[Source: US National Library of Medicine, full page: (LINK). Abstract, edited.]


Eur Respir J. 2014 Apr 2. [Epub ahead of print]

Severe influenza A H7N9 pneumonia with rapid virological response to intravenous zanamivir.

Ho PL<SUP>1</SUP>, Sin WC, Chan JF, Cheng VC, Chan KH.

Author information: <SUP>1</SUP>University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.


Abstract

To the Editor:

In March 2013, a novel influenza A H7N9 virus of avian origin was reported to cause severe pneumonia in mainland China <SUP>1-3</SUP>. While the great majority of patients were treated with oral oseltamivir, impaired gastrointestinal absorption in critically ill patients, the lack of virological response among patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and detection of an amino acid change (arginine to lysine at residue 292 in N2) in the viral neuraminidase associated with drug resistance in two H7N9 strains are major concerns <SUP>1, 4</SUP>. Here, we report a case of severe pneumonia due to avian influenza A H7N9 requiring ECMO support; there was rapid clinical and virological response following intravenous zanamivir therapy.On November 21, 2013, in Hong Kong, China, a 36-year-old Indonesian female began to have fever, malaise and cough. She had been previously healthy except for a history of vitiligo. She sought medical advice from two clinics and was given symptomatic treatment. She attended the accident and emergency department of a regional hospital in Hong Kong on November 27 when the symptoms deteriorated. Her temperature was 40.0?C, blood pressure.


PMID: 24696114 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


-
------