Circulation, Evolution and Transmission of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N8) virus, 2016-2018

The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus (HPAIV) was first identified in China in 1996 [A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/GD)] and infected the human population in Hong Kong in 1997, with 18 recorded cases resulting in six deaths.1, 2 Since 2003, Gs/GD lineage H5N1 HPAIV infection in humans has been reported in 16 countries, with 860 laboratory-confirmed cases and 454 deaths as of 2018.3 Although human-to-human transmission has not been documented, H5N1 HPAIV has the potential to cause an influenza pandemic.

Source: Journal of Infection - July 11, 2019 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Jianjun Chen, Biling Liang, Juefu Hu, Haizhou Liu, Jianqing Sun, Mingxin Li, Quanjiao Chen, Yubang He, Di Liu Source Type: research