Case Study

Vietnam: A nine year old, previously healthy female admitted for acute onset of high fever and difficulty breathing. Chief complaints include cough, sore throat, weakness and muscle aches.

Patient history: Family owns a poultry farm in a rural area outside of Ho Chi Minh.

Five days after onset of symptoms she developed severe respiratory distress syndrome secondary to viral pneumonia and died shortly thereafter.

Nature of the syndrome: flu

Nature of the etiological agent: Orthomyxovirus

Clinical course: sudden and fatal