SEVERE INFLUENZA CAUSED BY THE NEW VIRUS, A (H1N1) – A CHALLENGE TO EVERY CLINICIAN

Smaranda Gliga ¹, Cristina Popescu ¹, Victoria Aramă ¹, M. Ionescu ^1
1 National Institute of Infectious Diseases “Prof. Dr Matei Balş”

Abstract

From november 2009, an outbreak of severe pneumonia was reported in Romania, in conjunction with the concurrent isolation of a novel swine-origin influenza virus. A(H1N1) virus was causing the first influenza pandemic of this century, that caused variable mortality depend on the development of severe pneumonia. The decision about antibiotic treatment in severe cases of influenza is very difficult. For the child or adult admitted to a hospital intensive care unit in respiratory distress, it was accepted that empirical initial therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics to include coverage for MRSA, as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae and other common respiratory pathogens, is appropriate. We presented a case of severe influenza with pneumonia complicated with pulmonary fibrosis.