Improving ILI Surveillance using Hospital Staff Influenza-like Absence (ILA)

Authors

  • Lydia Drumright Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Simon Frost University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Mike Catchpole Centre for Infections, Health Protection Agency, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  • John Harrison Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Mark Atkins Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Penny Parker Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Alex J. Elliot Health Protection Agency Syndromic Surveillance Team, Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Douglas M. Fleming Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre, Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Alison H. Holmes Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UNITED KINGDOM|A.H. Holmes, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UNITED KINGDOM

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v5i1.4415

Abstract

Estimates of influenza based on influenza like illness (ILI) may not capture the full spectrum of illness or result in early warning. We tested a syndromic surveillance method using hospital staff influenza like absence (ILA) to potentially enhance ILI. Rates of ILA were compared to regional surveillance data on ILI and confirmed positive influenza A test results (PITR) in hospitalised patients. ILA demonstrated accurate seasonal trends in influenza as defined by ILI, but provided more realistic estimates of the relative burden of pH1N1, and potentially earlier warning than ILI and PITR, which is likely to improve accuracy of influenza monitoring.

Author Biography

Lydia Drumright, Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UNITED KINGDOM

Dr. Lydia Drumright, a lecturer in infectious diseases and epidemiology in the Centre for Infection Prevention and Management at Imperial College London, has worked on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases or over 15 years, including HIV, TB, HCV, influenza, norovirus, STIs, and HCAIs. Currently, she is examining NHS healthcare settings to understand disease transmission dynamics and develop models for predicting adverse patient events and methods for early detection of such problems.

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Published

2013-03-23

How to Cite

Drumright, L., Frost, S., Catchpole, M., Harrison, J., Atkins, M., Parker, P., … Holmes, A. H. (2013). Improving ILI Surveillance using Hospital Staff Influenza-like Absence (ILA). Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v5i1.4415

Issue

Section

Poster Presentations