Clinical and virological characteristics of human infections with H7N9 avian influenza virus in Shenzhen, China, 2013–2017

Recent articles in this Journal have reported the human infections with highly pathogenic (HP) H7N9 avian influenza virus (AIV) in Shenzhen city of China, and compared the clinical and virological characteristics of human infection with HP-H7N9 and low pathogenic (LP) H7N9 viruses. 1 Yang Y. Wong G. Yang L. Tan S. Li J. Bai B. et al. Comparison between human infections caused by highly and low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza viruses in wave five: clinical and virological findings. J Infect. 2019; 78: 241-248 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (24) Google Scholar , 2 Zhang F. Bi Y. Wang J. Wong G. Shi W. Hu F. et al. Human infections with recently-emerging highly pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza virus in China. J Infect. 2017; 75: 71-75 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (119) Google Scholar Shenzhen is an international port city located at the Pearl River delta region and on the East Asian-Australian migration flyway. It provides an ideal environment for the emergence and circulation of novel influenza viruses with potential cross-species transmission due to the unique ecosystem, presence of live poultry markets (LPMs) and Cantonese dietary habits. 3 Gilbert M. Golding N. Zhou H. Wint G.R. Robinson T.P. Tatem A.J. et al. Predicting the risk of avian influenza a H7N9 infection in live-poultry markets across Asia. Nat Commun. 2014; 5: 4116 Crossref PubMed Scopus (132) Google Scholar During the five waves of human H7N9 infections in 2013–2017, 45 human cases have been hospitalized in Shenzhen. Here we further summarized and analyzed the clinical and virological characteristics of human H7N9 infections in Shenzhen during 2013–2017.