August 21, 2009

Study: No Evidence That HIV Worsens Swine Flu Mortality Risk, Complications

Obesity and diabetes are the two main underlying conditions associated with death in people with H1N1 virus (swine flu), according to a new study published in the August 20 edition of Eurosurveillance as reported by aidsmap.com. The authors, from the French Institute of Public Health, do not cite HIV as a mortality risk factor.

Furthermore, HIV-positive people are not thought to be at increased risk for contracting H1N1, nor are they thought to be at greater risk for developing swine flu complications unless their CD4 count drops below 200.

The study—which examined H1N1-associated deaths before July 16—also found respiratory disease and heart disease to be underlying risk factors. Immunosuppression was reported in 16 patients, including five cancer cases, two transplantation patients and three people with autoimmune disease.

Of the 564 H1N1-related deaths identified, detailed information was available for only 213.

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JamesR, Fort Lauderdale, Fl., 2009-08-25 03:49:06
A better focus for an article, if not a study that can't really be done easily - and not yet as this strain is not that bad - is contrasting and comparing the way aggressive flu kills and why it kills the younger, healthier even more than others. It is because of their overaggressive initial immune response, as recently seen with SARS. So someone who is slightly immune compromised as with chronic HIV is in fact LESS LIKELY to have this type of fatal reaction. Therefore less mortality overall e