Viruses and viral diseases—especially the flu virus—are notorious for their constant mutation and genetic changes, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge Americans to receive a new flu vaccine every year. According to Time Magazine, this year’s flu season may become complicated by the new swine flu strain, H3N2.
Just 12 reports of human infection of the virus have been observed since August, but it’s enough to worry health officials as some person-to-person transmission seems to have occurred. Only half of the people who have fallen ill with H3N2 were in direct contact with pigs, and the virus itself seems to have spread from the East Coast to the Midwest.
According to Scientific American flu reporter Helen Branswell, the new strain is worrying officials who don’t know whether to issue a widespread alert against the new flu strain.
“Ignoring the new virus is not an option,” said Branswell. “But the widespread perception that the 2009 swine flu pandemic was much ado about nothing means health authorities risk further damage to their already battered credibility if they sound an alarm and this virus turns out to be a dud. And they know it.”
H3N2 has only hospitalized three people and symptoms have been generally observed to be mild, but the volatile nature of viruses means that there is a possibility it could mutate into “lethal pathogens,” the Scientific American report notes.
So far, no official warnings have been made from government health agencies.
