To the Editor: The recent article by Chang and colleagues concluded that “the clinical course and outcomes of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus are comparable to those of the current circulating seasonal influenza”, and that: “The high number of hospital admissions reflects a high incidence of disease in the community rather than an enhanced virulence of the novel pandemic influenza virus”.1 We are concerned that these assertions underemphasise the true severity of the influenza pandemic, and have led to inappropriate reporting in the media.2
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- 1 Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC.
- 2 Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA.
- 3 Nepean Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
- 4 Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC.
- 1. Chang Y-S, van Hal SJ, Spencer PM, et al. Comparison of adult patients hospitalised with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza and seasonal influenza during the “PROTECT” phase of the pandemic response. Med J Aust 2010; 192: 90-93. <MJA full text>
- 2. Cresswell A. Swine flu “is no worse than seasonal strains”. The Australian 2009; 1 Dec: 3.
- 3. The ANZIC Influenza Investigators. Critical care services and 2009 H1N1 influenza in Australia and New Zealand. N Engl J Med 2009; 361: 1925-1934.
- 4. The Australia and New Zealand Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Influenza Investigators. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 2009 influenza A (H1N1) acute respiratory distress syndrome. JAMA 2009; 302: 1888-1895.