Avian Flu (H7N9) 

Health Issue
Avian influenza, also known as H7N9, is a subtype of influenza A viruses that originated in birds and is endemic in certain parts of the world like Asia. Whereas cases of H7N9 infection in humans have been documented following exposure to infected poultry, the spread of infection between humans has not yet been reported. Most of the infected cases exhibit severe flu symptoms requiring hospitalization; the infection can be fatal in as many as one-third of those cases.    

Recent News Articles

S. Korea culls 2 percent of poultry to curb bird flu spread
Meeyoung Cho and Jane Chung, Reuters, 6 February 2014

Canada is watching rapidly mounting H7N9 case count, but still feels risk is low
Helen Branswell, The Canadian Press, 4 February 2014

H7N9 bird flu resurges in China ahead of Lunar New Year
Madison Park, CNN, 29 January 2014

China Halts Poultry Trading After New H7N9 Cases
Associated Press, 28 January 2014

H7N9 Bird Flu in Shanghai Kills First Medical Worker, Renewing Transmission Fears
Per Liljas, The Time, 20 January 2014

Useful Links

World Health Organization
Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus

International Society for Infectious Diseases
Avian Influenza, Human (60): china H7N9

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control information
Avian influenza in humans

Centers for Disease Control (USA)
Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus

Public Health Agency of Canada
H7N9 Avian Influenza

New England Journal of Medicine
Map of Avian Influenza H7N9 cases

Further Reading

Bai T, Zhou J, Shu Y. Serologic Study for Influenza A (H7N9) among High-Risk Groups in China. N Engl J Med. 2013; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1305865.

Chen Y, Liang W, Yang S, et al. Human infections with the emerging avian influenza A H7N9 virus from wet market poultry: clinical analysis and characterization of viral genome. The Lancet 2013; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60903-4.

Cowling BJ, Jin L, Lau EH, et al. Comparative Epidemiology of human infections with avian influenza A H7N9 and H5N1viruses in China: A population-based study of laboratory-confirmed cases. The Lancet 2013; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61171-X.

He J, Ning L, Tong Y. Origins and evolutionary genomics of the novel 2013 avian origin H7N9 influenza A virus in China: Early Findings. ARXIV 2013; eprint arXiv:1304.1985.

Hu Y, Lu S, Song Z, et al. Association between adverse clinical outcome in human disease caused by novel influenza A H7N9 virus and sustained viral shedding and emergence of antiviral resistance. The Lancet 2013; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736 (13)61125-3.

Parry J. H7N9 avian flu infects humans for the first time. British Medical Journal 2013; 346:f2151. doi: 10.1136/bmj.f2151.

Yu H, Cowling B, Feng L, et al. Human infection with avian influenza A H7N9 virus: an assessment of clinical severity, The Lancet 2013; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61207-6.