The UK Public Health Agency yesterday reported the detection of a new variant of the flu virus in a person who suffered mild respiratory symptoms and has fully recovered. British health authorities are investigating how the contagion occurred and whether the new variant poses a risk to public health.
The infection corresponds to the A(H1N2) subtype of the flu virus, which has never been detected in people in the United Kingdom. It is different to the A(H1N2) viruses that have affected people in other regions but similar to those circulating in British pig farms. Therefore, the case detected in the county of North Yorkshire is probably of pig origin, either through direct infection from a pig to the affected person, or through a chain of infections that has affected other people.
No other cases have been detected among the patient's direct contacts, suggesting that the contagion capacity of the new variant between people is low. There have been 50 cases of subtype A(H1N2) infection in people worldwide since 2005, none of which have caused serious epidemics.
