title: Evaluation and management of seasonal influenza in the emergency department.
abstract: Seasonal influenza causes significant morbidity and mortality, primarily due to increased complication rates among the elderly population and patients with chronic diseases. Timely diagnosis of influenza and early recognition of an influenza outbreak or epidemic are key components in preventing influenza-related complications, hospitalizations, and deaths. Emergency departments are the most frequent points of entry for most influenza cases and are well positioned to identify and manage influenza community outbreaks and epidemics. Emergency departments need specific infection control measures to curb the spread of influenza in the Emergency Department and hospital during the influenza season.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Room D-012, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3T 1E2. marc.afilalo@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afilalo
authors.forename: Errol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oughton
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D004630:Emergencies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons