Research findings from nonpharmaceutical intervention studies for pandemic influenza and current gaps in the research.
In June 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a request for applications to identify, improve, and evaluate the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)-strategies other than vaccines and antiviral medications-to mitigate the spread of pandemic influenza within communities and across international borders (RFA-CI06-010). These studies have provided major contributions to seasonal and pandemic influenza knowledge. Nonetheless, key concerns were identified related to the acceptability and protective efficacy of NPIs. Large-scale intervention studies conducted over multiple influenza epidemics, as well as smaller studies in controlled laboratory settings, are needed to address the gaps in the research on transmission and mitigation of influenza in the community setting. The current novel influenza A (H1N1) pandemic underscores the importance of influenza research.
Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. aielloa@umich.edu
Allison E
AE
Aiello
Rebecca M
RM
Coulborn
Tomas J
TJ
Aragon
Michael G
MG
Baker
Barri B
BB
Burrus
Benjamin J
BJ
Cowling
Alasdair
A
Duncan
Wayne
W
Enanoria
M Patricia
MP
Fabian
Yu-hui
YH
Ferng
Elaine L
EL
Larson
Gabriel M
GM
Leung
Howard
H
Markel
Donald K
DK
Milton
Arnold S
AS
Monto
Stephen S
SS
Morse
J Alexander
JA
Navarro
Sarah Y
SY
Park
Patricia
P
Priest
Samuel
S
Stebbins
Alexandra M
AM
Stern
Monica
M
Uddin
Scott F
SF
Wetterhall
Charles J
CJ
Vukotich
D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission