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A man in China’s eastern province has been confirmed as the first human case of infection with the H10N3 strain of bird flu.
About H10N3 strain of Bird Flu:
- H10N3 strain of bird flu is a subtype of the Influenza A virus which is commonly known as the bird flu virus.
- The virus is normally fatal to wild birds and poultry because among animals it can be spread through respiratory droplets.
- Risk: H10N3 is a low pathogenic or relatively less severe strain of the avian flu in poultry. Its risk of spreading on a large scale is very low.
- Human-Human Transmission: There was no indication or cases of human-to-human transmission of the H10N3 virus.
- Is it a Common Virus? H10N3 is not a very common virus and only around 160 isolates of the virus were reported in the 40 years to 2018.
- However, still, flu viruses can mutate rapidly and mix with other strains circulating on farms or among migratory birds. This is known as reassortment. This reassortment can make genetic changes that pose a transmission threat to humans.
Source: The Hindu
