Articles: pandemics.
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To analyse the factors associated with increased mortality among Indian Children with H1N1. ⋯ Hypoxia, ARDS and use of corticosteroids in children with ARDS who were mechanically ventilated were the factors associated with increased odds of mortality. Necropsy also suggested bacterial co-infection as a risk factor.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2012
Pandemic (H1N1 influenza 2009 and Australian emergency departments: implications for policy, practice and pandemic preparedness.
To describe the reported impact of Pandemic (H(1)N(1) ) 2009 on EDs, so as to inform future pandemic policy, planning and response management. ⋯ This paper describes the breadth of the impact of pandemics on ED operations. It identifies a need to address a range of industrial, management and procedural issues. In particular, there is a need for a single authoritative source of information, the re-engineering of EDs to accommodate infectious patients and organizational changes to enable rapid deployment of alternative sources of care.
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Clin. Microbiol. Infect. · Apr 2012
First influenza season after the 2009 pandemic influenza: characteristics of intensive care unit admissions in adults and children in Vall d'Hebron Hospital.
To assess potential differences in epidemiology and management of patients admitted with influenza infection in the intensive care unit (ICU) during the first post-pandemic influenza period. Observational prospective study comparing September 2009-January 2010 with September 2010-January 2011. Variables captured: demographics, co-morbidities, physiological parameters, outcomes and management. ⋯ Primary viral pneumonia predominated among ICU admissions. Postpandemic ICU influenza developed later, with some cases of influenza B, more frequent bacterial and viral co-infections and more patients with severe acute respiratory infection with normal chest X-ray. Increasing vaccination rates among risk-group individuals is warranted to prevent ICU admission and death.
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Bull. World Health Organ. · Apr 2012
Epidemic and intervention modelling--a scientific rationale for policy decisions? Lessons from the 2009 influenza pandemic.
Outbreak analysis and mathematical modelling are crucial for planning public health responses to infectious disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. This paper describes the data analysis and mathematical modelling undertaken during and following the 2009 influenza pandemic, especially to inform public health planning and decision-making. ⋯ A key lesson was that modelling cannot substitute for data; it can only make use of available data and highlight what additional data might best inform policy. Data gaps in 2009, especially from low-resource countries, made it difficult to evaluate severity, the effects of seasonal variation on transmission and the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions. Better communication between modellers and public health practitioners is needed to manage expectations, facilitate data sharing and interpretation and reduce inconsistency in results.
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In the spring of 2009, New York City (NYC) experienced the emergence and rapid spread of pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus (pH1N1), which had a high attack rate in children and caused many school closures. During the 2009 fall wave of pH1N1, a school-located vaccination campaign for elementary schoolchildren was conducted in order to reduce infection and transmission in the school setting, thereby reducing the impact of pH1N1 that was observed earlier in the year. In this paper, we describe the planning and outcomes of the NYC school-located vaccination campaign. ⋯ The team model achieved vaccination of more children per day and required fewer vaccination days per school. NYC's campaign is the largest described school-located influenza vaccination campaign to date. Despite substantial challenges, school-located vaccination is feasible in large, urban settings, and during a public health emergency.