Any Risk for HIV Patients Posed by the Novel Influenza A (H7N9)?

A new influenza A (H7N9) strain has emerged and has been causing severe and fatal disease in eastern China since February 2013. The illness is characterized by rapidly progressive pneumonia leading to respiratory distress syndrome. The main epidemiologic characteristics of H7N9 cases in China have recently been reported (Li, et al. N Engl J Med. 2013. E-pub ahead of print). A total of 82 persons with confirmed H7N9 virus were examined. Their median age was 63 years (range, 2-89), 73% were male, and 84% were urban residents. No animal outbreaks were identified in the surrounding areas, but human infections with H7N9 are often associated with exposure to poultry, mainly chickens, generally as a result of visits to live animal markets.