DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i02.009

Pages: 331-338

In the post-pandemic period, India has experienced outbreaks during the period between August and October 2010; May and July 2011; March and October 2012 and now in January and March 2013. This study summarizes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of all patients with suspected influenza-like illness that were hospitalized at a tertiary care center in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. From 1st January to 30th April 2013, 254 patients with influenza-like illness were admitted to Civil Hospital and tested for H1N1. Data was collected about demographic and clinico-epidemiological characteristics and details of treatment and final outcomes were noted. 163 tested positive for H1N1 and 91 were negative. Maximum patients were reported from younger age group of 15-45yrs in both the groups. There was relative sparing of the elderly among H1N1 positive patients (p=0.0074). Significantly higher proportion of females among positive patients was reported (p= 0.0016). However, there was no gender difference in the outcome of both positive and negative cases. There was no significant difference in the fatalities between both the groups (p=0.983) as 41 (25.15%) positive and 23(25.27%) negative patients died. Among H1N1 positive patients, there were significantly more deaths among referred patients (p= 0.0002). Study did not find any significant association between co-morbid conditions and poor outcome in both the groups. Study observed higher deaths among referred cases which could be due to delay in approaching health care facilities, lack of involvement of private sector in early diagnosis and management and also delay in referral services.