Canadian teen with bird flu was on life support, new report reveals

In November, a teenager in British Columbia was infected and hospitalized with bird flu, caused by the H5N1 virus. “This was a healthy teenager prior to this, so no underlying conditions,” said British Columbia’s health officer, Bonnie Henry, at a news conference at the time. “It just reminds us that in young people this is a virus that can progress and cause quite severe illness.” Now, a recent report brings to light more details about the teenager’s case. “The mutations evident in the Canadian case highlight the urgent need for vigilant surveillance of emerging mutations and assessment of the threat of human-to-human transmission,” the editorial stated, adding that vaccine development and therapeutics are also needed — perhaps to treat more severe illness. “The Canadian case showed higher viral loads in the lower airway and very prolonged shedding, despite therapy, which highlights the potential need for longer therapy.” Researchers concluded their editorial with an acknowledgment that “many questions remain.” For example, the severity of cases is likely to depend on host immunity, the route of exposure, or other changes in the virus.