A case of H3N2 complicated by acute kidney injury secondary to rhabdomyolysis

H3N2 was first detected in July 2011 in the USA. It is responsible for sporadic cases of influenza and localised outbreaks and has not yet taken over on an epidemic or pandemic scale. An 84-year-old man presented with a dry cough, fever and myalgia for 3 days. On examination, he had a pulse of 98 bpm and blood pressure of 124/88 mm Hg. The patient was tachypnoeic, SpO 2 was 90%. Auscultation revealed bilateral diffuse wheeze and crackles. He had generalised muscle tenderness on examination. On admission, creatinine was 1.9 mg/dL and CK(creatine kinase) was 44 000 U/L. Chest X-ray was suggestive of ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). Throat swab was positive for H3N2. The patient was given intravenous fluids, oral sodium bicarbonate, oxygen and oseltamivir tablet. In view of ARDS, he was given intravenous methylprednisolone and bronchodilators for bronchospasm. The patient improved symptomatically; vitals and lab reports were normal at the time of discharge.