New influenza A (H1N1): role of the emergency department as a watchtower and frontline in epidemic outbreaks

2009 
The emergence of a new outbreak of influenza A/H1N1 has tested our ability to adapt and respond to an epidemic. Since the 16th century, more than 30 pandemics causing numerous deaths have been reported 1 . In the 20th century alone, there were three pandemics, all of them caused by influenza virus type A. In the 1918-1919 pandemic, caused by the H1N1 subtype, 25-30% of the world population was infected and more than 40 million people died in less than one year (some experts even estimate a resulting mortality of 100 million) 2 . Most victims were young and previously healthy. This pandemic outbreak was probably the greatest medical calamity and the most devastating natural disaster in human history. Estimated mortality due to the 1957-1958 pandemic was 2 million people 3 . There were fewer deaths, not only because of reduced virulence of the virus, but also because health systems were better prepared. The third major pandemic of the twentieth century, occurring in 1968, was also less aggressive than the previous one, with 1 million deaths 4 . Although the current outbreak seems, in principle, to show low severity and mortality, we should not underestimate nature's capacity to test us. Currently, cases of infection are primarily distributed among young people at low risk of complications, but the behavior of influenza A/H1N1 is unknown in the high risk group 5 whom we deal with.
    • Correction
    • Cite
    • Save
    • Machine Reading By IdeaReader
    4
    References
    0
    Citations
    NaN
    KQI
    []