Case of B.C. teen with avian flu shows ‘worrisome’ mutation of virus [Video]

Infectious disease experts say the avian flu case that infected a 13-year-old in British Columbia shows “worrisome” signs that the virus could be mutating to more easily infect humans, but that the treatment approach taken can help inform future cases.

In a letter published in the The New England Journal of Medicine Tuesday, Canadian health officials identified changes in the viral genome sequence of specimens collected from the teenager who tested positive for avian flu and was treated in Vancouver.

The case study says the teen was taken to a pediatric intensive care unit with respiratory failure and pneumonia on Nov. 8, endured a long hospital stay, and recently was taken off of supplemental oxygen on Dec. 18.

B.C. health officials said in a statement to The Canadian Press Thursday that the patient has not been discharged from BC Children’s Hospital, but that she is no longer in intensive care. …