Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients hospitalized with severe influenza in the season 2012-2013

Aim of the study: To characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of patients hospitalized with moderate to severe influenza infection at the infectious diseases department of a tertiary care hospital in the epidemic season 2012-2013. Materials and Methods: A prospective observation of patients hospitalized wiht influenza infectious diseases department, Na Bulovce Hospital in Prague. Influencza infection was diagnosed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in nasopharyngela swab or tracheal aspirate speciments along with the disease course and outcomes. Results:One hundred and ninety-nine patients. 85 females and 114 males (age median 47, range 1-87 years) were hospitalized wiht conformed influenza in the as, pidemic season 2012-2013. Only seven of them got the influenza vaccine. Altogether 136 patients were gnosed \ivith influenza type A (91 '4th H1N1pdm, 33 with H3N2, and 12, Alith an unkno \Ain subtype), 66 patients \fkiith tilDe B. and three patif-',hts vv'ith both ts.yelDes A and B. One hundred and eiaht patients (54%) had an underlying chr()nic disease, most c)ften cardiovascular or Oulrf)onarY. The main sYr Ptoms influence, cough, headache, m'yalgia, and arthralgia. Pneumonia was the most common complication: t fventy-one patients suffered from primary vir pneumonia and from bacterial pneumonia. Twenty-three patients (12%) needed intensive care. Si)(patients died and the leadina cause of death Aias heart failure. conclusion: During the epidernjc influenza season 2012-2013, more patients were hospitalized than in the panden-lic season 2009-2010, Also the Fouflly cocmorrplpicaartaehdieciansgsotahnscleacsa sf, Tathaelitfaicrtatthioast most patients were not vaccinated clearly supports the recommendation to vaccinate every year both the indiviiduals at hiah risk of complications due to comorbidities and the healthy population.