Research
Outbreak of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 in Nepal
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* Corresponding author: Bal Ram Adhikari southblock_arc@yahoo.com
1 Department of Health Services, Molecular Virology Research Division, National Public Health Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal
2 Department of Health Services, Department of Microbiology, National Public Health Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal
Virology Journal 2011, 8:133 doi:10.1186/1743-422X-8-133
Published: 23 March 2011Abstract
Background
The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. Nepal has started Laboratory diagnosis of Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 from mid June 2009 though active screening of febrile travellers with respiratory symptoms was started from April 27, 2009.
Results
Out of 609 collected samples, 302 (49.6%) were Universal Influenza A positive. Among the influenza A positive samples, 172(28.3%) were positive for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and 130 (21.3%) were Seasonal influenza A. Most of the pandemic cases (53%) were found among young people with ≤ 20 years. Case Fatality Ratio for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in Nepal was 1.74%. Upon Molecular characterization, all the isolated pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel influenza A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1)v type.
Conclusion
The Pandemic 2009 influenza virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1)v type.