H9N2 Virus: Unprecedented Human Case Detected After Six Months in Senegal

A case of H9N2 avian influenza was diagnosed in a patient who spent over six months in Senegal before traveling to Italy. Upon arrival, he exhibited respiratory symptoms and was hospitalized, where tests revealed a co-infection with tuberculosis. On March 20, a laboratory confirmed the presence of the H9N2 virus, which shows a strong genetic similarity to strains previously detected in poultry in Senegal. The WHO stated that the risk of human-to-human transmission remains low.