This influenza season, CDC has received a number of reports of severe respiratory illness among young and middle-aged adults, many of whom were infected with influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 (pH1N1) virus. Multiple pH1N1-associated hospitalizations, including many requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and some fatalities have been reported. For the 2013-14 season, if pH1N1 virus continues to circulate widely, illness that disproportionately affects young and middle-aged adults may occur. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months and older, and is the best way to prevent influenza. However, available evidence consistently indicates that antiviral treatment, when initiated as early as possible in patients with confirmed or suspected influenza, can reduce severe outcomes of influenza. During this COCA conference call, critical care physicians will comment on their recent experiences caring for patients with severe influenza, and a subject matter expert will summarize the 2013-14 season to date and review CDC recommendations for health care providers including the use of antiviral medications for the treatment of influenza.

2013-2014 Influenza Season:  Updates and Recommendations for Clinicians

No Continuing Education

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2014

Time:  2:00 – 3:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Dial-In Number:  888-233-9077

Passcode:  8207177

Webinar Link: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW3797988&p=8207177&t=c

Registration is not required.

Presenter: Angela Campbell, MD, MPH, FAAP, Medical Officer, Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, Influenza Division National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases-CDC

Clinician Panelists:

Pauline K. Park, MD, FACS, FCCM, Professor of Surgery, Co-Director, Surgical ICU University of Michigan

Lena M. Napolitano MD, FACS, FCCP, FCCM, Professor of Surgery, Division Chief, Acute Care Surgery, Associate Chair of Surgery, Department of Surgery Director, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care University of Michigan

Janet V. Diaz, MD Consultant, Intensive Care and Pulmonary Medicine Department of Critical Care Medicine Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, Martinez California

For additional information and to access call recordings (audio, webinar, transcript), which will be available a few days after the live call/webinar, please visit the call webpage at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2014/callinfo_012314.asp