Radiological and clinical characteristics of a military outbreak of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
To describe detailed clinical and radiological features of the pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza viral infection among healthy young males in a semi-closed institutionalized setting.


METHODS
A total of 18 patients confirmed with the pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus infection from July 18 to July 30, 2009 were enrolled in this study. Each patient underwent an evaluation to determine detailed clinical and radiological features.


RESULTS
All patients presented with high fever (> 38.0 degrees C), with accompanying symptoms of cough, rhinorrhea, sore throat, myalgia and diarrhea, and increased C-reactive protein (CRP) values with no leukocytosis nor elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). All patients, including one patient who progressed into acute respiratory distress syndrome, were treated with oseltamivir phosphate and quickly recovered from their symptoms. Chest radiographs showed abnormalities of small nodules and lobar consolidation in only two out of 18 patients. However, six of 12 patients who underwent thin-section CT examinations showed abnormal findings for small ground-glass opacities (GGOs) in addition to poorly-defined nodules with upper lobe predominance.


CONCLUSIONS
In a population of healthy young adults, elevated CRP with normal ESR and white blood cell levels combined with GGOs and nodules on thin-section CT scans may indicate early signs of infection by the pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus.
Yun
Tae Jin
TJ
Department of Radiology, Armed Force Byukjae Hospital, Gyeonggi-do 412-510, Korea.
Kwon
Gu Jin
GJ
Oh
Mi Kyeong
MK
Woo
Sung Koo
SK
Park
Seung Hoon
SH
Choi
Seung Hong
SH
Lee
Hyun Ju
HJ
Goo
Jin Mo
JM
Yim
Jae-Joon
JJ
Kim
Jong Sung
JS
Park
Chang Min
CM
D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult