New H6N1 Bird Flu Infects First Human

New H6N1 Bird Flu Infects First Human

A 20 year old woman from Taiwan seems to be the first person in the world to be infected with the new bird flu strain also called H6N1. The woman experienced average flu like symptoms at first but after the symptoms became more severe, coupled with shortness of breath she was hospitalized. She worked at a local delicatessen in central Taiwan until she was hospitalized in May of 2013.

The woman has fully recovered since her May hospitalization after she was administered a treatment of antivirals. The young woman did not travel three months before she was infected nor did she come into close contact with any type of poultry. All her 36 relatives were tested and no traces of the H6N1 strain were found, making the source of her infection somewhat of a mystery.

A research team led by doctor Ho-Sheng Wu said that the H6N1 virus has been circulating in poltry in Taiwan for well over three decades. While it has some similarities to the H7N9 strain it is completely different when it comes to the effect it has on humans as the H7N9 infected 139 people in China and Taiwan out of which 45 have passed away.

While both viruses seem to be more or less under control, vigilance is still advised by specialists as the threat has by no means passed.

Posted by George Daniels on Friday November 15 2013, 6:03 PM EST. Ref: CBS. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0