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The CDC report provides more detailed information on 22 people hospitalized with swine flu in the U.S.

By MIKE STOBBE, The Associated Press May 8, 2009

ATLANTA — America's two swine flu deaths – a toddler and a pregnant woman – each suffered from several other illnesses when they were infected with the virus, according to a study released Thursday.

The report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presented a clearer picture of the complicated medical situations faced by those who have gotten swine flu and had the most serious cases so far.

The Mexican toddler had a chronic muscle weakness called myasthenia gravis, a heart defect, a swallowing problem and lack of oxygen. Miguel Tejada Vazquez fell ill and died during a family visit to Texas.

The pregnant woman, Judy Trunnell, 33, was hospitalized for two weeks until she died Tuesday. She was in a coma, and her baby girl was delivered by Caesarean section. According to the report, she had asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis and was 35 weeks pregnant.

People with chronic illnesses are at greatest risk for severe illness from the flu, along with the elderly and young children. So far, most of those with the swine flu in the United States and Mexico have been young adults.

The CDC report released by the New England Journal of Medicine also provided more detailed information on 22 people hospitalized with swine flu. Nine had chronic medical conditions, including the two who died and a 25-year-old man with Down syndrome and a congenital heart disease. Five of the patients had asthma alone.

Separately, the CDC also described the symptoms experienced by Americans with swine flu. About 90 percent reported fever, 84 percent reported cough and 61 percent reported a sore throat – all similar to what's seen with seasonal flu.

But about one in four cases have also involved either vomiting or diarrhea, which is not typical for the normal flu bug. It's possible the virus is spreading not only through coughed and sneezed droplets – as with seasonal flu – but also through feces-contaminated hands, said Dr. Fatima Dawood, a CDC epidemiologist.