Preparing for pandemic influenza

Influenza viruses cause annual epidemics of respiratory illness of varying intensity and severity accounting for an annual average of 20,000 excess deaths and 114,000 hospitalizations in the United States. Influenza viruses have also caused pandemics, characterized by sudden, pervasive infection in all age groups worldwide. Pandemics are caused by shifts of the viruses' dominant surface proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. The United States is preparing a plan to respond to an influenza pandemic. Essential elements of the plan that will close collaboration with practicing physicians include surveillance, implementation of clinical care guidelines, vaccine delivery, antiviral drug delivery, monitoring for adverse events after vaccination and antiviral drug use, communications, and emergency response.