CDC Issues Update on H3N2V Influenza

CDC Issues Update on H3N2v Influenza

As of October 5, 307 people in the United States have been diagnosed with variant swine-origin H3N2 (or H3N2v) influenza this year alone, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most significant risk factor for the virus, which hosts the matrix (M) gene from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus, is exposure to pigs.

Compared to an earlier variant found in pigs in 2010 and in humans in 2011, this strain spreads more easily from pigs to humans. (The CDC notes, however, that H3N2v flu has not been shown to be transmissible through the consumption of properly handled pork or other swine products.) Fortunately, the effects of the H3N2v flu are mild. Similar to seasonal flu symptoms, they include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and muscle discomfort.

Many of the reported human infections—which are most prevalent in Ohio and Indiana—are thought to have emerged from contact with pigs in fair settings. In an effort to prevent the disease from spreading, Ohio and Indiana state health officials, together with the CDC, urge those at greatest risk to avoid all contact with swine. This includes children younger than 5; people with chronic health problems, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease; the immunocompromised; pregnant women; and people age 65 and older.

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, antiviral medication may be effective if the illness is diagnosed early. The best protection against all forms of influenza, however, is receiving a flu shot every year before the start of flu season. Although early steps have been taken to develop an H3N2v vaccine, the CDC reports that no such vaccine is presently available.