A new influenza virus, A(H10N8), is infecting people in China (map)



The first reported human case of a novel influenza A(H10N8) subtype was reported in November 2013. A 73-year-old woman from the Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province in China experienced onset on November 28, 2013. She died nine days later on December 6, 2013.[1] 

Since then two additional human cases of H10N8 have been reported. The second is 55-year-old woman who was hospitalized on January 15, 2014. This woman is from Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.[1] And today the third human case of H10N8 has been reported, also from Nanchang, in Jiangxi Province.  This 75-year-old man died on February 8, 2014, just three days after being hospitalized.[2]

As with most novel influenza strains, H10N8 seems to be circulating among poultry populations in China resulting in sporadic jumps from poultry to humans.  With only three reported human H10N8 cases it is not possible to assess the pandemic potential of this new influenza virus.[3] Surveillance for human cases and poultry outbreaks, as well as additional genetic research, are necessary in the event this influenza virus becomes transmissible between humans.  

1. WHO Avian influenza A (H10N8), January 30, 2014
2. Jiangxi 1 new confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza H10N8
3. Avian influenza A H10N8—a virus on the verge?

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