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Lancet Inf. Dis: The 2009 influenza pandemic, A. Bochenek and D. Majkowski
The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Volume 13, Issue 3, Pages 193 - 194, March 2013
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doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(12)70343-2Cite or Link Using DOI
The 2009 influenza pandemic
Adam Bochenek a, Dariusz Majkowski bEmail Address
Fatimah Dawood and colleagues' Article about estimated global mortality from the 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus1 confirms our own findings in Poland.
In 2009, as the number of influenza A H1N1 cases increased worldwide, Poland seemed to be an oasis from the turmoil?by contrast with the real situation in our examining rooms. In November, 2009, the first of our own children began to become ill, and only because of our intervention were their cases pushed through to the diagnostic and typing stages. The diagnosis was influenza A H1N1 2009. The seasonal influenza vaccine did not provide protection against the virus strain.
In the 45th week of 2009, a government expert suggested that Poland was not experiencing pandemic influenza, and that any deaths were due to the seasonal influenza strain; however, simultaneously, WHO (FluNet) data for Poland showed more than 90% involvement of pandemic influenza.2
In November, 2009, we appeared on national television with members of the government and the pandemic committee. Questions about the government's failure to act, and the incomprehensible discrepancy between Poland's influenza statistics and those of all other countries, remained unanswered, and our concern was judged to be excessive.
Meanwhile, official statistics continued to marginalise any substantial presence of influenza A H1N1 in Poland. Furthermore, the government accelerated its effort to push for and purchase additional seasonal influenza vaccines, to foster viral protection through the development of cross-reactivity. Poland was the only country in the world that did not purchase the pandemic vaccine.3 This government action?or, more precisely, the absence of it?later won accolades from various European politicians.
Officially, the government maintained that activities such as the purchase of seasonal influenza vaccine ensured that there were far fewer deaths than would have occurred otherwise, despite no effective virological surveillance and the frequent absence of prompt antiviral treatment.
Some thought-provoking mortality statistics include the striking increase in 2009 compared with 2008 in the number of deaths in the whole country coded as J96?0, acute respiratory failure (401 vs 142); J96?9, respiratory failure unspecified (418 vs 205); and J96, respiratory failure (957 vs 434). In 2010, the total number of deaths in Poland registered as respiratory failure was 243% higher than the average of the years 2002?08 (1258 vs 367) (figure).4
Our analysis reveals a problem in coding of underlying causes of deaths according to International Classification of Diseases 10. Polish mortality statistics need the type of epidemiological analysis described in the published report.
We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.
<Previous Article|Next Article>
doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(12)70343-2Cite or Link Using DOI
The 2009 influenza pandemic
Adam Bochenek a, Dariusz Majkowski bEmail Address
Fatimah Dawood and colleagues' Article about estimated global mortality from the 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus1 confirms our own findings in Poland.
In 2009, as the number of influenza A H1N1 cases increased worldwide, Poland seemed to be an oasis from the turmoil?by contrast with the real situation in our examining rooms. In November, 2009, the first of our own children began to become ill, and only because of our intervention were their cases pushed through to the diagnostic and typing stages. The diagnosis was influenza A H1N1 2009. The seasonal influenza vaccine did not provide protection against the virus strain.
In the 45th week of 2009, a government expert suggested that Poland was not experiencing pandemic influenza, and that any deaths were due to the seasonal influenza strain; however, simultaneously, WHO (FluNet) data for Poland showed more than 90% involvement of pandemic influenza.2
In November, 2009, we appeared on national television with members of the government and the pandemic committee. Questions about the government's failure to act, and the incomprehensible discrepancy between Poland's influenza statistics and those of all other countries, remained unanswered, and our concern was judged to be excessive.
Meanwhile, official statistics continued to marginalise any substantial presence of influenza A H1N1 in Poland. Furthermore, the government accelerated its effort to push for and purchase additional seasonal influenza vaccines, to foster viral protection through the development of cross-reactivity. Poland was the only country in the world that did not purchase the pandemic vaccine.3 This government action?or, more precisely, the absence of it?later won accolades from various European politicians.
Officially, the government maintained that activities such as the purchase of seasonal influenza vaccine ensured that there were far fewer deaths than would have occurred otherwise, despite no effective virological surveillance and the frequent absence of prompt antiviral treatment.
Some thought-provoking mortality statistics include the striking increase in 2009 compared with 2008 in the number of deaths in the whole country coded as J96?0, acute respiratory failure (401 vs 142); J96?9, respiratory failure unspecified (418 vs 205); and J96, respiratory failure (957 vs 434). In 2010, the total number of deaths in Poland registered as respiratory failure was 243% higher than the average of the years 2002?08 (1258 vs 367) (figure).4
Our analysis reveals a problem in coding of underlying causes of deaths according to International Classification of Diseases 10. Polish mortality statistics need the type of epidemiological analysis described in the published report.
We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.
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