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Volume 17, Number 4?April 2011
Research
Nosocomial Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, United Kingdom, 2009?2010
Joanne E. Enstone, Comments to Author Puja R. Myles, Peter J.M. Openshaw, Elaine M. Gadd, Wei Shen Lim, Malcolm G. Semple, Robert C. Read, Bruce L. Taylor, James McMenamin, Colin Armstrong, Barbara Bannister, Karl G. Nicholson, and Jonathan S. Nguyen-Van-Tam
Author affiliations: University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK (J.E. Enstone, P.R. Myles, J.S. Nguyen-Van-Tam); Imperial College, London, UK (P.J.M. Openshaw); Department of Health, London (E.M. Gadd, C. Armstrong, B. Bannister); Nottingham University Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Nottingham (W.S. Lim); University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK (M.G. Semple); University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK (R.C. Read); Portsmouth Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Portsmouth, UK (B.L. Taylor); Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland (J. McMenamin); and University Hospitals of Leicester National Health Service Trust, Leicester, UK (K.G. Nicholson)
Abstract
To determine clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized in the United Kingdom with pandemic (H1N1) 2009, we studied 1,520 patients in 75 National Health Service hospitals. We characterized patients who acquired influenza nosocomially during the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak. Of 30 patients, 12 (80%) of 15 adults and 14 (93%) of 15 children had serious underlying illnesses. Only 12 (57%) of 21 patients who received antiviral therapy did so within 48 hours after symptom onset, but 53% needed escalated care or mechanical ventilation; 8 (27%) of 30 died. Despite national guidelines and standardized infection control procedures, nosocomial transmission remains a problem when influenza is prevalent. Health care workers should be routinely offered influenza vaccine, and vaccination should be prioritized for all patients at high risk. Staff should remain alert to the possibility of influenza in patients with complex clinical problems and be ready to institute antiviral therapy while awaiting diagnosis during influenza outbreaks.
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/17/4/592.htm
Volume 17, Number 4?April 2011
Research
Nosocomial Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, United Kingdom, 2009?2010
Joanne E. Enstone, Comments to Author Puja R. Myles, Peter J.M. Openshaw, Elaine M. Gadd, Wei Shen Lim, Malcolm G. Semple, Robert C. Read, Bruce L. Taylor, James McMenamin, Colin Armstrong, Barbara Bannister, Karl G. Nicholson, and Jonathan S. Nguyen-Van-Tam
Author affiliations: University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK (J.E. Enstone, P.R. Myles, J.S. Nguyen-Van-Tam); Imperial College, London, UK (P.J.M. Openshaw); Department of Health, London (E.M. Gadd, C. Armstrong, B. Bannister); Nottingham University Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Nottingham (W.S. Lim); University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK (M.G. Semple); University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK (R.C. Read); Portsmouth Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Portsmouth, UK (B.L. Taylor); Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland (J. McMenamin); and University Hospitals of Leicester National Health Service Trust, Leicester, UK (K.G. Nicholson)
Abstract
To determine clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized in the United Kingdom with pandemic (H1N1) 2009, we studied 1,520 patients in 75 National Health Service hospitals. We characterized patients who acquired influenza nosocomially during the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak. Of 30 patients, 12 (80%) of 15 adults and 14 (93%) of 15 children had serious underlying illnesses. Only 12 (57%) of 21 patients who received antiviral therapy did so within 48 hours after symptom onset, but 53% needed escalated care or mechanical ventilation; 8 (27%) of 30 died. Despite national guidelines and standardized infection control procedures, nosocomial transmission remains a problem when influenza is prevalent. Health care workers should be routinely offered influenza vaccine, and vaccination should be prioritized for all patients at high risk. Staff should remain alert to the possibility of influenza in patients with complex clinical problems and be ready to institute antiviral therapy while awaiting diagnosis during influenza outbreaks.
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/17/4/592.htm