the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of a laboratory confirmed human case of infection with a swine-origin influenza A(H1N1) variant virus in the province of North Brabant Netherlands. this is the first human infection caused by influenza A(H1N1)v virus reported in the Netherlands in 2023.
Worldwide sporadic human cases of influenza A(H1N1)v have been reported previously including from the Netherlands. According to the International Health Regulations (IHR,2005) a human infection caused by a novel influenza A virus subtype is an event that has the potential for high public health impact and must be notified to the WHO.
This case was picked up as part of routine surveillance of respiratory illnesses. Based on the available information, there is no clear indication of the source of infection, and no direct contact with pigs was reported. As of 7 September, there were no symptomatic contacts of this case and no further detections have been reported in routine surveillance. All five close contacts were followed for 10 day the maximum incubation period and none developed symptoms. thus there was no evidence of perso to-person transmission and the case is considered as a sporadic human case of influenza A(H1N1)v. The likelihood of community level spread among humans and or international disease spread through humans is considered as low.
