An epidemiological overview of human infections with HxNy avian influenza in the Western Pacific Region, 2003–2022

Jozica Skufca; Leila Bell; JC Pal Molino; Dina Saulo; Chin-kei Lee; Satoko Otsu; Kim Carmela Co; May Chiew; Phetdavanh Leuangvilay; Sarika Patel; Asheena Khalakdina; Vang Ieng; Tamano Matsui; Babatunde Olowkure

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An epidemiological overview of human infections with HxNy avian influenza in the Western Pacific Region, 2003–2022

Author: Jozica Skufca ¹ ; Leila Bell ¹ ; JC Pal Molino ¹ ; Dina Saulo ¹ ; Chin-kei Lee ² ; Satoko Otsu ^{3
,

4} ; Kim Carmela Co ^{3
,

4} ; May Chiew ^{3
,

4} ; Phetdavanh Leuangvilay ^{3
,

4} ; Sarika Patel ⁵ ; Asheena Khalakdina ⁵ ; Vang Ieng ⁵ ; Tamano Matsui ¹ ; Babatunde Olowkure ¹
Author Information

1. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
2. World Health Organization Representative Office for China, Beijing, China
3. World Health Organization Representative Office for Lao PDR, Vientiane, Lao People&rsquo
4. s Democratic Republic
5. World Health Organization Representative Office for Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: avian influenza, H5N1 virus, H7N9 virus, H9N2 virus, H10N8 virus, H3N8 virus, Asia
From: Western Pacific Surveillance and Response 2022;13(4):24-29
CountryWHO-WPRO
Language:English
Abstract: Avian influenza subtype A(HxNy) viruses are zoonotic and may occasionally infect humans through direct or indirect contact, resulting in mild to severe illness and death. Member States in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) communicate and notify the World Health Organization of any human cases of A(HxNy) through the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) mechanism. This report includes all notifications in the WPR with illness onset dates from 1 November 2003 to 31 July 2022. During this period, there were 1972 human infections with nine different A(HxNy) subtypes notified in the WPR. Since the last report, an additional 134 human avian influenza infections were notified from 1 October 2017 to 31 July 2022. In recent years there has been a change in the primary subtypes and frequency of reports of human A(HxNy) in the region, with a reduction of A(H7N9) and A(H5N1), and conversely an increase of A(H5N6) and A(H9N2). Furthermore, three new subtypes A(H7N4), A(H10N3) and A(H3N8) notified from the People’s Republic of China were the first ever recorded globally. The public health risk from known A(HxNy) viruses remains low as there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission. However, the observed changes in A(HxNy) trends reinforce the need for effective and rapid identification to mitigate the threat of a pandemic from avian influenza if person-to-person transmission were to occur.
Full text:2024061710112752085wpsar-13-987.pdf