H3n8 Bird flu also known as avian influenza is the disease caused by infection with bird flu Type A viruses. These viruses naturally spread among wild birds and domestic poultry which include chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks.

H3n8 bird flu, a first human case of H3N8 bird flu in china

According to China’s public health agency, China has recorded the first human infection with the H3n8 strain of bird flu but said the risk of transmission among humans is low.

A 4-year-old boy from central Henan province was found to have been infected with the variant after developing fever and other symptoms.

H3n8 variant of bird flu was previously sown in horses, dogs, birds, and seals in other parts of the world but it’s the first human case of infection with the H3N8 strain of bird flu.

Is there a different strain of Avian Influenza?

Avian Influenza rarely infects people. Viruses like H5, H6, H7, H9, and H10 are known to have caused the human infection.  The most frequently identified subtypes of avian influenza that have caused human infections are H5, H7, and H9 viruses.

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Other subtypes such as H6N1, H10N3, H10N7, and H10N8 are also seen in small numbers of people.

How avian influenza virus is spread?

Wild birds are believed to be the carriers of all avian influenza type A viruses. The viruses are carried inside the bird’s intestines and are spread around the surrounding via bird feces (poo). Migratory birds infected with the virus could potentially spread the bird flu to any of the countries they visit.

Humans who have close contact with sick birds are at risk of infection with bird flu. For example, a person may handle a sick bird, contaminate their hands with chicken faeces (poo), and forget to wash their hands before eating. They will then ingest the infected bird faeces. This is the most common way for a human to catch the bird flu. The virus can also spread while eating infected poultry meat.