Emerging Respiratory Infections

For Health Professionals

• Surveillance
• Public Health Measures
• Laboratory Testing
• Infection Control
• Clinical Care
• Emerging Respiratory Infections Affected Areas

Emerging respiratory infections is a term used to refer to acute respiratory infections of significant public health importance, including infections caused by either emergence of new variants of known respiratory pathogens (e.g. novel influenza viruses, SARS) or emergence of as yet unknown pathogens.

The information provided on this site is directed primarily to health/public health professionals and aims to provide guidelines and standards for the detection, rapid response and control of outbreaks due to an emerging respiratory pathogen. This includes tools for guiding best practices for surveillance and reporting, public health measures, laboratory testing, infection control, and clinical guidelines. 

Health professionals are encouraged to consult with their provincial/territorial ministries of health for additional jurisdiction-specific recommendations.

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Surveillance

• Recommendations for Public Health Authorities
• Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) Protocol
• Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) Report Form
  (Please note: This 5-page form needs to be printed on legal size paper)
  
• Screening for H5N1 (for health care professionals)

Public Health Measures

• Recommendations for H5N1 Case and Contact Management
• Human Health Issues related to Avian Influenza in Canada (2006-10-25)

Laboratory Testing

• Lab Protocol for Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) Not Yet Diagnosed
• Lab Investigation of Novel Influenza Infections in Humans

Infection Control

• Infection Control Guidelines - Hand Washing, Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization in Health Care

Clinical Care

• H5N1 Clinical Management Guidelines
  

Emerging Respiratory Infections Affected Areas

• Current Avian Influenza (H5N1) Affected Areas