Comment on “Comparison of two pandemics: H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2”

Dear Editor,

We read with great interest the article “Comparison of two pandemics: H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2” by Kant et al.¹ In this study, the authors demonstrated that the experience in the HAmg of A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1) pandemic may be the guide to prevent the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from a worse end. This study offers new ideas for the prevention of COVID-19 pandemic. However, some ideas should be put forward from our point of view.

First, the two pandemics occurred at different times; hence, it is not clearly comparable.

Since the average age of 143 patients with H1N1 diagnosed during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 was lower than that of 309 COVID-19 patients in the same centers in the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the calculated duration of symptoms (fever, cough, sputum, sore throat, myalgia, weakness, headache, and shortness of breath) in the two groups are not directly comparable.

Second, there are significant differences between their conditions, clinical courses, and preventive measures. Thus, experience in H1N1 pandemic cannot be fully replicated in COVID-19 pandemic. If measurements are based only on the comparisons of body temperatures, pulses, respiratory rates, and laboratory tests between the two groups, the findings may be misleading.

• Funding: none.

REFERENCE

• ¹
  Kant A, Kostakoğlu U, Saral OB, Çomoğlu Ş, Arslan M, Karakoç HN, et al. Comparison of two pandemics: H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021;67(1):115-9. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.67.01.20200584
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.67.01.20200584

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  13 Dec 2021
• Date of issue
  Nov 2021

History

• Received
  06 Aug 2021
• Accepted
  23 Aug 2021