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Emergence of 2009A/H1N1 cases in a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India.

Authors :: Broor S
Gupta S
Mohapatra S
Kaushik S
Mir MA
Jain P
Dar L
Lal RB
Source :: Influenza and other respiratory viruses [Influenza Other Respir Viruses] 2011 Nov; Vol. 5 (6), pp. e552-7. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Aug 04.
Publication Year :: 2011
Abstract: Objective: To determine virologic and epidemiologic characteristics of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India.<br />Methods: Nasal and throat swabs from patients with febrile acute respiratory illness (FARI) from August to December 2009 (n = 1401) were tested for 2009A/H1N1 and seasonal influenza A viruses by real-time RT-PCR.<br />Results: Of 1401 samples tested, 475 (33·9%) were positive for influenza A, of these majority (412; 87%) were 2009A/H1N1, whereas the remaining 63 (13%) were seasonal influenza A (49 were A/H3 and 14 were A/H1). While co-circulation of 2009A/H1N1 and A/H3 was observed in August-September, subsequent months had exclusive pandemic influenza activity (October-December 2009). Pandemic 2009A/H1N1 emergence did not follow typical seasonal influenza seasonality in New Delhi, which normally peaks in July-August, but instead showed bimodal peaks in weeks 39 and 48 in 2009. The percent of specimens testing positive for 2009A/H1N1 influenza virus was found to be highest in >5- to 18-year age group (41·2%; OR = 2·3; CI = 1·6-3·2; P = 0·00).<br />Conclusions: Taken together, our data provide high prevalence of pandemic 2009A/H1N1 in urban New Delhi with bimodal peaks in weeks 39 and 48 and highest risk group being the children of school-going age (aged >5-18).<br /> (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)