Media advisory: Swine flu outbreak experts available

April 27, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The recent swine flu outbreak has led to many questions about public health safety in Florida communities. Currently, there are no reported swine flu cases in Florida.

The swine flu is a type A influenza, of the H1N1 strain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported there is no vaccine to prevent the new swine flu, but some antiflu drugs appear to be effective.

Experts from several different departments in the College of Medicine, the College of Public Health and Health Professions, the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida have worked closely with Alachua County Health Department officials on influenza preparedness and strategies to prevent and contain flu outbreaks should they occur. As a result, there is a communitywide effort under way to develop a free, school-based influenza immunization program, scheduled for implementation this fall in Alachua Country schools. University experts and the Alachua County Health Department will continue to work together to ensure that optimal flu prevention strategies are in place for the community.

The following experts are available to discuss swine flu and flu outbreaks with the media:

J. Glenn Morris, M.D., professor and director of UF Emerging Pathogens Institute
Expertise: emerging diseases/infectious diseases
Office: 352-273-7526; Cell: 352-234-0836
Web: www.epi.ufl.edu

Fred Southwick, M.D., chief of infectious diseases, College of Medicine
Expertise: Infectious diseases
Southwick Lab: 352-392-4058
Email: southfs@medmac.ufl.edu
Web: http://www.medicine.ufl.edu/infecdis/southwick_lab/

Phillip Barkley, M.D., director, UF Student Health Care Center
Expertise: Student health, university preparedness
Office: 352-273-5810

Kenneth Rand, M.D., professor, department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine, College of Medicine
Expertise: Microarrays for viral discovery, biomedical research
Office: 352-265-9919
Email: rand@pathology.ufl.edu
Web: http://www.pathology.ufl.edu/~kenrand/

Lennox Archibald, M.D., hospital epidemiologist for Shands at the University of Florida and adjunct professor of epidemiology, division of epidemiology, College of Medicine
Expertise: Infectious diseases
Phone: 352-273-5810
Web: http://www.medicine.ufl.edu/infecdis/archibald.asp

Paul Gibbs. Ph.D., FRCVS, professor of virology, department of infectious diseases and pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine
Expertise: Epidemiology, emerging viral diseases
Email: pgibbs@ufl.edu
Phone: 352-392-2239
Web: http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/directory/paulgibbs.html

Jean Munden, director, Alachua County Health Department
Expertise: County preparedness; UF community partner
Office: 352-334-7902
Web: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/chdAlachua/index.htm