Hospital-based influenza morbidity and mortality surveillance system for influenza-like illnesses: a comparison with national influenza surveillance systems

Yu Bin Seo,Young Duck Cho,Hee Jin Cheong,Hye Won Jeong,Seong-Heon Wie,Joon Young Song,Woo Joo Kim

doi:10.1111/irv.12175

Abstract

The Hospital-based Influenza Morbidity and Mortality (HIMM) surveillance system is an emergency room (ER)-based influenza surveillance system in Korea that was established in 2011. The system was established under the assumption that integrated clinical and virologic surveillance could be performed rapidly and easily at seven tertiary hospitals' ER. Here, we assessed the correlation between data generated from the HIMM surveillance system and the Korean national influenza surveillance systems during the 2011–2012 influenza season using cross-correlation analysis and found strong correlations. Rapid antigen-test-based HIMM surveillance would predict the start of influenza epidemic earlier than pre-existing influenza-like-illness-based surveillance.

Highlights

Public influenza surveillance systems are important for early detection and rapid response to an epidemic
The initial upswing above the influenza-like illness (ILI) baseline occurred at the same time from week 53 in both KISS and Hospital-based Influenza Morbidity and Mortality” (HIMM) ILI surveillance systems
HIMM ILI and HIMM RAT surveillance systems were established under the assumption that effective influenza surveillance could be performed and rapidly at the tertiary hospital emergency room level

Summary

Introduction

Public influenza surveillance systems are important for early detection and rapid response to an epidemic. In 2011, the Trans-government Enterprise of Pandemic Influenza in Korea (TEPIK) developed another hospital-based influenza surveillance system, named “Hospital-based Influenza Morbidity and Mortality” (HIMM). The HIMM consists of an integrated clinical and laboratory surveillance system, in which seven nationwide tertiary teaching hospitals collect data of patients who visit the emergency room with ILI. This system aims to monitor influenza activity and influenza severity, such as hospitalization, complication and mortality, which cannot be reflected by national surveillance systems. The objective of this study was to compare the surveillance data of HIMM with KISS and KINRESS in its first year of operation during the 2011–2012 influenza season

Objectives

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Conclusion