# 3653
A new study tonight, released by Eurosurveillance, which looks at the epidemiology of fatal H1N1 cases up to mid July.
Of these cases, at least half had underlying medical conditions (ie. pregnancy, diabetes, obesity, etc.), although that calculation is based on what the researchers admit is incomplete data.
The authors report a CFR (Case Fatality Ratio) of .4% (based on early reports from Mexico and mathematical modeling). Once again, they caution that these are early numbers, are based on incomplete data, and may change over time.
The entire report is worth reading.
Eurosurveillance, Volume 14, Issue 33, 20 August 2009
Rapid communications
Epidemiology of fatal cases associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza 2009
Vaillant L, La Ruche G, Tarantola A, Barboza P, for the epidemic intelligence team at InVS. Epidemiology of fatal cases associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009;14(33):pii=19309.
This article describes the characteristics of 574 deaths associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza up to 16 July 2009. Data (except from Canada and Australia) suggest that the elderly may to some extent be protected from infection. There was underlying disease in at least half of the fatal cases. Two risk factors seem of particular importance: pregnancy and metabolic condition (including obesity which has not been considered as risk factor in previous pandemics or seasonal influenza).
Maggie Fox of Reuters brings us this summary of the Eurosurveillance report. Follow the link to read it in its entirety.
Half of swine flu deaths in high-risk people -study
Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:04pm EDT
* Pregnancy, obesity big risk factors for flu death
* Elderly patients also more likely to dieBy Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - About half of people who have died from swine flu have been pregnant or had other health conditions, especially diabetes and conditions linked with obesity, French researchers reported on Thursday.
And although older people seem to be less likely than others to get infected, if they do get the new H1N1 flu, they are more likely to die, the team at the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance in St. Maurice, France, reported.
"Most deaths (51 percent) occurred in the age group of 20-49 year-olds, but there was considerable variation depending on country or continent," the researchers wrote in Eurosurveillance.
"There was documented underlying disease in at least 49 percent of documented fatal cases worldwide to date," they added. "Two risk factors are noticeable: pregnancy and obesity."
