Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Morocco: experience of the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, 12 June to 24 December 2009

I Lahlou Amine; T Bajjou; H El Rhaffouli; A Laraqui; F Hilali; K Menouar; K Ennibi; M Boudlal; E A Bouaiti; K Sbai; M Rbai; M Hachim; S Zouhair

doi:10.2807/ese.16.23.19887-en

Surveillance and outbreak reports Open Access

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Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Morocco: experience of the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, 12 June to 24 December 2009
I Lahlou Amine¹ , T Bajjou¹ , H El Rhaffouli¹ , A Laraqui¹ , F Hilali¹ , K Menouar¹ , K Ennibi² , M Boudlal² , E A Bouaiti³ , K Sbai³ , M Rbai³ , M Hachim² , S Zouhair¹
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Affiliations: ¹ University Mohammed V-Souissi, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Biosafety Level 3 and Research Laboratory, Rabat, Morocco ² University Mohammed V-Souissi, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Rabat, Morocco ³ Royal Armed Forces' Health Services, Division for Health and Safety Surveillance, Rabat, Morocco

Correspondence:
I Lahlou Amine
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Citation style for this article: Lahlou Amine I, Bajjou T, El Rhaffouli H, Laraqui A, Hilali F, Menouar K, Ennibi K, Boudlal M, Bouaiti E A, Sbai K, Rbai M, Hachim M, Zouhair S. Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Morocco: experience of the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, 12 June to 24 December 2009. Euro Surveill. 2011;16(23):pii=19887. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.16.23.19887-en Received: 24 Jun 2010

Abstract

On 12 June 2009, Morocco was the first country in North Africa to report a laboratory-confirmed case of influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus infection. This study describes the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 240 laboratory-confirmed cases among 594 outpatients with influenza-like illness at the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, from 12 June to 24 December 2009. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR was used to confirm the infection. The epidemic peaked in weeks 47 to 49 (16 November to 6 December 2009). The mean age of cases was 23 years (standard deviation: 14 years). Cough was the most common symptom in 200 cases (83%), followed by fever (≥38 °C) in 195 (81%). Diarrhoea or vomiting was reported in 12 (5%) patients. None of the cases developed any complications and no deaths occurred during the study period. .