Infectious Diseases


FDA Authorizes Emergency Use of H1N1 Test for U.S. Troops Serving Overseas

An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) authorizes the use of unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products during a declared public health emergency.

Survey: Majority of Workers Plan to Get Flu Shot

Of the 39 percent who reported they do not plan to get the shot, 13 percent said they would if their employer offered it.

mosquito-borne diseases include West Nile Virus, malaria, and several types of encephalitis

Scenting a Breakthrough Mosquito Repellent

A paper published in Nature identifies two promising odor compounds that may be a less expensive way to reduce mosquito-borne diseases -- by turning off the mosquitoes' mechanism for detecting carbon dioxide.

APIC Creates New Healthcare Administrator Award, Seeks Nominations

Candidates must be a member of the health care organization's executive team who has made infection prevention an organizational priority, supported programs to target zero health care-associated infections (HAIs), and reduced the transmission of one or more HAIs within their facility.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. David Butler-Jones heads the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Canadian Summit Next Week on Treating Severe H1N1

The Sept. 2-3 meeting will produce new treatment guidelines and guidance on identifying surge capacity for hospitals during a severe outbreak, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer.

John P. Holdren is assistant to President Obama for Science and Technology and a co-chair of PCAST

White House Posts Update on H1N1 Preparedness

The update responds to recommendations from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which completed a report on flu readiness that is also on the White House Web site.

FACOSH Meeting Sept. 15 on Agencies' H1N1 Planning

Getting federal employees ready for pandemic flu is the subject of a draft report OSHA's Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health will consider next month.

Genetic Marker Predicts Response to Hepatitis C Treatment

Duke University Medical Center researchers report in Nature that the marker is a single letter change -- a C instead of a T -- in a segment of DNA near the IL28B gene.



Kathleen Sebelius, sworn in as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary April 29, 2009

New Federal Flu Guidelines Out for Employers

Three cabinet secretaries, including HHS' Kathleen Sebelius, urged businesses to plan for absences, encourage employees to be vaccinated, and ensure critical operations are not interrupted.

William Schaffner, M.D., is chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine and professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

2009 Flu Vaccination Challenge Begins

With a very challenging flu season ahead, year two of the Joint Commission Resources' Flu Vaccination Challenge has a goal of building on last year's success at raising the flu vaccination rate among U.S. health care workers.

Podcast Examines Arsenic Exposure's Effect on Flu Susceptibility

In the latest installment of "The Researcher's Perspective," the new podcast series by Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), Dr. Josh Hamilton discusses the potential implications of his recent mouse study on arsenic exposure and immune response to influenza A/H1N1.

Sanofi Pasteur Files H1N1 Vaccine Application

The company began U.S. clinical trials Aug. 6 and plans to test the vaccine's immunogenicity and safety, with about 2,000 people getting it in the trials.

a health worker wears a medical mask and protective eyewear

IOM Panel Studying Health Workers' H1N1 PPE Needs

By Sept. 1, the 14-member committee will provide a letter report to CDC and OSHA addressing personal protective equipment needs for this crucial workforce.

CDC Advisors Make Recommendations for Use of H1N1 Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met recently to make recommendations for use of vaccine against novel influenza A (H1N1), including who should receive vaccine against novel influenza when it becomes available and which groups of the population should be prioritized if the vaccine is initially available in extremely limited quantities.

flags of many countries

Safety Cooperation Advances on Several Fronts

Safety authorities around the world, working together in some cases, have focused recently on health issues, construction falls, hospital-associated infections, and aviation safety.

FDA Authorizes Emergency Use of H1N1 Influenza Virus Test

The Food and Drug Administration today announced it has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a another diagnostic test for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, whose spread has caused the virus to be characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Pandemic Survey Finds 1 in 6 Public Health Workers Unlikely to Respond

The findings are a significant improvement over a similar 2005 study in which more than 40 percent of public health employees said they were unlikely to report to work during a pandemic emergency.

image from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius YouTube video announcing PSA contest

HHS 'Viral Marketing' Creates a Little Buzz

The prospect of winning $2,500 and national TV exposure for a 15- or 30-second flu video in the HHS contest enticed 20 entries in its first two weeks.

CDC Strongly Urging More to Accept Flu Vaccines

Dr. Anne Schuchat today said CDC recommends about 83 percent of the U.S. population get the seasonal flu vaccine, but only 40 percent did last year. Health care workers should get it and also the H1N1 vaccine when it's ready.

FDA Approves 2009-2010 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it has approved a vaccine for 2009-2010 seasonal influenza in the United States.

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