Introduction & Background

It is important for everyone to understand the basic differences between the terms seasonal flu, avian influenza and a pandemic. A seasonal flu is a respiratory illness that is transmitted between humans. Certain people may have some immunity to the flu and annual vaccines are available and recommended for all ages.Outbreaks of the seasonal flu are normal during the winter months and are caused by subtypes of influenza viruses that already exist. Avian influenza or bird flu is caused by viruses that occur natually in wild birds.  The H5N1 variant is deadly to domestic fowl and in certain circumstances can be transmitted from birds to humans.  Currently there is no immunity to or vaccine available for the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.  

Many scientists believe that an influenza pandemic or global outbreak of a new subtype of a virus may occur in the near future. A pandemic flu would be very virulent spreading easily from person to person.  Due to the nature of the virus, there would be little immunity and limited or no vaccine; serious illness and complications would occur.  A severe influenza pandemic will affect all aspects of society resulting in school and business closings, interruption of all types of transportation and food delivery, and an overwhelming of health care facilities.  Without preparation this could result in extensive social disruption and economic loss. The official website for pandemic information is: http://www.pandemicflu.gov.

In 1918, at the end of World War I, a severe outbreak of influenza spread across the world known as The Great Pandemic. A history of this devastating event which resulted in an estimated 30-50 million deaths worldwide and 675,000 in the United States can be found at the following website:  http://1918.pandemicflu.gov/index.htm .

General Information

Influenza:  Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ 

The CDC provides general information about seasonal flu with factsheets and  updates for the public, and more detailed information for clinicians.  There are also guidelines for individuals and families on prevention of the seasonal flu.

Pandemics:  http://www.pandemicflu.gov

The official government website on influenza provides  an overview for planning.  Specific information for  Individuals and/or families  and businesses is available. There is also information related to traveling worldwide.

In March, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a strategic plan on pandemic influenza preparedness and a fact sheet providing an overview of the plan.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a report (2007) that details U.S. and international efforts to assess pandemic risk by country and prioritize for assistance, as well as describe the steps that have been taken to delay or prevent a pandemic.

Cornell University's Gannett Health Services has developed a pandemic flu webpage with information for parents, students and staff.


SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

SARS is an acute respiratory illness that is caused by a virus and communicable through close contact. The onset of SARS is marked by a high fever and most patients develop pneumonia. In the 2003 global outbreak of SARS, there were 8,098 reported cases with 774 deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has pandemic flu information from a world perspective and current updates on issues related to emerging infectious diseases.

Pandemic Alert:  Current WHO phase or warning designation.

         National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan

            New York State has also developed a comprehensive pandemic plan.

            Current information and research can be accessed at the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy website: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu . This site is updated several times per week and addresses all infectious diseases including Avian influenza and the broader topic of an influenza pandemic. 

Relevant Articles

The Pandemic Vaccine Puzzle (7 article series), CIDRAP News Headlines 11/15/07.
This article investigates the prospects for the development of vaccines to head off the threat of an influenza pandemic posed by H5N1 avian influenza virus. It discusses the barriers to producing an effective and widely usable vaccine in a short time.

Optimizing the Dose of Pre-Pandemic Influenza Vaccines to reduce the Infection Attack Rate. June 19, 2007, PLoS Medicine. Riley, Wu, Leung.
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040218
Research suggests that a lower vaccination dose may be justified to increase the coverage to the population which may reduce the overall attack rate of the infection.


Influenza: An Emerging Disease 
July-September. 1998. Emerging Infectious Diseases 4 (3). Robert G. Webster. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol4no3/webster.htm "Because all known influenza A subtypes exist in the aquatic bird reservoir, influenza is not an eradicable disease; prevention and control are the only realistic goals."