Review of a community-based laboratory diagnosis of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009]

We performed a community-based laboratory diagnosis of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 with the RT-PCR technique using originally constructed primers. Of 30 patients who were suspected to be infected with the influenza virus from May 2009 until January 2010, the A (H1N1) 2009 virus was detected in 13 patients (43.3%). Three cases were immunologically confirmed to be infected with the A (H1N1) 2009 virus, because significant increases in the HI titer were observed in the convalescent sera. We also measured the antibody titers to the A (H1N1) 2009 virus in 13 healthy individuals with the HI assay using originally isolated virus. In most cases, the HI antibody titers were less than 10, except two cases with titers of 40 and 20. Our inspection system organized in the early phase of the A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic contributed to disease control in an outpatient clinic and a hospital in a small city. The process which we used to construct the system would be a good reference for a treatment protocol in the case of a future literal pandemic.