R 181429Z SEP 09 

SUBJ UPDATED NOVEL H1N1 INFLUENZA TESTING
A. MY 282011Z JUL 09
1. THIS MESSAGE UPDATES THE TESTING REQUIREMENTS IN REFERENCE A
(INFLUENZA DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT GUIDELINES).
2. AS THE NOVEL H1N1 INFLUENZA VIRUS SPREADS, THE COAST GUARD IS
REFINING TESTING REQUIREMENTS IAW THE MOST RECENT CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) GUIDELINES AND IN CONCERT WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD).
3. CONFIRMATORY TESTING IS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR ALL COAST GUARD
PERSONNEL WHO HAVE INFLUENZA LIKE ILLNESS (ILI) (FEVER GREATER THAN
OR EQUAL TO 100.5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND COUGH OR SORE THROAT OF
LESS THAN 72 HOURS DURATION). CONFIRMATORY TESTING MUST BE
PERFORMED FOR THE FOLLOWING COAST GUARD PERSONNEL VIA THE UNITED
STATES AIR FORCE SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE (USAFSAM)
 A. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL WHO PRESENT TO COAST GUARD CLINICS WITH
ILI AND SEVERE ILLNESS (E.G. PERSISTENT FEVER, RESPIRATORY
DISTRESS, NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION);
 B. COAST GUARD HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL WITH ILI SYMPTOMS AND WHO
HAVE DIRECT PATIENT CONTACT;
 C. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL WITH ILI SYMPTOMS WHO ARE PREPARING TO
DEPLOY AND WHO ARE DEPLOYED (ROUTINE AND EXPEDITIONARY
DEPLOYMENTS).
4. ALSO, MEDICAL OFFICERS MAY USE THEIR DISCRETION TO ORDER
CONFIRMATORY TESTING IF THEY SUSPECT AN ILI OUTBREAK IN THEIR AOR.
5. PROVIDERS SHOULD ORDER THE H1N1 LABS IN PGUI CHCS, UNDER FLU.
THE COMPLETE NAME OF THE TEST IS RESPIRATORY VIRAL PANEL(EPI).
GUIDANCE REGARDING LAB ORDERING AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS CAN
BE FOUND AT THE CG-1121 OPERATIONAL MEDICINE WEBSITE AT -
HTTPWWW.USCG.MILHQCG1CG112CG1121. SELECT PREVENTIVE
MEDICINE AND THEN SELECT DISEASE SURVEILLANCE.
6. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL WHO ARE NOT ASSIGNED TO A COAST GUARD
CLINIC SHOULD BE TESTED FOR NOVEL H1N1 INFLUENZA BY THEIR CIVILIAN
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BASED ON LOCAL AND STATE PUBLIC HEALTH
GUIDANCE.
7. TRAINING CENTER CAPE MAY SHOULD CONTINUE USING THE NAVAL HEALTH
RESEARCH CENTER FOR H1N1 TESTING AS PART OF THE FEBRILE RESPIRATORY
ILLNESS PROGRAM.
8. COAST GUARD SENTINEL SITES MUST CONTINUE SUBMITTING ILI
SPECIMENS TO USAFSAM AS PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED.
9. ALL CONFIRMATORY POSITIVE (VIA RT-PCR) TESTS FOR COAST GUARD
PERSONNEL SHOULD BE ENTERED INTO THE NAVY DISEASE REPORTING SYSTEM
INTERNET (NDRSI) DATABASE. ADDITIONALLY, ALL HOSPITALIZED ILI CASES
SHOULD BE ENTERED INTO NDRSI AS SUSPECTED INFLUENZA CASES.
10. CLINICS MUST REQUEST NASAL WASH KITS FROM USAFSAM. CONTACT MS.
INA SMITH AT (210) 536-5721 OR VIA EMAIL AT INA.SMITH.CTR(AT)
BROOKS.AF.MIL. PLEASE COPY MR. JAMES SMITH AT JAMES.P.SMITH(AT)
BROOKS.AF.MIL WHO IS A SECONDARY CONTACT AND CAN BE REACHED AT
(210) 536-1821.
11. FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MESSAGE AND OTHER H1N1 INFLUENZA
POLICY QUESTIONS CONTACT CDR ERICA SCHWARTZ AT COMMANDANT
(CG-1121), ERICA.G.SCHWARTZ(AT)USCG.MIL OR (202) 475-5172. FOR
OPERATIONAL MEDICINE QUESTIONS, CONTACT HSWL SUPACT-CAPT MARIO
FAJARDO AT MARIO.E.FAJARDO(AT)USCG.MIL OR (510) 637-1225 OR CDR
JEFFREY SALVON-HARMAN AT JEFFREY.C.SALVONHARMAN(AT)USCG.MIL OR
(757) 628-4331.
12. CAPT MICHAEL J. BOQUARD, CHIEF, OFFICE OF HEALTH SERVICES SENDS
13. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.