its own experts to the countries. Bekedam also said that "China has also invested more in upgrading an infectious disease surveillance system and I am very encouraged by the response to H7N9."

Behind every head cold could be bird flu
The center of the new avian influenza outbreak is the city of Shanghai, home to around 23 million people, and the surrounding region. Now that the infectious disease has reached the neighboring provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu and since last week Beijing, the fear of an epidemic is gradually reversing. The opening of the ten-day Shanghai Auto Show this coming Saturday, which is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of international visitors, is therefore going to be in an unfavorable time. Behind every cold and cold, suspected bird flu. But the people in Shanghai seem to take the new bird flu cases calmly. Few wear the face masks quite common in China to protect against the infection. Nevertheless, tourism losses are already recorded, as reported by Chinese newspapers. For example, tours to the Yangtze Delta are currently booked much less frequently. Also travel agencies report cancellations. As the tourism authorities assure, however, no impairment of visitor traffic is to be expected. (Sb)

Also read:
Enigmatic transmission of bird flu virus H7N9
Bird flu pathogen has reached Beijing
No all-clear for bird flu virus H7N9

Picture: Aka