A 4 year old boy in the central Henan province of China tested positive for H3N8 strain of bird flu virus. The patient has been in contact with poultry but doctors have ruled out any chance of human to human spread of the virus. It is not a matter of concern right now for India because the summer months do not pose any serious threat of spread of avian influenza as migratory birds do not generally come to India during this period.
Senior government sources said that while this was not bird flu season, all efforts would be taken to ensure quick reporting of any suspicious case. The H3N8 strain is in circulation since 2002 and affects dogs and horses too. India has never isolated this strain, and bird flu is mostly seasonal with cases dipping significantly post February.
A report from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) shows that majority of the outbreaks in the past were attributed to H5 or H1 strains of the virus. In the month of March and April, all the outbreaks worldwide were attributed to H5N1 or H5N8 subvariants. At present, 440 outbreaks in 16 countries have been reported worldwide.
