Each topic has links to relevant MGH departmental pages, current information in the news, and full-text background information.

MGH Resources

• MGH Division of Infectious Diseases webpage Key news, slides, and Internet resources; information sheets; links to clinical procedures, guidelines, and advisories at MGH, local, state and national levels.
• From MGH Public Affairs: Dealing with Disaster.

Additional General Information

• from MedlinePlus: Anthrax     Biodefense and Bioterrorism
  News, Overviews, Diagnosis, Treatment, Pictures, Prevention, Research, Law, Organizations, and pages for Children and in Español/Spanish; from the National Library of Medicine.
• Biological Warfare from NLM's Special Information Services.
• Centers for Disease Control's Resources on Bioterrorism in English or En Español
  CDC Health alerts, advisories, and updates; emergency response links.
  
• Medical and Public Health Responses to Bioterrorism
  List of organizations providing information on basic facts, preparedness, medical response, and defense; compiled by the Medical Library Association.
  

For the Consumer

• Bioterrorism fact sheet in other languages Boston Public Health Commission Communicable Disease Control; translated into Cape Verdian, Chinese, Haitian, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.

For the Healthcare Worker

• Bioterrorism Resources from Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
  Agent fact sheets, bioterrorism readiness plan for health care facilities, disaster plan checklist, and information on historical trends, epidemiology, and vaccines.
  
• JCAHO Perspectives special bioterrorism issue on emergency preparedness.
• Online Training Courses
  Click on "Search", scroll down and select the subject "Bioterrorism/Emergency Preparedness" or type your keyword topic (e.g., anthrax).

Key Documents

• from Emerging Infectious Diseases "Bioterrorism-related inhalational anthrax: The first 10 cases reported in the United States"
  
• from JAMA "Clinical presentation of inhalational anthrax following bioterrorism exposure: Report of 2 surviving patients"
  
• from JAMA "Death due to bioterrorism-related inhalational anthrax: Report of 2 patients".
• JAMA Concensus Statements: Anthrax     Botulinum     Plague     Smallpox     Tularemia
  
• from The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics "Post-exposure anthrax prophylaxis"
  
• from MMWR Updates and guidelines including "Considerations for distinguishing influenza-like illness from inhalational anthrax"
• from Nature Special Nov. 8, 2001 issue includes a collection of research, news and feature articles.
  
• from NEJM Anthrax full-text articles Bioterrorism full-text articles

MGH Resources

• Resources for Women about HRT

  From MGH-Vincent GYN Service

• Patient Letter Explains the WHI HRT issues in a Q&A format.
• For Clinicians Suggested HRT weaning guidelines and alternative treatment options.

  From PCOI

• Recommendations for PCPs/Practice on the use of HRT for disease prevention Includes patient information sheet. MGH Access Only.

Papers relating to the Women's Health Inititiative (WHI) clinical trial

• NIH NHLBI Press Release
• JAMA article full text "Risks and Benefits of Estrogen Plus Progestin in Healthy Postmenopausal Women: Principal Results From the Women's Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Trial" JAMA (July 17, 2002) 288(3): 321-33
• JAMA editorial full text Fletcher SW; GA Colditz "Failure of Estrogen Plus Progestin Therapy for Prevention" JAMA (July 17, 2002) 288(3): 366-8
• Latest news and background information from NLM's MedlinePlus

Responses from medical associations

• AMA's statement on WHI study
• ACOG's statement on WHI study
• American Heart Association's response
• North American Menopause Society's response

Additional background information and resources

• The Women's Health Initiative Study Group. "Design of the Women's Health Initiative clinical trial and observational study" Controlled Clinical Trials 1998;19(1):61-109.
• WHI Participant website Includes notices to participants and links to media coverage.
• WHI website

MGH Resources

• Latest MGH Influenza Provider and Patient Information Includes cases at MGH, vaccination, testing and reporting procedures. MGH Access Only.
• Influenza Testing and Treatment Guideline From MGH PCOI. MGH Access Only.
• Influenza Vaccination Recommendations for MGH Primary Care Clinicians and Practices. MGH Access Only.

Reporting Agencies

• WHO Influenza page Includes statistics and how the composition of the vaccine is determined.
• CDC Influenza page U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Includes Information for Consumers, Patient Education material, Information for Clinicians (ACIP recommendations, diagnosis, testing, vaccine, Webcasts, MMWR reports).
• Mass. Dept. of Public Health Includes news and statistics for Massachusetts.
• Boston Public Health Commission Includes Fact sheets in Chinese, Haitian/Creole, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

News Reports

• News and Highlights from the CDC Includes recommendations and press releases.
• Yahoo! News Latest developments and news stories from various news services.

Other Web Resources and Online Articles

• MedlinePlus Links to news and general information.
• References and Resources from the CDC Images, articles, training, infection control, travelers' health.

MGH Resources

• Updated Guidance on Persons Suspected of Having SARS From the Division of Infectious Diseases. MGH Access Only.

Worldwide Reporting Agencies

• WHO SARS page World Health Organization. Includes Guidelines and Recommendations, Travel Advisory, Daily Summary of Reported Cases, Press releases and Updates. Also includes links to Health Agencies in other countries.
• SARS in Europe from the European Union.
• Health Canada General information and for the health professional.
• CDC SARS page U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Includes Updates, Alerts, Information for Clinicians (Diagnosis, Guidelines, Training, Webcasts, MMWR, Articles), Patients, Travellers, Other Languages.
• Mass. Dept. of Public Health Includes Suspected cases by county, Alerts, Guidelines, and Fact sheets in Chinese, Khmer, Malay, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese and for colleges.
• Boston Public Health Commission Includes Cases in Boston and Fact sheets in Chinese and Vietnamese.

