Daniele Orlandi The Australian flu has also arrived in Italy and with symptoms that should absolutely not be underestimated. Matteo Bassetti, director of Infectious Diseases at the San Martino Polyclinic Hospital in Genoa, spoke about it in statements released to Adnkronos Salute regarding a first case of the H3N2 virus and the symptoms detected.
Australian Flu, Bassetti: First Case in Italy
The first case of influence Australian detected at the Policlinico San Martino concerns a 76-year-old patient. The man was admitted to the Infectious Diseases department and, as confirmed by Bassetti, “couldn’t even recognize his wife”. But not only because the elderly man reported other symptoms to the doctors who are taking care of his health: “He told us he couldn’t taste the food when he ate”.
Bassetti has an explanation regarding the symptoms associated with the H3N2 virus and it is worrying news: “The flu season it does not bode well: this is a virus that affects not only the lungs, the throat, but also the brain. This is an important fact, which has already emerged from Australia, and it is proof of the tropism of H3N2".
Bassetti on the H3N2 virus: “You need to get vaccinated”
For this reason, the expert concluded, “we must get vaccinated because if we had more cases like this, or even encephalitis and neurological involvement from influenza, hospitals would have an overflow of patients and a difficult situation”.
