2009 H1N1 influenza A in children: a descriptive clinical study

The 2009 H1N1 was a new influenza virus causing illness in people. Especially those younger than 5 years of age and those who have high-risk medical conditions are at increased risk for influenza-related complications. In the present study, we describe the clinical presentation of the H1N1 cases att...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Annals of Saudi medicine Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 59 - 63
Main Authors:	Mansour, Maha Mahmoud Hamdi Khalil, Al Hadidib, Khalid Mohamed Abdullah
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Saudi Arabia Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01-01-2012 KING FAISAL SPECIALIST HOSPITAL & RESEARCH CENTRE King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre
Subjects:	Adolescent Age Asthma Asthma - complications Bronchitis Cardiovascular disease Child Child, Preschool Congenital diseases Diagnostic tests Epidemiology Female Fever Hospitalization Humans Infant Infections Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - genetics Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - isolation & purification Influenza, Human - complications Influenza, Human - epidemiology Influenza, Human - physiopathology Intensive care Intensive Care Units, Pediatric Leukopenia - complications Lymphopenia - complications Male Original Pandemics Patients Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral - complications Saudi Arabia - epidemiology Severity of Illness Index Studies Swine flu Ventilators Saudi Arabia Riyadh Saudi Arabia
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Summary:	The 2009 H1N1 was a new influenza virus causing illness in people. Especially those younger than 5 years of age and those who have high-risk medical conditions are at increased risk for influenza-related complications. In the present study, we describe the clinical presentation of the H1N1 cases attending Jeddah Clinic Hospital-Al Kandarah (JCH-K) in the time period from October 2009 to January 2010, and identified the high-risk age groups. Prospective study at JCH-K from October 2009 through January 2010. All pediatric patients (up to 15 years old) presenting with influenza-like illnesses in the clinics during the specified period were clinically examined and tested using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Only confirmed H1N1 cases were included in the study. Over a 4-month period, 89 cases of laboratory-confirmed H1N1 were reported in JCH-K. Thirty-four patients (38.2%) were younger than 5 years of age. Forty-six (51.6%) cases were males. Thirty-three cases were Saudis (37.1%). The most commonly reported symptom was fever, which was noted in all cases. Twenty-eight cases (31.5%) had pneumonia. Fourteen cases (15.7%) were known asthmatics. Fifty-two (58.4%) cases were lymphopenic and 32 (35.9%) cases were leucopenic. Sixty-five (73%) patients were hospitalized, and five of them were treated in the intensive care unit. Even though the majority of cases of the 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 were mild, a severe disease does occur in children. In view of delayed PCR results, clinical presentation and lymphopenia were used as diagnostic criteria to start antiviral treatment as early as possible. No deaths were attributed to the 2009 pandemic.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0256-4947 0975-4466
DOI:	10.5144/0256-4947.2012.59