BACKGROUND Since 2003, Asia-Pacific, particularly Southeast Asia, has received substantial attention because of the anticipation that it could be the epicentre of the next pandemic. There has been active investment but earlier review of pandemic preparedness plans in the region reveals that the translation of these strategic plans into operational plans is still lacking in some countries partic...

BACKGROUND In Germany, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for certain target groups (e.g. persons aged ≥60 years, chronically ill persons, healthcare workers (HCW)). In season 2009/10, vaccination against pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, which was controversially discussed in the public, was recommended for the whole population. The objectives of this study were to ass...

Editorials The end of the pandemic – what will be the pattern of influenza in the 2010-11 European winter and beyond? that the world has moved into the post-pandemic period [1]. Following the advice of the Emergency Committee, which based its assessment on the global situation, WHO declared that there has been a pandemic phase change and that the WHO post-pandemic definition, 'Levels of influen...

OBJECTIVE To assess background pre-pandemic cross-reacting antibodies to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus in older populations in Australia. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Data were opportunistically generated from three cross-sectional pre-pandemic studies involving people aged 60 years or older: a 3-year (2006-2008) study of influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities (ACFs) in Sydney; an i...

BACKGROUND The key epidemiological difference between pandemic and seasonal influenza is that the population is largely susceptible during a pandemic, whereas, during non-pandemic seasons a level of immunity exists. The population-level efficacy of household-based mitigation strategies depends on the proportion of infections that occur within households. In general, mitigation measures such as ...

BACKGROUND Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. In absence of reliable information on severity of the disease, the nations are unable to decide on the appropriate response against this disease. METHODS Based on the results of laboratory investigations, attendance in outpatient department, hospital admissions and mortality from the cases of i...

BACKGROUND Healthcare workers have been identified as one of the high risk groups for being infected with influenza during influenza pandemic. Potential levels of absenteeism among healthcare workers in hospital settings are high. However, there was no study to explore the attitudes of healthcare workers in community setting towards the preparedness to the novel H1N1 influenza pandemic. The aim...

BACKGROUND Limited data are available on disease characteristics and outcomes of children with 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus infection (pandemic H1N1 influenza) who have required hospital admission. METHODS We reviewed the charts of 58 children with pandemic H1N1 influenza admitted to a large pediatric hospital in Ontario, Canada, between May 8 and July 22, 2009. We compared risk fact...

INTRODUCTION First Nation communities were highly impacted by the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Multiple government bodies (ie federal, provincial, and First Nations) in Canada share responsibility for the health sector pandemic response in remote and isolated First Nation communities and this may have resulted in a fragmented pandemic response. This study aimed to discover if and how the dicho...

BACKGROUND With the increase in patient activity during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, came an associated increase in occupational infections of healthcare workers (HCWs). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine factors associated with the transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among HCWs. METHODS A 1:4 matched case-control study by hospital, ward, age, and gender was conducted in HCWs from ...