Pandemic influenza continues to be a global threat.  Due to the unpredictable timing and nature of a pandemic, advance planning is needed to ensure that the necessary surveillance and applied research can be quickly deployed in the event of pandemic.

Thus, we are in the process of developing a multicenter network to accomplish this. Our goals for the surveillance system are to:

The network will conduct active surveillance of all patients hospitalized with influenza-like illness during a pandemic, collect blood and respiratory secretions to characterize viral and immunologic responses, as well as perform observational studies of available pandemic influenza vaccines and/or antiviral medications.

Funding: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Please contact Susan Coffin, MD, MPH, CHOP Attending Physician and Clinical Director of Infectious Diseases, for more information about this line of research. 

Read more about CPCE research on hospital and clinical setting-acquired influenza-like illness