Iowa reports human infection with H1N2v virus
A human infection with a novel influenza A virus was reported by the state of Iowa. The person was infected with an influenza A (H1N2) variant (H1N2v) virus. The patient was not hospitalized, and has fully recovered from their illness. No human-to-human transmission has been identified and the case reported close contact with swine in the week prior to illness onset.
Photo/Agricultural Research Service
This is the fourth H1N2v case reported in 2016- Minnesota has reported two and Wisconsin has seen one.
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, sporadic human infections with influenza viruses that normally infect swine have occurred. When this happens, these viruses are called “variant viruses.” Most commonly, human infections with variant viruses have occurred in people exposed to infected pigs (e.g., children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry).
People who have been infected with variant viruses have had symptoms similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza. These include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people also have reported runny nose, sore throat, eye irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Human infections have most commonly been reported after close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs.
