Table 1. Characteristics of 6 human influenza A (H5N1) case-patients from urban areas of China.
| Characteristic | Case-patient |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| Location (city, province) | Sanming, Fujian | Chengdu, Sichuan | Guangzhou, Guangdong | Shanghai, Shanghai | Wuhan, Hubei | Shenzhen, Guangdong |
| Residence | Apartment | Apartment | Apartment | Temporary, at construction site | Dormitory | Apartment |
| Illness onset date | Dec 6, 2005 | Jan 10, 2006 | Feb 22, 2006 | Mar 13, 2006 | Apr 1, 2006 | Jun 3, 2006 |
| Days from onset to investigation | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| Contact with ill persons before onset | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Days from onset to first medical visit | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Days from onset to hospital admission | 3 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 7 |
| Primary signs and symptoms at admission | Fever, headache, cough | Fever, cough, diarrhea, myalgia | Fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath | Fever, chills, cough | Fever, headache, sore throat, cough, myalgia | Fever, chills, productive cough, back pain |
| Complications* | Respiratory failure, ARDS, cardiac failure, septicemia | Respiratory failure, ARDS, cardiac failure, septicemia | Respiratory failure, ARDS | Respiratory failure, ARDS, cardiac failure | Respiratory failure, ARDS, cardiac failure, septicemia | Respiratory failure, ARDS |
| Outcome | Died | Died | Died | Died | Died | Survived |
| Days from onset to death | 16 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 19 | Discharged 61 d from onset |
*Respiratory failure was defined as the need for ventilator support; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome, is a life-threatening condition in which inflammation of the lungs and accumulation of fluid in the air sacs (alveoli) lead to low blood oxygen levels; cardiac failure was defined as the requirement of isotropic agents.