H1NI attacks deep into lungs, obesity a factor in deaths

[jumptheshadow]

(CNN) -- In the rare cases when the H1N1 virus kills, scientists have found, it penetrates deep into the lungs, creating widespread damage -- a pattern similar to what killed millions during previous flu pandemics in 1918 and 1957.

The New York Office of Chief Medical Examiner examined medical records, autopsy reports and microscopic slides of 34 people with H1N1 who died between May 15 and July 9, 2009, during the early days of the pandemic....

"The secondary bacterial infection evokes inflammation," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. "It socks it in the lung and all of a sudden the lung as an organ can't do its principal job."

Obesity was a factor in 72 percent of H1N1 deaths, a finding that has caused concern among infectious disease experts.

"That was a striking finding," said Schaffner. "It contributes in a very material way to what we know about risks for a severe outcome with H1N1 infection. We are keeping an eye on obesity as a risk factor for H1N1 death."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/08/swine.flu.attack.lungs/index.html

The article says more than half the deaths were caused by bacterial pneumonia.

As an anecdotal statement, I personally know several people who have suffered virulent lung infections in the past few weeks. They were all over 40. Some were clinically obese. Others were not. From my personal, anecdotal standpoint, this illness is not abating. It is spreading, perhaps is taking different forms, and the public health specialists may not be on top of the latest viral trends. It strikes quickly and deeply.

Please see a doctor if you have a wet cough for more than three days.

[corpseratemedia]

1. good advice!

at my s/os work, same thing, a few had to be hospitalized. Even if you just have a recurring fever and nothing else (which is what some folks at s/os work had and ended up being pneumonia) see a dr. and don't let the dr. dismiss your complaints...I hate that. Significant other now has to see another dr.:eyes:

[jumptheshadow]

3. The old routine & outdated information

I didn't see doctors for colds and consequently the infection became serious fairly expeditiously. My new operating procedure will be to see a doctor quickly.

I suspect that the symptom charts that have been published are outdated. The initial sample was too low and the illness has mutated. Individuals react differently and there may be mutated/combined strains out there. The demographics might be changing, at least from my personal, anecdotal observation.

I am not a medical person, but, from what I have seen, there is a gap between the information that has been distributed and what is happening out there today, right now, with real people in the field.

[KT2000]

2. Canadian media

was reporting this weeks ago. I think US media was in the panic control mode rather than giving helpful information. It would have helped more people if this info came out earlier.
They also said that in many cases the secondary bacterial infection in the lungs of those who died was MRSA.