Past Updates from the Clinician Listserv

Update Sent March 8, 2010

NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes only and may not provide our most accurate and up-to-date information. The most current Clinician's information can be found on the Clinician Home Page.

The following updates were made to CDC information and guidance from Mar 01 – Mar 08, 2010. If you have any questions on these or other clinical issues, please write to us at coca@cdc.gov.

Today's topics Include:

Upcoming COCA Call
Haiti Earthquake
Influenza Situation Update
2009 Influenza Key Points and Messages
2009 H1N1 Influenza Resources for Clinicians
Emergency Preparedness & Response
Food and Drug Safety

Upcoming COCA Call

Influenza Vaccine Update
CDC experts will provide an update on influenza vaccine and Vaccine Adverse Event Report System (VAERS). This call will cover Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for use of influenza vaccines; recent epidemiologic findings and vaccine coverage for groups at higher risk for influenza-related complications; U.S. safety monitoring in place for 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccines; and preliminary findings from the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
Date: March 23, 2010 (Tuesday)
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EST)

Speakers: Anthony Fiore, MD and Karen Broder, MD
Call-In: 888-566-6585
Passcode: 9411583

Haiti Earthquake

Malaria Acquired in Haiti – 2010 – CDC/MMWR – Mar 05
An article in the recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) addresses Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum infection in Haiti. In the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake, displaced persons living outdoors or in temporary shelters and thousands of emergency responders in Haiti are at substantial risk for malaria. During January 12 - February 25, CDC received reports of 11 laboratory-confirmed cases of P. falciparum malaria acquired in Haiti. This report summarizes the cases and can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5908a1.htm

Updated: Haiti Pre-decision Briefs for Public Health Action – CDC – Mar 04
As part of CDC efforts to assist with the earthquake disaster response in Haiti and to prepare for possible outbreaks or epidemics of infectious disease, subject matter experts have prepared a series of short pre-decision briefs for public health action on specific high-priority threats. http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/haiti/pre-decision_briefs.asp

Earthquake Information for Clinicians
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/clinicians.asp

CDC Travelers’ Health: Haiti Earthquake and Travel
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/haiti-earthquake-travel.aspx

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response Earthquake Information http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/

Influenza Situation Update

Weekly FluView Map and Surveillance Report - CDC – Mar 05
During week 8 (February 21 – 27, 2010), influenza activity remained at approximately the same levels as last week in the U.S. Two hundred and sixty three (6.4%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC/Influenza Division were positive for influenza.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Influenza and Pneumonia-Associated Hospitalizations and Deaths from August 30 to February 27, 2010 - CDC – Mar 05
FluView reports that for the week of February 21 – 27, 2010, flu activity in the United States remained about the same level as the previous week. All subtyped influenza A viruses reported to CDC were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/updates/us/#totalcases

WHO Updates International H1N1 Situation - WHO – Mar 05
As of 28 February 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16,445 deaths.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2010_03_05/en/index.html

Summary of 2009 Monovalent H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Data – Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System - CDC – Mar 04
CDC and FDA provide weekly updates on vaccine safety monitoring activities. The information summarizes adverse event reports to VAERS after the administration of 2009 H1N1 monovalent influenza vaccine. http://vaers.hhs.gov/resources/2010H1N1Summary_Mar04.pdf

2009 Influenza Key Points and Messages

Parents are encouraged to ensure that children younger than 10 years old get both doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. The recommended interval between the first and second dose is 28 days.
With “spring break” coming up and large number of students expected to travel both domestically and internationally, vaccination of college age students, who have been hard-hit by illness during this pandemic, continues to be recommended.
It remains very important that antiviral drugs be used early to treat flu in people who are very sick (for example people who are in the hospital) and people who are sick with flu and have a greater chance of getting serious flu complications, like people with asthma or diabetes or women who are pregnant or people who are 65 and older.

2009 H1N1 Influenza Resources for Clinicians

New: CDC Estimates Graphics Section – CDC – Mar 08
Estimating the number of individual flu cases in the United States is very challenging because many people with flu don’t seek medical care and only a small number of those that do seek care are tested. More people who are hospitalized or die of flu-related causes are tested and reported, but under-reporting of hospitalizations and deaths occurs as well. For this reason CDC monitors influenza activity levels and trends and virus characteristics through a nationwide surveillance system and uses statistical modeling to estimate the burden of flu illness (including hospitalizations and deaths) in the United States. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/estimates_2009_h1n1.htm#Graphics

Pandemic Influenza Pediatric Office Plan Template – CDC – Mar 05
The template is a planning tool intended to assist pediatric medical offices that may experience an increase in patient visits or workload due to pandemic influenza. It is designed so that planning teams can customize the plan based on the particular needs of their offices. The suggestions and examples contained within the template were collected from a team of pediatric experts during the Pediatric Responses to H1N1 Influenza stakeholder meeting (September 2009). The template and other resources can be found at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/healthcare/pediatric.asp

Locate all H1N1 Flu guidance documents
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/

H1N1 Information for Healthcare Providers
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/clinicians/

Emergency Preparedness & Response

Brain Injury Awareness Month - March 2010 – CDC/MMWR – Mar 05
This year, in recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Month, CDC encourages school professionals, coaches, parents, and athletes to learn the risks for concussions in youth sports. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5908a8.htm?s_cid=mm5908a8_e

Food and Drug Safety

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts – FDA – Mar 05
For additional information on recent FDA recalls, market recalls & safety alerts please click on the following link: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm

FDA Issues Final Guidance to Boost Development of Cell-based Viral Vaccines – FDA – Mar 02
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued final guidance to help manufacturers who are developing safe and effective cell-based viral vaccines to address emerging and pandemic threats.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/03/20100302a.html

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