PLoS ONE (Jan 2012)

An analysis of 332 fatalities infected with pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) in Argentina.

  • Ana M Balanzat,
  • Christian Hertlein,
  • Carlos Apezteguia,
  • Pablo Bonvehi,
  • Luis Cámera,
  • Angela Gentile,
  • Oscar Rizzo,
  • Manuel Gómez-Carrillo,
  • Fatima Coronado,
  • Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner,
  • Pollyanna R Chávez,
  • Marc-Alain Widdowson

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033670
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 4
p. e33670

Abstract

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BackgroundThe apparent high number of deaths in Argentina during the 2009 pandemic led to concern that the influenza A H1N1pdm disease was different there. We report the characteristics and risk factors for influenza A H1N1pdm fatalities.MethodsWe identified laboratory-confirmed influenza A H1N1pdm fatalities occurring during June-July 2009. Physicians abstracted data on age, sex, time of onset of illness, medical history, clinical presentation at admission, laboratory, treatment, and outcomes using standardize questionnaires. We explored the characteristics of fatalities according to their age and risk group.ResultsOf 332 influenza A H1N1pdm fatalities, 226 (68%) were among persons aged ConclusionPersons with co-morbidities, pregnant and who received antivirals late were over-represented among influenza A H1N1pdm deaths in Argentina, though timeliness of antiviral treatment improved during the pandemic.