Letters
A/H1N1 pandemic
Case definition is too loose
BMJ 2009; 339 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b3365 (Published 18 August 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3365
- Emma J Wilson, CT1 medicine1,
- John Williams, infectious diseases registrar2,
- Brendan McCarron, consultant in infectious diseases2
- 1University Hospital Hartlepool, Hartlepool TS24 9AH
- 2James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough TS4 3BW
- emmajwilson{at}doctors.net.uk
The inpatient infectious diseases ward of the 1000 bed James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough has been designated for treatment and isolation of all patients admitted with confirmed or suspected swine flu.1
Up to 29 July 2009, 28 such patients had been admitted to the ward. They all had viral throat swabs taken. Only two had positive swabs for H1N1 virus (table⇓).
Diagnoses in 28 patients admitted to isolation ward with suspected swine flu
View this table:
The current case definition of A/H1N1 flu is so non-specific that its use without a clinician assessment is likely to lead to many clinically significant diagnoses being missed with the risk of increased morbidity and mortality.
Notes
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3365
Footnotes
Competing interests: None declared.