Comparison of clinical and laboratory presentation between PCR confirmed H1N1 influenza infection, rapid diagnostic test confirmed dengue infection and blood smear confirmed plasmodium infection

Abstract

Aim: Returning Travelers frequently present acute febrile illnesses in emergency departments or infectious disease clinics. In this setting, common and important differential diagnoses are dengue-, influenza- and plasmodium infections. Due to the relative low sensitivity and specificity of dengue rapid diagnostic- and influenza tests in the early phase of the disease, it is sometimes difficult to confirm the diagnosis within the first days after the onset of symptoms. The aim of this study is to determine clinical and laboratory differences between dengue and H1N1 influenza infection. The benefit of this study would be, that patients could be treated early (e.g. with neuraminidase inhibitors) when symptoms first appear and preventive measures could be implemented at time. Methods: We reviewed 761 patients with PCR confirmed H1N1 influenza infection, RDT (rapid diagnostic test) confirmed dengue infection or blood smear confirmed plasmodium infection from the 1st of January 2005 to the 1st of June 2013. Data was evaluated from the electronic Styrian hospital network, MEDOCS. We compared patients with H1N1 influenza, dengue and malaria with regard to clinical presentation, laboratory parameters and preexisting underlying conditions. Results: A sudden onset was found in only 82% of H1N1 patients, in 95% of dengue patients and in 96% of malaria patients (p

Datum der Bewilligung	2014
Originalsprache	Englisch
Gradverleihende Hochschule	Medizinische Universität Graz
Betreuer/-in	Holger Flick (Betreuer*in) & Robert Krause (Mitbetreuer*in)