Doctor warns of flu complications
Type A Influenza can be fatal if lung infection sets in, Thai pulmonary disease expert Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs warns.
The doctor cited as an example a case of 57-year-old Thai man in reasonable health and a habit of smoking half a packet of cigarette daily who caught Type A Influenza and died 30 days later of fungus infection in respiratory tract and lung.
In his Facebook post this week, the doctor from Bangkok-based Vichaiyut Hospital said the unnamed patient caught the flu after visiting a sick friend in hospital several days in a row. The man developed a dry cough and fever and was admitted to hospital three days later where he was treated with Tamilflu medication for five days along with antibiotics and steroids. His condition improved slightly but he then relapsed. The Type A Influenza caused severe pneumonitis and compromised his immune and doctors discovered Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus fungus in his respiratory tract and lungs. The patient died 30 days later.
Dr Manoon also said there were 192,445 influenza patients in Thailand - 14 of whom have succumbed to the fatal complications mostly involving lung infections.
