Một số đặc điểm của bệnh nhân sốt liên quan đến lũ lụt nặng trên diện rộng tại Thái Nguyên

Abstract

Objective: To describe selected general, clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with fever associated with widespread severe flooding in Thai Nguyen province.
Subjects and methods: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 300 patients with fever (temperature ≥ 37.50C) and flood-related epidemiological factors who were examined and treated at Thai Nguyen National Hospital, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, and Thai Nguyen A Hospital from October 1, 2025 to March 15, 2026. Data were extracted from medical records using a standardized form. Tests are presented by number of cases performed; the proportion of elevated values was calculated on the entire sample and/or on the number of cases tested; microbiological results are presented by number of cases performed and detection rate on the entire sample.
Results: Males accounted for 66.3%; the 40 - 59 year-old age group accounted for 41.3%; 96.0% lived in severely flooded areas and 66.0% had moderate fever. Common symptoms included fever (100%), fatigue (99.0%), headache (36.7%), cough (24.7%), sore throat (20.0%), vomiting (16.7%), and diarrhea (12.7%). The mean temperature was 38.6 ± 0.70C. The mean white blood cell count was 9.3 ± 4.1G/L; leukocytosis was observed in 40.3% and leukopenia in 4.0%. The mean platelet count was 211.8 ± 79.5G/L, with thrombocytopenia in 7.3%. Increased Hs-CRP was recorded in 68.7%, AST in 34.3%, creatinine in 26.7%, ALT in 26.3%, glucose in 23.3%, and procalcitonin in 6.7%. The overall microbiological detection rate in the whole sample was low: positive blood cultures 4/300 (1.3%), positive Dengue tests 2/300 (0.7%), and influenza virus detection 2/300 (0.7%); other microbiological tests had small numbers of tested cases.
Conclusion: Flood-associated fever in Thai Nguyen occurred predominantly in males of working age living in severely flooded areas, and most patients had moderate fever. Clinical manifestations were generally nonspecific, with fever, fatigue, headache, cough, sore throat, and some gastrointestinal symptoms being prominent. Laboratory findings showed a marked inflammatory response reflected by increased Hs-CRP, together with leukocytosis and a proportion of patients with liver enzyme, creatinine, or glucose abnormalities; overall microbiological detection in the whole sample was low because testing was selective and sample sizes were small. Syndrome-based diagnosis, severity stratification, and targeted testing should be strengthened for post-flood infectious disease surveillance.