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The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a second human case of avian influenza A(H9N2) in India, involving a 4-year-old child residing in West Bengal state.
The child initially presented with fever and abdominal pain on January 26th and was later admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) due to severe respiratory distress, high-grade fever, and abdominal cramps.
On March 5th, a nasopharyngeal swab tested positive for influenza A (not sub-typed) and rhinovirus, and on April 26th, the sample was sub-typed as influenza A(H9N2) through a real-time polymerase chain reaction.
The child was discharged from the hospital on May 1st with oxygen support, and information on vaccination status and antiviral treatment details was unavailable at the time of reporting.
H9N2 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus that primarily affects birds but can also infect humans.
It is one of the less pathogenic strains, often causing mild to moderate respiratory illness, but it is of concern due to its potential to reassort with other influenza viruses, potentially leading to more virulent strains.
Human cases of H9N2 are rare but have been reported, typically involving individuals with close contact with poultry.
Source: 4 yr old child in India tests positive for H9N2 bird flu, second such case in country, confirms WHO