Fresno County, California

Since August 2011, an increase in human cases of variant influenza A H3N2 (“H3N2v”) infection has been detected in several states with the majority of cases having recent contact with swine. These viruses do not usually infect people but occur in pigs and are very different form human seasonal H3N2 viruses. As of August 15, 2012, no cases of H3N2 have been detected in California, either in pigs or in humans. Local health care providers, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and hospital emergency departments are urged to test for influenza in patients with influenza-like illness. Guidance is provided in the following documents and links.

 FCDPH Health Advisory Heightened Surveillance Testing Needed for Variant Influenza A H3N2v  

FCDPH Influenza Surveillance Test Request Form  

FCDPH Nasopharyngeal Swab Collection -Specimen Collection Handling and Storage   

California Department of Public Health: Health Alert Update Influenza A (H3N2v)   

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Health Advisory Increase in Influenza A H3N2v Virus Infections in Three U.S. States     

CDC Key Facts about Human Infections with Variant Viruses (Swine Origin Influenza Viruses in Humans):  
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/keyfacts-variant.htm  

CDPH Influenza A H3N2v Background   

CDC Information on Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Viruses (“H3N2v”):
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/influenza-variant-viruses-h3n2v.htm

CDC Prevention Strategies for Seasonal and Influenza A(H3N2)v in Health Care Settings:  
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/prevention-strategies.htm 

CDFA Questions and Answers for Swine Fair Exhibitors  

CDFA Swine Influenza

CDC Issues for Fair Organizers to Consider When Planning Fairs http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/h3n2v-fairs-planning.htm

CDFA Biosecurity Recommendations for Management of Swine At Exhibitions, Sales, and On-Farm  

USDA Info Sheet Biosecurity on U.S. Swine Sites 

NASPHV Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2011 is available at http://nasphv.org/documentsCompendiumAnimals.html  

CDC Interim Guidance on Specimen Collection, Processing and Testing for Patients with Suspected Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus Infection for public health professionals http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/h3n2v-testing.htm

CDC Interim Guidance for Influenza Surveillance: Additional Specimen Collection for Detection of Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Infections” for state and local health departments http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/h3n2v-surveillance.htm

CDC Interim Guidance on Case Definitions to be Used for Investigations of Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus Cases for state and local health departments http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/case-definitions.htm