Clearer Picture of H1N1 Influenza Reported
Health professionals from around globe confirm that H1N1 can directly cause pneumonia.
Compiled by staff
Published: Oct 19, 2009
During a three day seminar in Washington, D.C., the Pan American Health Organization discussed the H1N1 Influenza outbreak. Around 100 clinicians, scientists, and public health professionals from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, The Middle East and Oceania reported their findings and experiences. The meeting confirmed that the overwhelming majority of persons worldwide infected with the new H1N1 virus continue to experience uncomplicated influenza-like illness, with full recovery within a week, even without medical treatment.
However, concern is now focused on the clinical course and management of small subsets of patients who rapidly develop very severe progressive pneumonia. In these patients, severe pneumonia is often associated with failure of other organs, or marked worsening of underlying asthma or chronic obstructive airway disease. Treatment of these patients is difficult and demanding, strongly suggesting that emergency rooms and intensive care units will experience the heaviest burden of patient care during the pandemic.
These findings confirm the ability of the new H1N1 virus to directly cause severe pneumonia.
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