Detection of influenza viruses among hospitalized cases suffering from severe acute respiratory illness (sari) in sana’a city, yemen

Objective: Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. So national influenza surveillance have been important for understanding the epidemiology of influenza over time. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence rate of influenza viruses among hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), identify circulating types and subtypes of influenza viruses among them, and determine the risk factors associated with SARI.Methods: A total of 320 hospitalized patients suffering from SARI at Al Joumhouri University hospital in Sana’a city were enrolled; and their age was ranged from < 1 year to ≥ 56 years. Both nasopharyngeal and oro-pharyngeal swabs were collected from each patient and tested by using rRT-PCR technique for the detection of influenza A, influenza B and subtypes of influenza A viruses (A/H1N1 (2009) and A/H3N2).Results: The crude prevalent rate of influenza viruses among SARI patients was 10.9%; the female rate was 12.4%, and the male rate was 9.9%.. The rate of Flu A in the total SARI cases was 5.9% and for Flu B was 5%. In addition 3.8% of SARI patients were suffering from influenza A/H3N2, 2.2% from influenza A/H1N1(2009) infections; and the mortality rate for influenza infections was 17.1%. Also, a high mortality rate was occurred in influenza infections in age groups 36-45 years and 6-15 years. Also, there was a significant association between flu infection; and 46-55 years group (OR=2.8), Winter time (OR=17.5), cardiac diseases (OR=9.1), and diabetic mellitus (OR=3.7).Conclusion: In conclusion: both influenza A and B were represented as a causative agents of SARI, and Influenza A/H3N2 was present subtype followed by A/H1N1(2009). The frequency of influenza viruses ascertain among SARI patients in Yemen highlights the need for health authorities to develop strategies to reduce morbidity among at-risk population in the course of vaccine recommendation. Peer Review History: Received 20 July 2019; Revised 3 August; Accepted 8 September, Available online 15 September 2019 UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 7.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 9.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Dr. Nada Farrag, Misr International University, Egypt, Nada_Hazem87@hotmail.com Dr. Nicola Micale, University of Messina, Italy, nmicale@unime.it