Articles: pandemics.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jun 2015
Natural T Cell Mediated Protection Against Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza: Results of the Flu Watch Cohort Study.
A high proportion of influenza infections are asymptomatic. Animal and human challenge studies and observational studies suggest T cells protect against disease among those infected, but the impact of T-cell immunity at the population level is unknown. ⋯ Naturally occurring cross-protective T-cell immunity protects against symptomatic PCR-confirmed disease in those with evidence of infection and helps to explain why many infections do not cause symptoms. Vaccines stimulating T cells may provide important cross-protective immunity.
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Pandemic influenza presents a major threat to global health and socioeconomic well-being. Future demand for critical care may outstrip supply and force clinicians to triage patients for admission. We evaluated the Simple Triage Scoring System (STSS), Ontario Health Plan for an Influenza Epidemic (OHPIP) and PaO2 /FiO2 (P/F) ratio to determine utility in predicting need for mechanical ventilation. ⋯ The P/F ratio was a better predictor of need for mechanical ventilation than STSS. The P/F ratio is a simple and accepted determinant of hypoxaemia and should be used if secondary triaging becomes necessary during future influenza pandemics.
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African health sciences · Jun 2015
A retrospective evaluation of critically ill patients infected with H1N1 influenza A virus in Bursa, Turkey, during the 2009-2010 pandemic.
H1N1 influenza A virus infections were first reported in April 2009 and spread rapidly, resulting in mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with H1N1 infection treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) in Bursa, Turkey. ⋯ When compared to the literature, the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics were similar in the cases we encountered. The mortality rate was high despite the use of appropriate treatment. We believe that the high mortality is related to higher APACHE II scores. The H1N1 virus should be considered in community acquired pneumonia, especially in younger patients presenting with severe pneumonia.