Is Withholding Vancomycin Peak Level Monitoring in Paediatric Population Safe and Cost Effective?
YL Lau President, Hong Kong Society for Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases We are now facing an emerging influenza pandemic due to the current novel influenza A virus (H1N1) or better known as human swine influenza virus (HSIV) here in Hong Kong, with all the uncertainties that accompany any new infection. The only certainty regarding this HSIV is that it will spread across the whole world in time, while the most worrisome uncertainty for us is whether the case fatality ratio (CFR) is going to be that of Mexico (i.e. 2.0%) or more like that of USA i.e. 0.14%) in Asia, and whether the CFR is going to change for the worse this coming winter. Our response will obviously be different according to the CFR. How well we can minimise the impact of this emerging influenza pandemic will at least in part depend on whether we in Hong Kong have trained adequate medical and health personnel in infectious diseases and immunology. Our young Society is proud to play such a role in organising
