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Influenza

• Avian Influenza
• Pandemic Influenza
• Seasonal Influenza

 

Information for Healthcare Workers

Avian Influenza

Occasionally, avian influenza viruses have crossed the species barrier to infect humans and other mammals. Outbreaks of avian influenza in domestic poultry, when caused by highly pathogenic viruses of the H5 or H7 subtypes, are of great concern for the public health sector.

For several reasons, the H5N1 virus circulating in Asia and parts of Europe poses the greatest danger at present. Of all avian influenza viruses known to infect humans, H5N1 has caused the largest number of cases of very severe disease and the highest number of deaths. Moreover, H5N1 has the potential to start an influenza pandemic. The virus has also proved to be particularly difficult to control in poultry populations and is now considered endemic in parts of Asia and Europe.

Disease surveillance information from the Maine CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s avian influenza resources for health professionals, including training, infection control in healthcare facilities, vaccination, treatment, and health education for patients.

Avian influenza infection control guidelines from the World Health Organization

Pandemic Influenza

An influenza pandemic would place a huge burden on the U.S. healthcare system. Published estimates based on a model of the 1957 and 1968 pandemics suggest that there could be 839,000 to 9,625,000 hospitalizations, 18–42 million outpatient visits, and 20–47 million additional illnesses, depending on the attack rate of infection during the pandemic. Pre-pandemic planning and education for health care workers is therefore essential to provide quality care to ill persons and to prevent further spread of infection.

Pandemic influenza toolkit
Prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this toolkit provides resources and information for clinicians to use in discussing pandemic influenza with patients and providing care in case of a flu pandemic in the United States.

Checklists for the medical provider: including preparedness guidelines for medical offices and clinincs, home care providers, and EMS.

Hospital preparedness checklist prepared by DHHS

State of Maine’s pandemic influenza plan

Seasonal Influenza

For information on seasonal influenza issues, please visit the Maine CDC’s influenza web site

 

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