What’s in the web for family physicians — paediatric infections

Alfred KY Tang 鄧權恩

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/infectiousdiseases.cfm

The Journal of AAP is a good resource of pediatric literature, and access is free. The journal offers user-friendly parent-oriented information as well as resources on various topics of paediatric infectious diseases. The newsletter provides resources, alerts and updates, and information regarding immunizations. AAP section on Infectious Diseases (SOID) is dedicated to developing ideas and educational forums on care of children impacted by infectious diseases. The section offers many CME materials on immunization, influenza control and vaccinations, updates on pertussis and rotavirus vaccine.

IDCareLive
http://www.idcarelive.com/

The website brings together a physical medical conference, live keynote presentation, lectures, peer netoworking and even the exhibit floor, to the convenience of the physician sitting in front of the computer. The content of the conference can be any topic in the field of infectious disease. Some of the current titles inlcude, ‘New developments and Controverises in Influenza’; ‘Community Acquired MRSA: Insight into Diagnosis and Management’;‘HIV/AIDS: Common Challenges in Antiretroviral Therapy’; ‘Controlling Hospital Acquired Infections: A Comprehensive Approach’; ‘Adult Immunization: Current Guidelines and Emerging Best Practices’; and‘New Antibiotics: What Does the Future Hold?’

World Health Organization (WHO)
http://www.who.int/immunization/en/

The section on immunization is well developed and established at the WHO website. There are abundant parent information, numerous publications on different technical details - often available in different languages, and information on the scarlet fever outbreak in Hong Kong last summer was also covered in an article under the section ‘health topics’ http://www.wpro.who.int/health_topics/scarlet_fever/ .

Paediatric Supersite
http://www.pediatricsupersite.com/

An online source of clinical aediatric news and home site of the publications ‘Paediatric Infectious Disease’ and ‘Paediatric Rounds’. Registration is required to access the site, but the process is free. CME information is available at the website including a library of webcast lectures (audio over slides) covering various topics in paediatric infectious disease ranging from influenza to immunization.

National Health Services (NHS), United Kingdoms
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm

The website has extensive coverage on resources on public health for health care professionals. Publications, booklets, bulletins for professionals are available. The 1996 edition of the Green Book has been posted on the DH website as an historic record of immunization advice at that time. All documents are available to download in Portable Document Format (PDF).

Centers for Disease Control and revention(CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

Page on Vaccine and Immunization of the CDC website has good coverage of the subject. Apart from the expectedly extensive information for practitioners on all aspects of vaccination (including epidemiology), this website houses the best parentoriented information available. Topics include: immunization schedule, vaccines in USA, basic and common questions, vaccine side effects and safety. Vaccine and preventable diseases. The website also offer a link to two main publications – the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and the Emerging Infectious Disease Journal (both full text without subscription).

National Centre for Infectious Diseases – Infectious Disease Guidelines
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/guidelines/guidelines_topic.htm

The site contains a large collection of evidence based guidelines related to Paediatric Infectious Disease. Many guideline originate from articles published in journals such as paediatrics, Annals of Internal Medicine and Mortality Morbidity Weekly Report. Current topics include: antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance, bacterial infections, diarrhoeal disease,infection control, opportunistic infections, vaccination and viral infections. All documents of the website are made available to all visitors.