H1N1 Influenza: The Trigger of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in a Young Woman With Ketosis-Prone Diabetes

In this study, the authors report a case of new-onset ketosis-prone diabetes in a 21-year-old Chinese woman with H1N1 influenza, who presented with fever, polyuria and loss of appetite for 3 days before admission. She was hospitalized and diagnosed with acute-onset diabetic ketoacidosis for the first time. Her diabetes-associated antibodies were negative. Interestingly, she had an unexplained fever and her white blood cell count was low at admission and remained low for several days. She was believed to have a viral infection, which was found to be H1N1 influenza infection. The literature regarding virus infection and diabetic ketoacidosis is reviewed. The precipitating factors, symptomatology, pathophysiology and management of ketosis-prone diabetes are discussed in the current case report.