Critically Ill Patients With 2009 Influenza A(H1N1) Infection in Canada

Abstract

The reemergence of pandemic influenza has been anticipated since the Hong Kong (H3N2) influenza pandemic of 1968. In recent years, there has been substantial concern that a pandemic would involve the novel H5N1 avian flu variant, which has demonstrated an ability to cause severe disease when transmitted to humans.^1,2 However, this spring the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the occurrence of a 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in 2 children in southern California.³ Subsequently, infection with this virus has been reported in virtually every country.^4-7 The World Health Organization declared the first phase 6 global influenza pandemic of the century on June 11, 2009.⁸