News Reports

• Yahoo! News Latest developments and news stories from various news services.

Other Web Resources and Online Articles

• MedlinePlus Links to news and general information.
• The SARS Epidemic SARS articles from the journal Science.
• New England Journal of Medicine SARS articles from NEJM.

MGH Resources

• MGH Division of Infectious Diseases Smallpox Information sheet for health care workers Brief review of the Agent, Clinical disease, Incubation period, Laboratory diagnosis, Precautions, Therapy, Prophylaxis.
• See additional smallpox links under the Bioterrorism section above and on MGH's Infectious Diseases Bioterrorism page.

For the Consumer and Health Care Professionals

• Smallpox from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Excellent site includes links to:
  • Basic information for the public
  • In-depth information for Health Professionals (Diagnosis/Evaluation, Infection control, Images, Lab testing, Online training, Webcasts, Videos, Vaccination)
  • List of People Who Should NOT Get the Smallpox Vaccine
• Smallpox from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
  Excellent site includes links to:
  • Basic information for Teens, Parents, Media
  • Information for Health Care providers, Lab professionals, Military, Public Health professionals
  • Reference Materials: ACIP Recommendations, MMWR, EID and other Journal Articles, Books, Publications, Presentations
• Smallpox from the National Library of Medicine
  Links to News, Overviews, Diagnosis, Treatment, Pictures, Prevention, Research, Law, Organizations, and pages in Español/Spanish.
• Public Health Fact Sheet from the Mass. Dept. of Public Health. Two page patient fact sheet on smallpox
• In Spanish / en español
  • Basic information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Principios de la Viruela
  • From the World Health Organization/Organización Mundial de la Salud Nota descriptiva de la OMS sobre la viruela
  • Personas que NO deben recibir la vacuna contra la viruela People Who Should NOT Get the Smallpox Vaccine
  • Reacciones Luego de la Vacunación Contra la Viruela Reactions after Smallpox Vaccination

The Vaccination Debate

• Smallpox and Smallpox vaccination Articles from the January 30, 2003 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
  • Perspective: Smallpox Vaccination — The Call to Arms by T.L. Schraeder and E.W. Campion
  • Special Article: A Model for a Smallpox-Vaccination Policy by S.A. Bozzette and Others
  • Special Article: The Public and the Smallpox Threat by R.J. Blendon and Others
  • Current Concepts: How Contagious Is Vaccinia? by K.A. Sepkowitz
  • Sounding Board: A Different View of Smallpox and Vaccination by T. Mack
  • Letter to the Editor: A Smallpox False Alarm by J.A. Hanrahan, M. Jakubowycz, and B.R. Davis
• Additional articles
  • From AJN "Smallpox vaccination revisited" by CL Sibley, Sep 2002 102(9):26-32, 38-9. Full text available through Ovid.
  • From AIM Smallpox Manifestations and Survival during the Boston Epidemic of 1901 to 1903 Dec 17 2002 137:993-1000.
  • From JAMA June 9, 1999 Smallpox as a Biological Weapon Concensus Statement.
  • From The Medical Letter Smallpox vaccine Jan 6, 2003 45(11): 1-3.
  • From NEJM Apr 25, 2002 Smallpox and Bioterrorism Collection of articles.
  • From Science Rough-and-Tumble Behind Bush's Smallpox Policy Dec 2002 298(5602): 2312-2316.

• West Nile Virus - MGH Case Reporting How to report a possible WNV case at MGH. MGH PCOI Access Only.
• West Nile Virus Infections MGH Infectious Disease Division Clinical Conference; presented by John Beigel, M.D. on January 9, 2002.

General Information

• Best place to start - MedlinePlus: West Nile Virus page provides News, Overviews, Diagnosis, Treatment, Maps, Prevention, Research, Organizations; from the National Library of Medicine.
• Boston Public Health Commission: West NileVirus homepage Local information.
• Mass. Dept. of Public Health: WNV Webpage Consumer and health care provider information, daily bird and mosquito updates, weekly reports for the state by town.
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control's webpage includes prevention, background information, daily count.
• West Nile Virus Resource Guide Information on WNV and pesticide related topics from NPIC (National Pesticide Information Center).

Additional Resources for the Health Care Professional

• CDC Responds: Update on West Nile Virus for Clinicians and Laboratorians Archived satellite webcast from the Public Health Training Network; originally aired August 8, 2002. Presents information on clinical and laboratory diagnosis, epidemiology and prevention strategies.
• CDC's Clinical Guidance and Fact Sheet Specifically for the Clinician and Public Health professional; outlines clinical features, diagnosis and reporting, laboratory testing, and treatment.
• Diagnostic Testing for WNV in Humans From the Mass. Dept. of Public Health; includes State Lab specimen requirements.
• Mass. Surveillance and Response Plan for Mosquito-Borne Disease Version 3 (April 18,2002) from the Mass. Dept. of Public Health.
• Petersen LR and Marfin AA, "West Nile Virus: A Primer for the Clinician [Review]," Annals of Internal Medicine (August 6) 2002:137:173-9. Full-text.
• Research activities from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
• West Nile Virus: Detection, Surveillance, and Control Special issue of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences v. 951 (Dec. 2001). Full text articles.

This page maintained by Carolyn Paul.
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