Little is known about the strain of H10N3, which appears to be rare in birds. According to a study, it does not cause severe disease. The first human case of a rare strain of bird flu known as H10N3 has been reported in a 41-year-old man in eastern China. The man is from Jiangsu province, northwest of Shanghai, and was admitted to hospital on 28 April. China’s National Health Commission said, he is in a stable condition.
Until now, no human case of H10N3 has been reported elsewhere, and the risk of large-scale spread among people is low. Bird flu or avian flu is caused by influenza viruses that spread between birds. It can often spread easily between birds but very rarely causes disease in humans. Symptoms resemble those of normal flu, fever, cough, muscle aches, sore throat. But, it can develop into a serious respiratory illness.
H10N3 is common in wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. They don’t normally infect humans, but these crossover infections do happen. Infected birds shed avian flu in their saliva, mucus, and poop, and humans can get infected when enough of the virus gets in the eyes, nose, or mouth, or is inhaled from infected droplets or dust.
The risk of further infection with H10N3 is currently believed to be very low, with experts describing the case as ‘sporadic’. With growing surveillance of avian influenza in the human population, more infections with bird flu viruses are being picked up. Still, flu viruses can mutate rapidly and mix with other strains circulating on farms or among migratory birds, known as “re-assortment,” meaning they could make genetic changes that pose a transmission threat to humans.
Sources: Reuters.