Virus Shedding and Environmental Deposition of a Novel Influenza Virus
Virus Shedding and Environmental Deposition of a Novel Influenza Virus
An influenza pandemic has recently been declared, involving the novel A(H1N1) 'swine flu'
 virus. This has spread to almost 100 countries worldwide in less than two months, causing
 widespread disease so far in Mexico, USA and Canada. It is highly likely that over the next
 12 months, many countries including the UK will be affected by widespread illness. In the UK
 this wave of intense flu activity is most likely to occur in late autumn 2009.

 Very little is known about the new H1N1 pandemic virus. For example we do not know how long
 the virus is excreted by infected humans and how much virus is spread to surfaces and carried
 in the air. This is very important to know as soon as possible because it affects the advice
 that will be given to healthcare workers about controlling the spread of infection to
 themselves and other patients. Similarly we need this information so we can give good quality
 advice to families who will have to look after each other in their own homes.

 The best way to obtain this information is to ask patients who get pandemic flu soon (in
 August, September and October) to help us by agreeing to give a daily nose swab sample for
 just over one week so we can see how much virus is in the nose day by day and how quickly
 this disappears. At the same time we will take samples from hard surfaces in a patient's room
 or home and sample the air using a special filter device. We can then work out how much virus
 is being excreted, how long the 'danger period' is, whether surfaces are more or less
 important than the air that we breathe (in terms of catching the virus) and if we can advise
 on a 'safe distance' from the patient, beyond which there is relatively little chance of
 catching the illness.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Subject fulfils case definition

 -  Informed consent obtained (from Parent/Guardian where appropriate)

 -  Age >1 month

 -  Near-patient test positive for influenza A or other substantive test positive for
 influenza A (including 'swine flu')

 -  Willing to participate and agrees to allow both nasal and environmental samples to be
 taken

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Illness for >48h (community cases)

 -  Illness for >96h (hospital cases)

 -  Existing case of ILI in the household

 -  A negative for swine flu (as part of NHS care)

 -  Has taken part in influenza research involving an investigational medicinal product
 within the last 3 months