Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

CDC personel recently discussed H3N2v cases, including the recent case, A/Utah/10/2012. Initial reports from a local medical group noted swine contact (at a family owned processing plant) 7 days prior to disease onset, and the USDA indicated they had no evidence of symptomatic swine at the plant. The swine exposure and lack of symptomatic swine at the plant greatly reduced the likelihood of swine involvement, which is also true for most of the earlier cases in 2011 which had "swine exposure".

Consequently the request for samples (in the podcast) asked for samples from patient with swine exposure in the prior week, even if swine were asymptomatic.

http://podcasts.jwatch.org/index.php/po ... 012/04/14/

Thus, the CDC is modifying its request in the absence of any evidence that such exposures produce H3n2v infections.

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On March 29 a child between the ages of 0-5 presented to a local ER with a high fever, sore throat, and intermittent headache. The child tested positive for influenza A and was sent home with Tamiflu. The child was never hospitalized and has since recovered without any adverse effects. Through routine surveillance, the specimen was forwarded to the Unified State Laboratories: Public Health for subtyping. Testing results suggested a variant influenza strain, which was confirmed today as swine-origin influenza A H3N2 by CDC.

The child had contact a week prior with swine at a family-owned slaughterhouse. At this time, no additional ill persons have been found. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food will be leading an investigation to determine if any swine at the facility are still ill and if testing of the swine is possible.

At this time, public health in Utah considers the case an isolated incident and does not see any indication for risk in the general public. Seasonal influenza activity throughout the state remains high, however providers should be aware that incidental infection with animal influenza viruses in humans is possible.

http://canyonviewmedical.com/blog/?p=195

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Description of swine exposure as indicator of H3N2v begins at 3:30 mark.

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The A(H3N2)v cases in West Virginia involved two children who attended the same day care, but the first child was unlikely to have transmitted the virus to the second child, given the ≥10-day difference in their symptom onset dates. This represents a scenario of limited human-to-human transmission occurring in a day care setting. Therefore, clinicians also should consider the possibility of influenza A (H3N2)v infections in patients who have not had exposure to swine, particularly young children in those states where influenza A (H3N2)v cases have been reported. Clinicians who suspect variant influenza virus infection should obtain a nasopharyngeal swab, place the swab in viral transport medium, and contact their state or local health department to facilitate transport and timely diagnosis (10).

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6051a4.htm

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