There is one in Great Britain Infection with a special swine flu virus been proven. An infection with this H1N2 variant has never been recorded in the country before, the British health authority UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) announced on Monday. The pathogen is therefore somewhat different to that of other recent human cases, but is similar to the viruses in British pigs.
The Influenza A(H1N2)v pathogen was discovered in a single case as part of routine surveillance using a PCR test, the statement said.
The affected person was tested for respiratory problems, I had a mild course of the disease and have now completely recovered. The source of the infection was initially unknown. The authority is working on tracing the patient’s contacts and thus counteracting any possible spread.
Swine flu is usually harmless in humans
Swine flu is a very common viral respiratory disease in pigs; the subtypes H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1 are particularly important. H and N refer to the two proteins in the virus envelope: hemagglutinin and neuraminidase.
Sometimes it happens Infections in people that are usually harmless. However, they carry the risk that the virus will transform into a more dangerous pathogen that can be transmitted from person to person.
The situation is being closely monitored and surveillance measures have been tightened in parts of North Yorkshire, said the health authority UKHSA. “We are working quickly to identify close contacts and reduce potential transmission,” said Meera Chand, UKHSA incident response officer.
According to the UKHSA, there have been 50 recorded cases of influenza A(H1N2)v in humans worldwide since 2005. However, none of them were genetically related to the variant (1b.1.1) now found in Great Britain.
A variant of the H1N1 subtype spread from Mexico to many countries from 2009 onwards. After initial great concern, it soon became clear that the illnesses were, on average, milder than initially assumed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 18,500 people worldwide died of swine flu. The respected specialist magazine “The Lancet” later estimated the number of deaths at between 151,700 and 575,400. (dpa, AFP)