Epidemiological and Clinical Features of 308 Hospitalized Patients with Novel 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in China during the First Pandemic Wave

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of 308 hospitalized patients suffering from infection with novel H1N1 influenza virus in China from May to August 2009, and to examine the effects of oseltamivir treatment for mild cases. Methods: Information on H1N1 influenza patients confirmed by real-time RT-PCR assay was gathered and analyzed from an influenza surveillance system, including demographic features, clinical symptoms and signs, therapeutic regimen, and duration of fever and virus shedding. Results: The clinical course of infected individuals appeared mild. Mainly young adults were affected. Most cases had low or mid-level fever, cough, headache, rhinorrhoea, and sore throat. Few patients had vomiting (1.3%) and diarrhea (3.9%). Oseltamivir treatment did not shorten the duration of fever. Furthermore, early oseltamivir treatment as well as early conventional supportive treatment without antiviral drugs contributed to a reduction in the duration of virus shedding. Conclusions: In the first pandemic wave, novel H1N1 virus caused disease primarily in adults, causing mild febrile illness. Mildly ill patients cleared the virus rapidly even in the absence of oseltamivir treatment.

Influenza Surveillance in 15 Countries in Africa, 2006–2010

“…Nonetheless, the age distribution of influenza-associated ILI and SARI in our study was likely influenced by the low number of specimens collected previous to 2009, when seasonal influenza circulated, compared to 2009 and 2010, when influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 predominated. In other parts of the world such as the US, Mexico, and China, younger adults were disproportionately affected by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, an age distribution that differed with other years dominated by seasonal influenza, when young children and the elderly tend to be the most affected age groups [23][24][25]. The age distribution of influenza in Africa may be affected by the high prevalence of HIV in adults.…”

Uptake of a new meningitis vaccination programme amongst first-year undergraduate students in the United Kingdom: A cross-sectional study

“…This section was based upon a previously validated instrument from a US study of pandemic influenza vaccination by Coe et al (2012) [ 17 ]. This tool was chosen because information was provided regarding its development and constituent items and because influenza, like meningococcal disease, is an acute infectious disease spread by droplet transmission that has experienced recent resurgences [ 17 , 27 – 29 ].…”

Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia

“…175 Antiviral therapy has also been shown to decrease the duration of viral shedding. 176,177 Treatment should be discontinued if nucleic acid amplification testing is negative or continued for a total of 5 to 10 days in confirmed cases. Although guidelines 178 recommended high-dose oseltamivir in critically ill patients during the H1N1/09 pandemic, more recent studies have demonstrated adequate serum levels with standard doses.…”