title: Pandemic influenza and the hospitalist: apocalypse when?
abstract: Beginning with a cluster of human cases in Hong Kong in 1997, avian influenza (H5N1) has spread progressively through, and beyond, Asia in poultry and other birds; and has resulted in sporadic cases of human disease associated with high mortality. The potential for H5N1 influenza to cause a pandemic of human disease continues to be the subject of intense scrutiny by both the media and the scientific community. While the likelihood of such a prospect is uncertain, the inevitability of future pandemics of influenza is clear. Planning for the eventuality of a virulent influenza pandemic at the local, national and global level is critical to limiting the mortality and morbidity of such an occurrence. Hospitalists have a key role to play in institutional efforts to prepare for a influenza pandemic, and should be aware of lessons that my be applied from both the response to Hurricane Katrina, as well as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Medicine, CWRU/MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44109, USA. jpile@metrohealth.org
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pile
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D020445:Hospitalists / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors