Influenza-like illness in pregnant women during summertime: clinical, epidemiological and microbiological features

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 30; no. 12; pp. 1497 - 1502
• Main Authors: Paño-Pardo, J. R., Martínez-Sánchez, N., Martín-Quirós, A., Romero-Gómez, M. P., Muñoz-Muñiz, M., Sánchez-Pastor, M., Ruiz, G., San-José, B., Prados, M. C., Mora-Rillo, M., Rico-Nieto, A., Arribas, J.-R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.12.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adenovirus; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Epidemiology; Etiology; Female; Hospitals; Humans; Illnesses; Infections; Infectious diseases; Influenza virus; Internal Medicine; Medical Microbiology; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Nasopharynx - virology; Observational studies; Parainfluenza virus; Polymerase chain reaction; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - pathology; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - virology; Prevalence; Respiratory syncytial virus; Retrospective Studies; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rhinovirus; Swine flu; Virus Diseases - epidemiology; Virus Diseases - pathology; Virus Diseases - virology; Viruses; Viruses - classification; Viruses - genetics; Viruses - isolation & purification; Womens health; Madrid Spain; Spain; Oseltamivir; Pregnant Woman; Respiratory Virus; Influenza; H1N1 Virus; Human; Pregnancy; Infection; Symptomatology; Microbiology; Female; Woman; Flulike syndrome; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-011-1248-4

It is not known whether influenza-like illnesses (ILI) in pregnant women caused by influenza virus, specifically, those caused by the 2009 Influenza A H1N1 virus (nH1N1), can be clinically distinguished from those caused by other agents. From 1st July 2009 until 20th September 2009, an observational study including all pregnant women presenting at Hospital Universitario La Paz with an ILI was carried out. A specific reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for nH1N1 in nasopharyngeal swabs was prospectively carried out in all patients. Retrospectively, samples were analysed for multiple respiratory virus panel (RT-PCR microarray). Clinical, demographical and other microbiological variables were evaluated as well. A total of 45 pregnant women with ILI were admitted. Of these, 14 (31.1%) women had nH1N1 infection and 11 with a non-influenza ILI (35.48%) were positive for other viruses (five rhinovirus, four parainfluenza virus, one bocavirus and one adenovirus). In 20 patients, no aetiologic agent was identified. The clinical course of nH1N1 was mild, without deaths or severe complications. No significant differences were found when comparing the clinical presentation and course of patients with and without nH1N1 infection. Six women with nH1N1 infection received oseltamivir. Influenza and non-influenza ILI were clinically indistinguishable among pregnant women. Many ILI in pregnant women remain undiagnosed, despite undergoing an RT-PCR microarray for several respiratory viruses.