To the Editor: Chang and colleagues suggest that the clinical course and outcomes of patients infected with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus are comparable to those with seasonal influenza infection, and that increased hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions with influenza reflected a higher incidence of disease in the community rather than enhanced virulence of the pandemic influenza virus.1 However, this conclusion was based on an analysis of data from a single hospital, which did not examine whether the community incidence of influenza was increased or whether infection with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza increased the risk of admission to a hospital or ICU compared to infection with seasonal influenza.
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We acknowledge the work of the eight NSW public hospital laboratories that contributed data, as well as the work of the NSW public health network and the NSW intensive care community.
David Durrheim receives money for direct expenses and travel as a member of the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization to the Director General.