Secondary Infections in Swine Flu.

ABSTRACT

Swine influenza is respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that causes regular outbreak in pigs. Human to human transmission occurs. Some people develop severe respiratory symptoms and need ventilator. Patients can get secondary bacterial infections in form of pneumonia if viral infections persist. Death of swine flu occurs due to secondary bacterial infections leading to bacterial pneumonias. Method: 369 patients having acute respiratory illness suspected to be suffering from swine flu were included. Real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on sputum samples or tracheal aspirates of 134 patients admitted in Hospital due to pneumonia. 90 of these patients were positive for swine flu by RT-PCR. Result: Among 90 patients 55 patients’ shows bacterial growth and 35 patients did not show any growth. Maximum patients 17 shows Klebseilla pneumoniae,17 show Staphylococcus aureus ,10 show Escherichia coli,8 show Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 3 patients show Streptococccus pneumoniae. Even after treatment, death of 36 patients occurred. Among these 36 patients, 19 had both, bacterial as well as swine flu infection and 17 patients had only swine flu infection. Conclusion: Secondary bacterial infections in swine flu patients were multiresistant to antibiotics were noted. Pneumonia caused by co-infection contributes to a severe rapidly progressive illness.