TY - JOUR
T1 - Introduction of 2009 pandemic influenza a virus subtype H1N1 into South Africa
T2 - Clinical presentation, epidemiology, and transmissibility of the first 100 cases
AU - Archer, Brett N.
AU - Timothy, Geraldine A.
AU - Cohen, Cheryl
AU - Tempia, Stefano
AU - Huma, Mmampedi
AU - Blumberg, Lucille
AU - Naidoo, Dhamari
AU - Cengimbo, Ayanda
AU - Schoub, Barry D.
N1 - Funding Information:
Financial support. This work was supported by the NICD-NHLS. Laboratory testing of the first 100 A(H1N1)pdm09 cases was funded, in part, by an unrestricted grant from the CDC (grant 5U51/IP000155). Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts.
PY - 2012/12/15
Y1 - 2012/12/15
N2 - Background We documented the introduction of 2009 pandemic influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A[H1N1]pdm09) into South Africa and describe its clinical presentation, epidemiology, and transmissibility.Methods We conducted a prospective descriptive study of the first 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of A(H1N1)pdm09 infections identified through active case finding and surveillance. Infected patients and the attending clinicians were interviewed, and close contacts were followed up to investigate household transmission.Findings The first case was confirmed on 14 June 2009, and by 15 July 2009, 100 cases were diagnosed. Forty-two percent of patients reported international travel within 7 days prior to onset of illness. Patients ranged in age from 4 to 70 years (median age, 21.5 years). Seventeen percent of household contacts developed influenza-like illness, and 10% of household contacts had laboratory-confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 infection. We found a mean serial interval (± SD) of 2.3 ± 1.3 days (range, 1-5 days) between successive laboratory-confirmed cases in the transmission chain.Conclusions A(H1N1)pdm09 established itself rapidly in South Africa. Transmissibility of the virus was comparable to observations from outside of Africa and to seasonal influenza virus strains.
AB - Background We documented the introduction of 2009 pandemic influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A[H1N1]pdm09) into South Africa and describe its clinical presentation, epidemiology, and transmissibility.Methods We conducted a prospective descriptive study of the first 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of A(H1N1)pdm09 infections identified through active case finding and surveillance. Infected patients and the attending clinicians were interviewed, and close contacts were followed up to investigate household transmission.Findings The first case was confirmed on 14 June 2009, and by 15 July 2009, 100 cases were diagnosed. Forty-two percent of patients reported international travel within 7 days prior to onset of illness. Patients ranged in age from 4 to 70 years (median age, 21.5 years). Seventeen percent of household contacts developed influenza-like illness, and 10% of household contacts had laboratory-confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 infection. We found a mean serial interval (± SD) of 2.3 ± 1.3 days (range, 1-5 days) between successive laboratory-confirmed cases in the transmission chain.Conclusions A(H1N1)pdm09 established itself rapidly in South Africa. Transmissibility of the virus was comparable to observations from outside of Africa and to seasonal influenza virus strains.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84870036612&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/infdis/jis583
DO - 10.1093/infdis/jis583
M3 - Article
C2 - 23169962
AN - SCOPUS:84870036612
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 206
SP - S148-S152
JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - SUPPL.1
ER -