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. 2013 Apr;141(4):767-75.
doi: 10.1017/S0950268812001471. Epub 2012 Jul 16.

Burden and characteristics of influenza A and B in Danish intensive care units during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 influenza seasons

S Gubbels  1 , T G Krause, K Bragstad, A Perner, K Mølbak, S Glismann
Affiliations

Burden and characteristics of influenza A and B in Danish intensive care units during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 influenza seasons

S Gubbels et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Influenza surveillance in Danish intensive care units (ICUs) was performed during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 influenza seasons to monitor the burden on ICUs. All 44 Danish ICUs reported aggregate data for incidence and point prevalence, and case-based demographical and clinical parameters. Additional data on microbiological testing, vaccination and death were obtained from national registers. Ninety-six patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 were recorded in 2009/10; 106 with influenza A and 42 with influenza B in 2010/11. The mean age of influenza A patients was higher in 2010/11 than in 2009/10, 53 vs. 44 years (P = 0·004). No differences in other demographic and clinical parameters were detected between influenza A and B patients. In conclusion, the number of patients with severe influenza was higher in Denmark during the 2010/11 than the 2009/10 season with a shift towards older age groups in influenza A patients. Influenza B caused severe illness and needs consideration in clinical and public health policy.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Number of new patients with influenza A and B by week of admission to intensive care unit (ICU) during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons (bars, left axis), projected against the percentage of influenza-like illness (ILI) in patients in general practitioner (GP) practice (line, right axis).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Number of influenza patients in Danish intensive care units (ICUs) at 08:00 hours (bars, left axis) and the percentage of beds in use for influenza patients on Monday 08:00 hours (diamonds, right axis) during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Incidence of admissions to intensive care units associated with influenza A and B per 100 000 population by age group in Denmark during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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