CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH INFLUENZA A(H1N1)pdm09 AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PROVINCE, PAKISTAN (2018 - 2019)

Abstract

Swine-origin influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus first appeared in 2009 and has spread worldwide and is still circulating among the global population. Data were collected of demographic profile, preexisting medical conditions, clinical features, clinical laboratory data, duration of hospital stay, and outcome of patients (n = 39) with suspected or confirmed influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection admitted to Northwest General Hospital and Research Centre, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan from January 2018 to December 2019. Patients were 52 ± 16 (mean ± SD) years of age, with female:male ratio of 2:3. Clinical presentations were fever, shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, sore throat and body ache, with the most common comorbidity being hypertension (54%), followed by diabetes (28%) and then chronic kidney disease (8%). RT-quantitative PCR positivity was detected in 92% of the patients. Patients were treated with fever medication, fluid therapy, antiviral therapy, and oxygen support via non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation, with 77% survival rate. This study discloses a potentially deadly nature of the influenza A(H1N1) virus with a high mortality rate of individuals having comorbidities and secondary infections.