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Influenza is a common respiratory illness with potentially serious complications that is easily transmitted among humans. Although these facts have been known for many years, a thorough understanding of viral replication among inpatients with severe influenza has been lacking. Now, in a prospective observational study conducted at a single Hong Kong hospital, researchers have examined viral replication and its clinical significance among adults admitted in 2007 with laboratory-confirmed influenza. Nasal and throat swabs were collected daily from presentation until 1 week after symptom onset. Standard culture and real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR were used to detect virus and quantify the amount present.
In all, 147 patients (mean age, 71.8…