13th Swine Flu Case Confirmed

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed another variant H1N2 (H1N2v) influenza case in Ohio, increasing the 2018 total to 13.

This person reported exposure to swine at an agricultural fair one-week preceding illness onset. The patient was not hospitalized and continues to recover from illness.

This type of influenza cannot be transmitted to humans by eating pork. And, there is not a preventative vaccine available today.

Year to date, California (6), Ohio (4) and Michigan (3) have reported ‘swine flu’ cases.

This is very unusual since the CDC has only confirmed 25 H1N2v cases since 2010. 

Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, sporadic human infections with influenza viruses that normally infect swine have occurred.

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in swine are called “swine influenza viruses” or “swine flu viruses.”

Like human influenza viruses, there are different subtypes and strains of swine influenza viruses.

The main swine influenza viruses circulating in U.S. pigs in recent years have been, swine triple reassortant (tr) H1N1 influenza virus, trH3N2 virus, and trH1N2 virus, says the CDC.

"Early identification and investigation of human infections with novel influenza A viruses are critical so that the risk of infection can be more fully understood and appropriate public health measures can be taken," the CDC said.