US - California: San Diego Health Dept. - Request to Submit Specimens from Patients Receiving Intensive Care for Influenza A to Public Health Laborato

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To: CAHAN San Diego Participants Date: June 23, 2023
Fromublic Health Services
Health Advisory: Request to Submit Specimens from Patients Receiving Intensive Care for Influenza A to Public Health Laboratories
Key Messages
• Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) can spill over into humans.
• Perform influenza testing, including subtyping, for patients with respiratory illness who are at higher risk for
contracting novel or variant influenza.
• Please submit influenza A positive samples (that are not already subtyped) from ICU patients to the San
Diego Public Health Laboratory for influenza A subtyping.
Situation
The ongoing global outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus among wild birds and poultry have led to sporadic spillover events in mammals, including thirteen human cases.
Background
Of six globally reported cases of HPAI A(H5N1) through May 2023, all six were hospitalized and two died, though with these low case counts, A(H5N1) is currently believed to pose a low risk to the health of the general public. Additionally, the spread of avian influenza viruses from one infected person to a close contact is very rare, and when it has happened, it has only spread to a few people. However, avian influenzas can mutate and gain the ability to spread more easily between people, which requires monitoring for human infection and person-to- person spread.

Actions Requested
1. Perform influenza testing, including subtyping, for patients with respiratory illness who are at higher risk
for contracting novel or variant influenza, such as those exposed to wild birds, poultry, or swine, which may
occur more often during agricultural fair season.
2. Submit influenza A positive samples, from June through September 2023, of intensive care unit (ICU)
patients not subtyped in clinical laboratories to local public health laboratories for influenza A subtyping.
Influenza specimens may be sent to Public Health Laboratory (PHL) for confirmation and subtyping.
Please contact PHL at <a href="tel619) 692-8500">(619) 692-8500</a> before submitting or for questions and use the current PHL Test
Request Form found at https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/hhsa/programs/phs/phs_laboratory/.​
• •
Resources and Requests​
• Information on Bird Flu | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov)
• Variant Influenza Viruses in Humans | CDC
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CAHAN San Diego Alerts are intended for the use of public health, medical and laboratory professionals in San Diego County. This alert has been approved for reproduction and distribution to interested professionals. An online CAHAN San Diego application is available at http://www.cahansandiego.com for appropriate and interested individuals.

• CDFA - AHFSS - AHB - Avian Influenza (ca.gov)
• USDA APHIS | 2022-2023 Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
• Viruses of Special Concern | Pandemic Influenza (Flu) | CDC
Please contact the Epidemiology Program by telephone <a href="tel619) 692-8499">(619) 692-8499</a> or email (EpiDiv.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov)
with questions about influenza data. Influenza outbreaks should be reported by telephone to <a href="tel619) 692-8499">(619) 692-8499</a>.
Thank you for your participation.
CAHAN San Diego
County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency Epidemiology and Immunization Services Branch
Phone: <a href="tel619) 692-8499">(619) 692-8499</a>; Fax: <a href="tel858) 715-6458">(858) 715-6458</a>
Urgent Phone for pm/weekends/holidays: <a href="tel858) 565-5255">(858) 565-5255</a> E-mail: cahan@sdcounty.ca.gov
Secure Website: http://cahan.ca.gov
Public Website: http://www.cahansandiego.com
County COVID-19 Website: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/coronavirus.html County Health Professionals Website, click here.
​

Direct link:

https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/cont...hs/cahan/communications_documents/6-23-23.pdf