Influenza

Welcome to ADPH's Influenza Surveillance website. ADPH is monitoring the strains circulating and where disease activity is repoInfluenza Homerted.

Looking for the top 10 things everyone can do to help prevent the flu? Do10!

Influenza in Alabama

For the week ending November 19, the geographic spread of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Alabama was local. Local spread indicates that the percentage of patients with reported ILI was significantly high in one of the eleven Public Health (PHAs), and there were positive influenza specimens from the same PHA within the past three weeks to support influenza being a cause of ILI in the area. The influenza strain identified in the last three weeks included influenza A (H3).

• To review the geographic spread of ILI in Alabama, please visit the Influenza Surveillance Map (this map works best with recent supported versions of Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 11, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, and many mobile devices).
• A graph displaying ILI data and positive influenza specimens submitted to the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories (BCL) is also available.

Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) Data

As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's U.S. Outpatient Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet), ADPH has recruited 84 healthcare providers to report the number of patients with ILI by age group and the total number of patients seen for the week. These providers are located in every public health area and almost every county. ILI is defined as fever that is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) AND cough and/or sore throat. There is no requirement for a positive influenza test (in the absence of a known cause other than influenza) when determining the number of patients with ILI.

If you are interested in becoming an ILINet participant, please email Infectious & Outbreaks Diseases Division, call 1-800-338-8374, or complete and fax the ADPH ILINet Application.

Viral Surveillance

ADPH's viral surveillance depends on hospitals and healthcare providers to voluntarily submit specimens from ILI patients to BCL throughout the year for influenza detection and subtype information. Influenza specimen submissions from healthcare providers help answer the questions of where, when, and what influenza viruses are circulating. ADPH requests that hospitals submit specimens for admitted patients with ILI and all physicians submit specimens for pregnant patients with ILI, as well as recent international travelers with ILI.

Any provider can submit influenza specimens for BCL testing. To find out more about ordering a flu kit, specimen collection, , and shipping instructions, see the Quick Guide for Influenza Specimen Submission or the detailed Guidance for Lab Testing for Influenza Viruses.

CDC Influenza Control and Outbreak Guidelines

• Schools and Childcare Providers - Educators and staff can help slow the spread of colds and flu. On this page, you will find information on preventing the flu as well as materials and tools for schools.
• Institutional Outbreaks and Infection Control - Guidelines for various settings, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
• Long-term Care Facilities - Consolidated guidance on influenza outbreak management and prevention

Additional Information for Health Professionals

• Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) - United States, 2014-15 Influenza Season
• What You Should Know for the 2014-2015 Influenza Season (CDC)
• Packing and Shipping of Influenza Specimens
• Influenza (Flu) Viruses (CDC)
• Influenza A (H7N9) Virus Information (CDC)
• Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus (CDC)
• Fact Sheet: Protect Yourself Against H3N2v (CDC)
• Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings
• FluView - A Weekly Influenza Activity and Surveillance Report
• Determine if its the Flu or Ebola

Page last updated: April 19, 2017