Emerg Infect DisEIDEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-6059Centers for Disease Control and Prevention268293008-066910.3201/eid1503.080669Another DimensionFantastic Voyage: InfluenzaFantastic Voyage: InfluenzaTangJulian W.National University Hospital, SingaporeAddress for correspondence: Julian W. Tang, Division of Microbiology/Molecular Diagnostic Centre, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119074; email: jwtang49@hotmail.com32009153512512Keywords: influenzanosocomialairborneaerosolinfectioncancerinfection controlnegative pressureanother dimensionTime to go! Time to go!An influenza virus,Hiding in saliva, buried in a cell,Antibodies and T-cells are coming.Get out! But how?Induce a sneeze? Kick-start a cough?Ah yes, here we go …Aahhh-choo! Freedom at last!Where are we?A quick look aroundA hospital? I see children,Very thin, sick children,Must be the cancer ward.No B cells or T cells—a virus paradise!Let’s travel, find a breeze and float.Where’s my next victim?My previous young doctor hostWalking quickly awayHead down, embarrassedScolded by a nurse—where was his mask?Too busy and careless, poor foolHe still serves me well, dragging me into his wake.Here I go, following and floatingA door nearby opens—negative pressure!In I go, but on a cancer ward,This should be positive pressure!To keep bugs out, not draw them in.I cannot complainAll good for me, for now I can seeA young girl with leukemiaSitting in bed, watching TVLaughing, inhaling, bringing me close.But wait, what’s this? Her mother!Opening the toilet door,Even greater negative pressure in there.And worse, wet surfaces glistening inside,Cleaned by her mother with chlorhexidine.No! Not yet! Not now! I’m so close!Being pulled in. No escape. Falling, falling …The young girl is laughing. Now her mother is too.

Suggested citation for this article: Tang JT. Fantastic voyage: influenza [another dimension]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the internet]. 2009 Mar [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/15/3/512.htm

Dr Tang is a clinical and academic virologist with a special interest in aerosol-transmitted viral infections, particularly influenza. His research interests include viral molecular epidemiology and investigations into the factors involved in the aerosol transmission of viral infections.