The high rate of prevalent AE found suggests that PS may represent an important public-health issue in the participating hospitals. While new studies may be needed to confirm these results, these may already be useful to inspire new PS-improvement policies in those settings.

The incidence of patients with AE related to medical assistance in Spanish hospitals was relevant and similar to those found in the studies from Canada and New Zealand that had been conducted with comparable methodology. Patient vulnerability has been identified therein as playing a major role in generating healthcare-related AEs. These and other recent results indicate the need for AEs to be considered a public health priority in Europe.

Waning of vaccine protection was observed among individuals aged 65years old or over in two A(H3N2)-dominant influenza seasons.

BackgroundInfluenza is a global public health problem. However, severe influenza only recently has been addressed in routine surveillance.ObjectivesThe Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network (GIHSN) was established to study the epidemiology of severe influenza in consecutive seasons in different countries. Our objective is to describe the GIHSN approach and methods.MethodsThe GIHSN uses prospective active surveillance to identify consecutive influenza admissions in permanent residents of well-defined geographic areas in sites around the world. A core common protocol is followed. After consent, data are collected on patient characteristics and clinical outcomes, respiratory swabs are obtained, and the presence of influenza virus and subtype or lineage is ascertained by polymerase chain reaction. Data are collated and analyzed at the GIHSN coordination center.ResultsThe GIHSN has run its activities for two consecutive influenza seasons, 2012–2013 and 2013–2014, and hospitals in Brazil, China, France, Russian Federation, Turkey, and Spain have been involved in one or both seasons. Consistency on the application of the protocol and heterogeneity for the first season have been addressed in two previous publications. During both seasons, 19 677 eligible admissions were recorded; 11 843 (60%) were included and tested, and 2713 (23%) were positive for influenza: 991 (37%) A(H1N1); 807 (30%) A(H3N2); 583 (21%) B/Yamagata; 56 (2%) B/Victoria and 151 (6%) influenza A; and 125 (5%) influenza B were not characterized.ConclusionsThe GIHSN is a platform that provides information on severe influenza worldwide, applying a common core protocol and a consistent case definition.

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