The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Bureau of Infectious Diseases (BID) is asking for your support in strengthening summer influenza viral surveillance by partnering with your local health department to increase influenza-positive specimen submissions to the ODH Laboratory throughout the summer months.
Contact your local health department to report suspected novel influenza cases and to coordinate specimen submissions from any RT- PCR or rapid molecular tests which are positive for influenza A or B to the ODH Laboratory for confirmatory testing and subtyping. This increased surveillance will continue through Thursday, September 30.
Although there is minimal influenza activity in Ohio at this time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requesting continued testing of influenza specimens at state public health laboratories in order to maintain situational awareness and ensure adequate novel influenza surveillance.
As Ohio’s agricultural fair season begins, it is important to be mindful of potential human infections with swine variant influenza (e.g. H3N2v, H1N1v, H1N2v) and avian influenza viruses. When animal influenza viruses infect people, they are considered novel influenza A infections, a Class A notifiable condition, and should be reported immediately by telephone to the local health department of residence. Novel influenza A should be considered in people with influenza-like illness and recent contact to swine or poultry during the summer months. Specimens should be collected promptly and you should contact your local health department to arrange for specimen submissions to the ODH Laboratory for any suspected novel influenza A infections.
Nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs, bronchoalveolar lavages, and tracheal aspirates are all appropriate specimen types for submission to the ODH Laboratory.