A Pennsylvania resident has become the first human to contract swine flu this year after coming into contact with infected pigs, the CDC revealed.
The health department said a patient contracted the influenza A H1N2 variant, which normally circulates in pigs.
The infection, known as bird flu or swine flu, was discovered in a person who lived near a pig farm in Pennsylvania and had direct contact with the animals.
The CDC reported that the patient was hospitalized and fully recovered from his illness, and there have been no reports of transmission of the virus to humans.
Influenza A is endemic among pigs but rarely infects humans. However, in 2009, a strain of influenza A caused a swine flu epidemic, infecting more than 59 million Americans and killing thousands of people.
People can get swine flu through direct contact with infected pigs and the strains that infect humans are often mixtures of avian, swine and human flu viruses
Although this is the first reported in 2024, a handful of cases of swine flu may occur in the US each year, with three infections in 2023 – although this is rare.
Two of these patients had attended various agricultural shows in Michigan and had been directly exposed to pigs.
Both experienced mild illness and made full recoveries with no evidence that they had transmitted the infections to others.
A third was a child from Montana who had also attended a fair.
The minor “sought health care in August 2023,” the CDC said, but was not hospitalized.
There are several variants of swine flu, including H1N2 and the 2009 epidemic-causing H1N1.
Infections rarely spread from animals to people, but the 2009 outbreak was the result of the virus mutating, allowing it to infect humans and cause disease.
The H1N1 strain contained a combination of influenza A viruses from birds, pigs and humans.
The outbreak disproportionately affected children and teenagers who were more susceptible to illnesses severe enough to require hospitalization.
A World Health Organization report shows that the number of infections in the US that year was 59 million, with 265,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths.
People can get swine flu through direct contact with infected pigs, and the strains that infect them are often mixtures of avian, swine and human flu viruses.
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of other influenza viruses and include fever, aches, chills, cough, headache, nausea and fatigue. The cases are normally mild and resolve on their own within a few weeks, with little risk of death.
To prevent infections, the CDC recommends avoiding contact with pigs, as well as drinking and eating near the animals. If you own pigs, it is also important to monitor them for signs of illness, the health organization added.
People who have direct contact with the animals, such as farmers and slaughterhouse workers, are at greatest risk of contracting the zoonotic disease.