Surveillance on the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus, Isfahan, Iran

During the spring of 2009, a new influenza a (h1n1) virus caused human acute respiratory illness first in mexico. 1 the iranian ministry of health (moh) launched a system to monitor and report the presence of this new virus throughout the country on may 10, 2009. here we report the first confirmed cases of influenza a (h1n1) virus that were identified from july through october 2009 in isfahan, the second important province in iran. in a laboratory-based reporting system, the provincial health centers were supplied by the moh with case definition and patient information forms to be disseminated to all health care institutions in their province.