Infection Control

Gaps still exist with simple influenza prevention measures

Briefings on Infection Control, August 1, 2010

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A study evaluates current scientific knowledge about non-pharmaceutical interventions

After reading this article, you will be able to: 

  • Identify research gaps that remain regarding influenza transmission
  • Evaluate possible modes of transmission
  • Explain the difference between social and technological interventions

Everyone has heard the messages from the CDC or seen the signs in their hospital urging employees and visitors to cover their coughs, wash their hands, and wear a mask when they have influenzalike symptoms.

Despite the constant communitywide reminders during flu season, a number of gaps remain in non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) for influenza prevention, according to a study published in the May American Journal of Infection Control.

The study analyzed a number of CDC-funded studies to determine where more information was needed regarding the effectiveness of multiple NPIs used in conjunction with one another. The CDC has hypothesized that consistent compliance (both in the community and in the hospital) with multiple interventions, such as hand washing, mask wearing, covering sneezes and coughs, and using alcohol rub, can significantly reduce the transmission of influenza. 

“I think the earlier research sort of built the foundation that was needed in order to know that, in general, these interventions can reduce risk of transmission, but we need to take that extra step now at this point and show whether these interventions really reduce influenza, specifically because we don’t know enough about the transmission modes at this point—at least the relative contribution of the transmission modes—so I think there is room for this kind of research, to identify whether, specifically, these kinds of interventions are useful for reducing influenza in the community setting, as well as in the clinical setting,” says Allison Aiello, PhD, MS, the John G. Searle assistant professor of epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

 

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