New Strain Respiratory Virus Policy - Hampshire Hospitals NHS ...

Winchester & Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust
New Strain Respiratory Virus Policy
5 THE NEW PANDEMIC STRAIN
SARS, Avian or swine and human influenza viruses can exchange genes
especially when similar viruses simultaneously infect the same host. This can
give rise to a completely new subtype of the virus to which few, if any,
humans would have natural immunity. This could give rise to a global
epidemic or (a pandemic) in humans.
Existing vaccines may not be effective against a completely new influenza
virus.
A pandemic may be prevented by reducing human exposure to infected hosts
by rapid detection of outbreaks followed by appropriate infection control and
public health measures.
6 SYMPTOMS
Incubation period and symptoms varies depending on the strain, but in
general the median incubation period is around 3 days (range 2-7 days). Early
symptoms in humans are fever, cough, sore throat, rhinorrhoea, myalgia,
conjunctivitis, watery diarrhea, vomiting and severe unexplained respiratory
illness. The severity of illness varies from mild symptoms to severe respiratory
infection and death.
Infectivity period again would depend on the infectious agent it is not
unreasonable to assume that people are infectious while symptomatic for a
period five days from the onset of symptoms. Immunosuppressed individuals
are usually infectious for a prolong period of time.
7 ILLNESS IN TRAVELERS RETURNING TO THE UK FROM
AFFECTED COUNTRIES
When a new respiratory strain is identified outside the UK, travel restrictions
will be announced and placed on the web sites of the Department of Health
(www.dh.gov.uk) and Health Protection Agency (www.hpa.org.uk).
The Infection Control Team will advise the Flu Planning Group and the IM&T
department to ensure there is a link set up to an up to date list of affected
areas on the Flu Pandemic intranet site during this time.
The key to the risk assessment is whether the returning traveler has visited a
country on the list of countries affected by the new strain within the past seven
days and had close contact with other infected hosts or whatever the ‘source’
has been identified as.
Authorities
Document Control Information
Author: Sue Daiilly Lead Nurse Infection Type:
Policy
Control
Sponsor: Paula Shobbrook Director of Infection Scope:
Major
Prevention and Control
Reference:
CP104
Issue Number: 2
Date May 2010 Status: Final
Page 8 of 27