Human infection with avian influenza A(H3N8) virus is uncommon but can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome. In explant cultures of the human bronchus and lung, novel H3N8 virus showed limited replication efficiency in bronchial and lung tissue but had a higher replication than avian H3N8 virus in lung tissue.
Keywords: China; H3N8; avian influenza; human bronchus; human lung; influenza; influenza A virus; risk assessment; zoonoses.