APIC and CIDRAP Launch New Information Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An innovative new service that provides timely infectious disease information from around the world is being offered by the foremost experts in infection prevention and control. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), together with the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota (CIDRAP), announces a new service that combines the monitoring of developments in infectious diseases worldwide with supporting clinical information.

APICs Infectious Disease Center (ID Center) provides news and extensive resources on emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, pandemic influenza, and bioterror agents, states APIC president Sue Sebazco. The threat of pandemic influenza continues to mount, as does concern about vaccine shortages and bioterror events. As part of its ongoing commitment to patient and healthcare worker safety, APICs new ID Center provides expert information that is continuously updated. This service will enable infection prevention professionals, healthcare personnel, consumers, legislators, media, and others to be better informed and prepared to address new developments as they occur, said Sebazco.  

Influenza and other infectious diseases pose serious threats to the international community. Dr. Michael Osterholm, director, CIDRAP, acknowledges that the world is ill-prepared to manage the effects of pandemic influenza and infectious bioterror agents. In his keynote address during the APIC Annual Conference in Baltimore last month, Dr. Osterholm stressed the importance of planning and prevention for managing global infectious disease outbreaks. Referring to the prospect of pandemic influenza, Osterholm stated, If ever there was a perfect storm, this is it. Infection prevention and control professionals stand at ground zero where infectious diseases are concerned. By working together to help educate and raise awareness of the magnitude of this issue, I feel we can make strides in planning for and responding to pandemic influenza, said Osterholm.

Raising awareness is the first step for putting prevention, treatment, and response plans in place, states APIC executive director Kathy Warye. Through the ID Center APIC is providing a foundation for these activities.

To access the Infectious Disease Center, visit APICs Web site, www.apic.org, and click on the scrolling items in the upper right-hand corner. APIC is offering this service to nonmembers for a limited time.

Source: APIC