Burden of Influenza in Patients visiting Emergency Department for Treatment of Influenza Like Illness at THQ Hospital Shujabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Viral infection of the respiratory tract is a common illness syndrome in humans. Human respiratory tract is infected by large number of viruses. Self-constraining infections are caused by most of them e.g. normal chilly and intense bronchitis. Seriousness of illness relies upon specific infection and furthermore on host factors. Flu influences all age gatherings; an extensive number of bleakness and mortality happens in high hazard gathering e.g. elderly patients with chronic disease.

Methodology: The research was completed in Shujabad, Multan. A prospective study was conducted for a period of three months in order to define burden of flu among cases of influenza-like illness as they visited emergency department of the THQ Hospital Shujabad, Multan. Data was analyzed by using SPSS software with 95% confidence interval. Chi-square test was used to measure the association of risk factors. CI (cumulative incidence) of disease (influenza) was calculated by standard formula.

Results: There were 16332 patients visited emergency department of the hospital for the treatment different health issues. Total numbers of influenza like illness patients enrolled in current study were 244 and cumulative incidence was calculated to be 1.49%. Among these 244 ILI patients, 12 patients were hospitalized in the emergency department for advance respiratory care which was 4.9% of the ILI patients and 3 patients died among the 12 hospitalized patients due to the severe respiratory attack which was (1.2%) of ILI while rest of the patients were discharged as they were stable. All of the 244 ILI patient samples were sent to the laboratory for PCR and results was showing that 35 were influenza positive which was 14.3% of the ILI cases presented in emergency department of the hospital.

Conclusion: It was concluded that Influenza virus strains are circulating in general public of the Tehsil Shujabad, District Multan. This study therefore indorses the need for continuous surveillance of influenza as an important public-health issue. It also raises the question of rational vaccination policy for influenza. Finally, there is the question of clinical diagnosis where specific treatment/antiviral treatment is available.