Infectious Disease Dept.: UCMC swine flu preparedness
April 27, 2009
To: All University of Chicago Medical Center Staff
From: Infectious Disease Department
Subject: UCMC Swine Flu Preparedness
On April 26, the federal government declared a public health emergency related to the epidemic of swine influenza now detected in multiple US cities. At this time, no confirmed or suspected cases have been identified at UCMC or in the Chicago area. However, it is very possible that affected patients may present to the medical center or clinics in the near future. Medical Center leaders and clinical experts are monitoring the situation closely and taking steps to ensure that we are prepared.
It is especially important that personnel responsible for initial contact with patients (e.g. triage and front desk staff) are made aware of the need to ask patients with acute respiratory illness about recent travel to affected areas or contact with other possible cases. In addition, care will be taken at all medical center entrances to ensure that patients, visitors and staff exhibiting signs of respiratory illness are immediately provided with a mask. Clinicians should consider swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with febrile respiratory disease and who 1) live in areas in the U.S. with confirmed human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection or 2) who traveled recently to Mexico or were in contact with persons who had febrile respiratory illness and were in the areas of the U.S. with confirmed swine influenza cases or Mexico in the 7 days preceding their illness onset. For our purposes, if such a patient presents to UCMC, place the patient in a negative pressure room if available. Clinicians providing direct care for the patient should follow both contact (gowns and gloves) and airborne ( N95 respirator) precautions. Additional precautions are required for clinicians involved in aerosol-generating procedures with these patients.
At this time, the inherent virulence of these strains remains uncertain. Based on available information, all of the US cases have been relatively mild but there are reports of mortality among the cases in Mexico.
According to the CDC, all of the strains tested to date are susceptible to oseltamivir and zanamivir.
More information will follow as it becomes available.
CDC LINKS
- Investigation Overview: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm
- Lab Biosafety: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_labworkers.htm
- Infection Control: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_infection_control.htm
- Interim Case Definitions: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/casedef_swineflu.htm
- Antiviral Therapy: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/recommendations.htm