Description
In December 2013, the first human case of avian influenza A H10N8 virus infection was reported in China. The second human H10N8 infection was identified in Jiangxi province in January 2014. The third H10N8 patient was from Nanchang who presented with fever and fatigue on 4 February 2014. As the H10N8 virus is a novel influenza strain for humans, the majority of the human population lacks immunity to the virus. Although this virus was hypothesized to be from wild birds and domestic poultry, its evolutionary path leading to human infection is unknown. Thus, if the virus acquired mutations required for sustained person-to-person transmission, it would have the potential to initiate a pandemic.
