Editorial: Respiratory Protection Against Influenza

In an accompanying editorial, Arjun Srinivasan, M.D., from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, and Trish M. Perl, M.D., M.Sc., from the School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, write: "The 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic has revived debate about the role of respiratory protection in preventing the transmission of influenza to health care personnel." The "N95 particulate respirators protect wearers from small particles when appropriately designed and worn." The World Health Organization and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America recommend the use of medical masks for most patient care. The CDC and Institute of Medicine recommend the use of N95 respirators during care of patients infected with the H1N1 influenza.

"That this study is, to our knowledge, the first and only published randomized trial assessing respiratory protection for preventing influenza transmission is a sad commentary on the state of research in this area. Uncovering the truth and identifying the most appropriate way to protect health care personnel will require that other investigators build on this study ...," they write. "Ultimately, accumulating a body of evidence on this topic will provide much-needed answers."

(JAMA. 2009; 302[17]:(doi:10.1001/jama.2009. 1494. Available at www.jamamedia) Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Source: JAMA and Archives Journals