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Background: Influenza is an acute respiratory disease caused by influenza virus. Influenza epidemics are reported every year and worldwide pandemics occur with varying frequencies. The majority of mortalities are due to underlying diseases and complications associated with influenza. In this study, we evaluated ten fatal cases caused by the established type A influenza (H1N1) infection in the 2009-2010 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This mortality survey was compiled by a review of the deceased patients’ files. The assessed variables were demographic data, underlying diseases, secondary infections, delayed commencement of therapy, and non-medication. Collected data were analyzed by measures of central tendency and dispersion using SPSS software. Results: In the ten deaths due to the established H1N1 virus, the median of age was 30 years and 90% of the cases had underlying diseases. Ninety percent of the deaths occurred during October and November and the rest took place in December and February. Conclusion: The main cause of death was the delayed commencement of antiviral treatment. This emphasizes the importance of timely treatment in high risk patients. In flu pandemics, physicians should swiftly start specific therapy in at-risk groups to reduce the mortality rates.

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Background: Genetic variability of influenza viruses causes new epidemics worldwide annually. Development of a new vaccine for prophylaxis of influenza virus has been amajor objective in recent years. The aim of this study was to construct a recombinant baculoviruscapable of expressing the two surficial antigenic glycoproteins, hemagglutininand neuraminidase, as well as matrix proteinsof swine influenza (H1N1) simultaneously and independently. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, first, a triplet cassette providing simultaneous and independent expression of target proteins was designed and subjected to synthesis. It was then cloned into pFastBac1 donor plasmid. Competent E.ColiDH10Bac cells were transformed by donor clone and the recombinant bacmids were produced following homologous transposition. This construction was verified by PCR and then transfected into Sf9 insect cells to package new recombinant baculoviruses. Results: Restriction map of pFastBacI HNM1 donor plasmid confirmed the fidelity of the clone. The results of PCR done on the recombinant bacmidas template indicated that a proper homologous recombination has occurred between pFastBacI HNM1 donor plasmid and the bacmid in E.ColiDH10Bac host cells. Protein analysis of the infected Sf9 cells showed that all target proteins were efficiently expressed at the same time. Conclusion: The recombinant baculovirus constructed in this studypossesses proper characteristics to produce swine influenza virus-like particles in Sf9 cells.