title: Mortality from Influenza A/H1N1 in a tertiary care teaching institution in North India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recent influenza A/H1N1 pandemic has caused considerable morbidity and some mortality and is therefore a severe threat to certain individuals. Up to 31 January 2010, there had been 1,229 confirmed deaths from Influenza A/H1N1 in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a retrospective analysis of deaths caused by RT-PCR-confirmed cases of Influenza A/H1N1 in a tertiary care institution in North India from September 2009 until January 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 125 patients admitted to the Influenza A/H1N1 ward of the hospital, a total of 16 deaths had occurred in patients who were positive for Influenza A/H1N1. Two deaths were in the paediatric age group. Most patients who died had some predisposing illness, such as pregnancy, underlying chronic respiratory illness, diabetes, obesity, etc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, deaths from Influenza A/H1N1, as with seasonal influenza, appeared to occur primarily in individuals with underlying illness. In India, such individuals may be considered first for preventive strategies, including vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi and GTB Hospital, Delhi, India. docvishalsharma@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Pushpendra Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Sushan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Alka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral