New Influenza A virus jumps from pigs to humans at Fair

A new CDC report stated that 18 people tested positive for strains of influenza never seen before in humans after taking part in a agricultural fair in Ohio and Michigan in August of this year.  Hogs are the most likely source of these novel viruses as all of the people had some contact with pigs by handling the pigs or being in the barns with the pigs. The people developed respiratory illness and flu-like symptoms. Everyone with the virus has fully recovered.

The strain was a version of H3N2 and is a variant because it can leap from pigs to humans. CDC officials  found in their investigation that they did not detect any person to person transmission.  Although a director at Mayo Clinic stated that the virus is concerning because it contained human genes which makes it more likely to be transmitted from human to human.

CDC does want to cut down on the possibility of people contracting a variant flu altogether and is recommending that fair organizers: cut down the time that the swine is on the fairgrounds, putting sick swine in quarantine, maintaining a veterinarian on call and prohibiting food and beverages in animal barns.

-Vander Harris

Link:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6542a1.htm?s_cid=mm6542a1_w
http://www.kunc.org/post/new-flu-virus-jumped-pigs-humans-fair