Flu Media Resource Guide
Dr. Holzmann
Swine Flu Update
April 29, 2009
Dr. Richard Bradley's
Swine Flu Update
April 25, 2009
**Updated: H1N1 flu pandemic: UT Health Science Center at Houston experts available
HOUSTON - (October 12, 2009) - Waiting rooms are full, physician phone lines are overwhelmed and questions are running rampant as federal health officials say the H1N1 flu virus is spreading quickly.
"Emergency departments are experiencing increasing patient loads as the epidemic progresses. Fortunately, most patients are not seriously ill, though many certainly feel terrible," said Brent King, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. "But, unfortunately, there is little we can do for these patients that they cannot do for themselves. Resting, maintaining hydration and judiciously using medications to treat fever are the mainstays of managing influenza."
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UT School of Public Health students assist health department in surveillance of H1N1 flu outbreak
HOUSTON – (May 5, 2009) – Students from The University of Texas School of Public Health are gaining firsthand surveillance experience in response to the recent H1N1 flu outbreak.
The Student Epidemic Intelligence Society (SEIS) was organized in 2002 shortly after Kristy Murray, DVM, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the UT School of Public Health joined the faculty at the UT School of Public Health. As a former Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she was invited to assist the city health department with the increasing number of West Nile virus cases being diagnosed in Houston. “I saw a need for help during times of outbreak and we had all these students who were trained and wanted the opportunity to get real public health experience out in the field,” said Murray, “SEIS came out of that.”
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UT safety expert offers flu facts and prevention tips
HOUSTON - (April 27, 2009) - Robert Emery, DrPH, vice president of safety, health, environment and risk management at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, offers important information about preventing the spread of flu infection and also outlines how the university is responding to this public health threat.
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UT researchers chart history to predict influenza H1N1's course
HOUSTON - (April 27, 2009) - If history is any indication, researchers at The University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston predict that cases of influenza will taper off in the next month and resurge in late fall.
In the Preventive Health Informatics and Spatial Analysis Laboratory, director C. Ed Hsu, Ph.D., MPH, is using public health informatics to address critical public health challenges, including global health surveillance and emergency preparedness.
"Data speaks. Data tells a story, and what we've learned from previous flu-like diseases is that there will be an increase in cases, followed by a lull," Hsu said.
Hsu used public health informatics systems to identify trends with human infection clusters of avian flu in the world between Jan. 2, 2004 and May 23, 2006, and compared the results with a study of daily new cases of SARS in mainland China from April 21 to June 3, 2003 conducted by Dejian Lai, PhD, a faculty member at The University of Texas School of Public Health. Based on trends from those two outbreaks, it is reasonable, Hsu said, to estimate that by mid-May or June, the incidence of H1N1 will diminish until at least September when another flu season would begin.
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Experts available for interviews
As countries around the world brace for a potential pandemic of influenza H1N1, faculty members at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are drawing on their expertise in emergency preparedness, infectious disease, public health and health informatics to address this contagious respiratory illness.
Brent King, M.D., can provide information about H1N1 flu, hospital plans for responding to this infectious disease and how to best protect children. He is chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and provides emergency medical care to both children and adults at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.
Richard N. Bradley, M.D., chief of the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss how Americans and emergency departments are being affected.
Pamela Berens, M.D., associate of obstetrics and gynecology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can answer questions about concerns facing women who are pregnant. She is able to discuss questions about the vaccine and what pregnant women should do if they think they are infected.
Ian Butler, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Child Neurology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss neurological complications in children that can result from H1N1 and seasonal flu.
Galit Holzmann-Pazgal, M.D, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, is available for interviews to discuss prevention and treatment of the swine flu as it related to children. Holzmann-Pazgal is also medical director of infection control for Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.
Gloria Heresi, M.D, professor and interim director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, is available for interviews with Spanish-language media. She can discuss prevention and treatment of H1N1 as it relates to children.
Richard Castriotta, M.D., professor and director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss the flu's leading causes of death, which are respiratory failure and/or pneumonia. Castriotta sees patients at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital and the UT Pulmonary Medicine clinic.
John Halphen, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss how flu-like illnesses affect the elderly, including the danger of dehydration, the risk of secondary bacterial infections and potential complications for patients who may be on medications such as diuretics. He coordinates geriatric services at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, part of the Harris County Hospital District.
Robert Emery, DrPH, vice president of safety, health, environment and risk management at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, is available to discuss flu prevention, as well as protective equipment for health care professionals. Emery, who has a faculty appointment at The University of Texas School of Public Health, also can discuss emergency preparedness and business continuity plans in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
George Delclos, M.D., is a professor of occupational medicine at The University of Texas School of Public Health. Dr. Delclos is able to advise on H1N1 flu-related work life issues such as working from home if you feel ill or what employers should look for in their employees.
Charles Ericsson, M.D., can discuss H1N1 flu and measures to protect yourself during travel. He is professor and head of clinical infectious disease at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He also is the director of the university's Travel Medicine clinic and sees patients at UT Physicians clinics, Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.
Luis Z. Ostrosky, M.D., can discuss the infectious nature of H1N1 flu and can provide details on what patients can do to reduce their risk of becoming infected or spreading it to others. He is available for interviews in both English and Spanish. Ostrosky is associate professor of medicine and epidemiology in the Division of Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He also is medical director for epidemiology at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.
Herbert DuPont, M.D., is a professor of infectious disease and director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas School of Public Health. With over 30 years of experience in infectious disease and travel medicine, DuPont can speak on the development of swine flu, symptoms, how to reduce the risk of becoming infected and how to keep yourself safe if you are traveling.
Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, M.D., is a professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus. Fisher-Hoch is one of the world's leading virologists. She is able to discuss any topic related to the H1N1 flu.
Kristy Murray, DVM, Ph.D., a former Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is assistant professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health. She is able to discuss transmission of the virus from animal to human and how to reduce your risk of becoming infected or spreading it to others.
John Herbold DVM, Ph.D., is associate professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness at The University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio Regional Campus. As a veterinarian, Herbold can discuss the origin of influenza viruses in humans and the role of animals in a flu outbreak. He can also discuss why H1N1 flu passed from human to human unlike the bird/avian flu. In addition, Herbold can address the importance of clinicians, veterinarians and public health workers joining together to stabilize and fight the outbreak.
C. Ed Hsu, Ph.D., MPH, is associate professor of public health informatics at The University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston and associate director of health informatics at the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness at The University of Texas School of Public Health. In Hsu's Preventive Health Informatics and Spatial Analysis laboratory, he is using public health informatics to address critical public health challenges, including global health surveillance and emergency preparedness.
Elda Ramirez, Ph.D., RN, is available to do interviews in both English and Spanish. She can describe symptoms of H1N1 flu and discuss when it is appropriate to consult a primary care provider or seek medical attention at an emergency room. Ramirez is assistant professor in The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing and emergency medicine nurse practitioner in The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
Susan Parnell, RN, a nursing instructor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, is available to discuss infection control and explain how cases of influenza or other outbreaks are investigated.
Victor Cardenas, M.D., Ph.D., is an associate professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health El Paso Regional Campus. He is able to discuss first-hand experience in influenza A outbreaks in several countries, including Mexico and Colombia.
To schedule interviews, please call the Media Relations Team at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The 24/7 media hotline is 713-500-3030.