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The emergence of a swine flu variant is alarming experts, as there is potential for the virus to evolve and spread among humans. Recent research conducted by scientists in China indicates that the Influenza D virus (IDV), if it continues to mutate in animals, might eventually be able to infect humans.
Led by Hongbo Bao from the Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, researchers have focused on the D/HY11 strain of IDV, first identified in cattle in northeast China in 2023. Laboratory experiments revealed that this strain can replicate in human airway cells and animal tissues. Additionally, the study showed that the virus could effectively transmit airborne between live ferrets.
Data collected from 2020 to 2024 in northeast China indicated “alarming” exposure levels to the virus strain. The study noted that 73.7% (449 out of 612) of the general population tested positive and a staggering 96.67% (58 out of 60) among individuals experiencing respiratory symptoms like coughing, sore throats, and runny noses.
The remarkably high positive test rates for the strain in northeast China suggest a potential “silent spread” among mammals presenting mild symptoms, as reported in the study.
When scientists tested common flu drugs in the lab, only one type, polymerase inhibitors, was able to stop IDV from making copies of itself.
The strain D/HY11 proved more adept at replicating than the original virus strain, with preliminary research indicating that a specific gene, P3, might enhance its efficiency. This might explain the strain’s improved ability to multiply.
The findings from the Chinese researchers suggest that IDV “might” have acquired the ability to spread between humans through its evolution. They warn that current IDV strains could represent a “potential” risk to broader regions or even globally.
At the end of the report, the authors of the study say D/HY11 may pose a risk of passing from animals to humans and that the strain could develop the potential to trigger an epidemic.
In Britain, the first human case of swine flu was detected in North Yorkshire in 2023 as part of routine surveillance by the UK Health Security Agency and the Royal College of General Practitioners.
The case of influenza A(H1N2)v led to a “mild” illness in the individual who fully recovered, according to UKHSA.
