Clinical and Laboratory Findings on the Differences Between H1N1 Influenza and Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19): Focusing on the Treatment Approach

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, a series of major outbreaks of acute respiratory infections such as 2009 influenza A (H1N1) and the 2019 new coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) have arisen and posed a major threat to the health of the global population. The outbreak of coronavirus calls to mind the pandemics that have instilled great fear in our memories such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Zika virus (ZIKV), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and H1N1 flu. The 2 prominent outbreaks, 2019-nCoV and H1N1, have markedly affected humans. In this study, therefore, we compared some clinical, demographic, and laboratory findings to determine the differences between H1N1 influenza and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) to suggest the appropriate drug therapeutic approaches. Subsequent to the inclusion of 4 available studies, which presented all the required data, the findings and results were compared, showing fever and cough as the most prevalent clinical indications of both H1N1 influenza and 2019-nCoV diseases. With respect to the laboratory findings, both 2019-nCoV and H1N1 patients showed leukopenia as the main laboratory findings. Taken together, since similar diagnostic methods are used for H1N1 and 2019-nCoV patients and they have the same clinical and laboratory features, it is safe to say that lopinavir/ritonavir and nucleoside analogues could be drug treatment options for patients suffering from 2019-nCoV. However, given the current urgent condition, the primary and main intervention procedure is controlling the infection so as to halt the dissemination of COVID-19. It is recommended, however, that the providers of public health care maintain a close watch on the situation, because the more information we obtain about this new virus and the ensuing epidemic, the faster we can react.