ProMED-mail has a Xinhua report on yesterday's fatal H10N8 case. The moderator then adds some observations:
This is the 3rd case of human infection with another new species-jumping avian influenza virus, influenza A H10N8. All 3 occurred in adults but the direct exposure to birds in this case is unclear as well as whether there were additional co-morbidities in the patient; 2 of the 3 have died and the 3rd case was reported to have been in serious condition and may well have died as well.
Whether this strain of avian influenza will be the "next big thing" is too early to say. For pandemic influenza to occur, the strain must be new to man without a vaccine available (true for H10N8), cause significant disease in people (true for H10N8), and, finally, be able to cause prolonged person-to-person spread which has not occurred for H10N8, H7N9, or H5N1. Like the Meatloaf song, "Two out of Three ain't bad." Indeed, 2 out of 3, for epidemic potential is good (for humans)!
When the next pandemic strain of influenza A will emerge remains uncertain, but the pandemic influenza clock is ticking; we just do not know what time it is.
