Public Health Agency of Canada - H7N9 avian flu in China

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Public Health Notice: H7N9 avian flu in China

Released: 4 April 2013
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Why you should take note

On March 31, 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that three people in the People?s Republic of China were infected by a new type of avian influenza virus identified as A(H7N9). All cases developed severe pneumonia and breathing difficulties, resulting in the death of two of the three cases. To date, the total number of confirmed cases of human infection with this H7N9 virus in China is nine including three deaths. Additional cases are likely to continue to be reported.

Risk to Canadians

The H7N9 flu virus causing illness in people in China has not been identified in birds in Canada.

There have been no reports of human illness in Canada associated with the H7N9 flu virus currently causing illness in China.

The risk posed to humans by avian influenza in birds is generally very low. Avian influenza does not transmit easily from birds to infect humans.

While there is no risk of catching the flu virus by eating affected poultry, Canada, in fact, does not import raw poultry or raw poultry products from China.

Canadians should protect themselves and their fellow citizens from seasonal/annual influenza by:

• Getting an annual flu shot;
• Washing hands frequently;
• Covering coughs and sneezes;
• Keeping common surfaces clean; and
• Staying home when sick.

<!-- More information about the epidemiological investigation is also available.

<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="width70 alignCenter"> <thead> <tr class="bg-colour-grey-light"> <th>Province / Territory</th> <th>Total cases</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>New Brunswick</td> <td class="alignCenter">7</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Nova Scotia</td> <td class="alignCenter">10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ontario</td> <td class="alignCenter">13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Total</td> <td class="alignCenter">30</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> --><!-- Travel information

While the Agency is not advising any travel restrictions related to this event at this time, a travel health notice has been posted on the travel.gc.ca website to provide advice to Canadian travellers. We will continue to monitor this situation very closely and advise Canadians as appropriate.


-->What the Public Health Agency of Canada is doing

The Agency works closely with its national and international partners, including the <ABBR title="World Health Organization">WHO</ABBR>, to track all types of flu activity in Canada and around the world.

An Agency medical expert is based in Beijing and is liaising with the Chinese infectious disease prevention authorities on this outbreak.

The Agency's National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) has access to the H7N9 whole genome sequence through the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID). This information allows the <ABBR title="National Microbiology Laboratory">NML</ABBR> to rapidly detect the H7N9 flu virus.

The <ABBR title="National Microbiology Laboratory">NML</ABBR> is also working closely with provincial laboratories to ensure they are also able to test for the H7N9 flu virus.

Additional information

• Public Health Agency of Canada information on avian influenza
• World Health Organization information on avian influenza
• Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

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http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/phn-asp/2013/h7n9-0403-eng.php

 

[NS1]

Re: Public Health Agency of Canada - H7N9 avian flu in China

We are grateful to the samplers, the depositing labs and the GISAID consortium for making the small batch of evaluation material available on 2013-03-31 during this zoonotic epidemic emergence of H7N9 that has the very unfortunate combination of a High Case Fatality Rate and Low clinical intervention effectiveness [GISAID Citations].

The H7N9 human cases show clinically and experimentally-confirmed Gain of Function traits on a minimum of 3 gene segments:

• Hemagglutinin 226L
• Neuraminidase aa69-73 stalk deletion (15 base)
• Polymerase Basic 2 627K

The H7N9 sequences are related at the polymorphism level to widely circulating human virus patterns including pH1N1, sH3N2 and to fatal human H5N1. Each component of the H7N9 human cases carries sub-segment genetics that have seen mammalian adaptation, including the external proteins, Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase.

An up-to-date and comprehensive follow-up evaluation for each HA polymorphism found on the 3 human H7N9 sequences was provided Wednesday, 2013-04-03, demonstrating the Cross Serotype Homology details. The preliminary H7N9 Novelty Evaluation and Relationship Potential to pH1N1 with detailed Hemagglutinin amino-level polymorphism surfacing was made available for preview on 2013-03-31, formalised at midnight and is now being versioned.

Genetic specifics concerning animal origins and human / mammal adaption are under analysis. The full text of those intermediate reports are currently in pre-publication viewing status and are available at the following links. These compilations will be updated as labs release new sequences.

• GeneWurx Human Emergent H7N9 Cross Serotype Homology (External Genes)
• GeneWurx Human Emergent H7N9 Rare and Novel Hemagglutinin Antigens (External Genes)
• GeneWurx Human Emergent H7N9 ReAssortment Assessment (Internal Genes)

Additional sequences from early emergence fatal and recovered cases are critical to understanding the immune dynamics required for establishing a bulkhead toward the protection of public health.