A(H1N1)pdm09 hemagglutinin D222G and D222N variants are frequently harbored by patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and advanced respiratory assistance for severe A(H1N1)pdm09 infection

Background In patients with A(H1N1)pdm09 infection, severe lung involvement requiring admission to intensive care units (ICU) has been reported. Mutations at the hemagglutinin (HA) receptor binding site (RBS) have been associated with increased virulence and disease severity, representing a potential marker of critical illness. Objectives To assess the contribution of HA‐RBS variability in critically ill patients, A(H1N1)pdm09 virus from adult patients with severe infection admitted to ICU for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support (ECMO) during influenza season 2009–2011 in Piemonte (4·2 million inhabitants), northwestern Italy, was studied. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed HA‐RBS polymorphisms in ICU patients and compared with those from randomly selected inpatients with mild A(H1N1)pdm09 disease and outpatients with influenza from the local surveillance program. Results By HA‐RBS direct sequencing of respiratory specimens, D222G and D222N viral variants were identified in a higher proportion in ICU patients (n = 8/24, 33·3%) than in patients with mild disease (n = 2/34, 6%) or in outpatients (n = 0/44) (Fisher's exact test P