Automated Laboratory Reporting of Infectious Diseases in a Climate of Bioterrorism

M’ikanatha, Nkuchia M.; Southwell, Brian; Lautenbach, Ebbing

doi:10.3201/eid0909.020486

Cited by 31 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…This study required an enormous effort to collect data which will never be feasible for routine surveillance. Methods for capturing these data could be computer queries to capture positive cases among laboratory results [ 26 , 27 ], and/or active surveillance in the few large-scale facilities where most cases occur.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Completeness of hepatitis, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV/AIDS surveillance in Izmir, Turkey

Durusoy

Karababa

2010

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundAccording to the surveillance system in Turkey, most diseases are notified only by clinicians, without involving laboratory notification. It is assumed that a considerable inadequacy in notifications exists; however, this has not been quantified by any researcher. Our aim was to evaluate the completeness of communicable disease surveillance in the province of Izmir, Turkey for the year of 2003 by means of estimating the incidences of diseases.MethodsData on positive laboratory results for the notifiable and serologically detectable diseases hepatitis A, B, C, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV detected in 2003 in Izmir (population 3.5 million) were collected from serology laboratories according to WHO surveillance standards and compared to the notifications received by the Provincial Health Directorate. Data were checked for duplicates and matched. Incidences were estimated with the capture-recapture method. Sensitivities of both notifications and laboratory data were calculated according to these estimates.ResultsAmong laboratories performing serologic tests (n = 158) in Izmir, 84.2% accepted to participate, from which 23,515 positive results were collected. Following the elimination of duplicate results as well as of cases residing outside of Izmir, the total number was 11,402. The total number of notifications was 1802. Notification rates of cases found in laboratories were 31.6% for hepatitis A, 12.1% for acute hepatitis B, 31.8% for brucellosis, 25.9% for syphilis and 100% for HIV confirmation.ConclusionsIt was discovered that for hepatitis A, B, C, brucellosis and syphilis, there is a considerable under-notification by clinicians and that laboratory data has the potential of contributing greatly to their surveillance. The inclusion of laboratories in the surveillance system of these diseases could help to achieve completeness of reporting.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Completeness of hepatitis, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV/AIDS surveillance in Izmir, Turkey

Durusoy

Karababa

2010

BMC Public Health

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“…But in the public health context, clinician"s responsibility to report a notifiable disease based on clinical diagnosis cannot be replaced by laboratory reporting (48) . Laboratory reporting is also helpful in early detection of communicable disease outbreaks (49) and identifying non-communicable diseases (laboratory-diagnosed) (50) .…”

Section: Electronic Laboratory Reporting System (Elr)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in communicable disease surveillance – a review of literature

Chandrasekar

2012

Sri Lanka J Bio-Medical Informatics

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Background: Electronic reporting of integrated disease surveillance and response (eIDSR) was implemented in two states in NorthEast Nigeria as an innovative strategy to improve disease reporting. Its objectives were to improve the timeliness and completeness of IDSR reporting by health facilities, prompt identi cation of public health events, timely information sharing, and public health action. We evaluated the project to determine whether it met its set objectives. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess and document the lessons learned from the project. We reviewed the performance of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) on rumors identi cation and reporting of IDSR data on the eIDSR and the traditional system using a checklist. Respondents were interviewed online on the relevance; e ciency; sustainability; project progress and effectiveness; effectiveness of management; and potential impact and scalability of the strategy using structured questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed and presented as proportions using an MS Excel spreadsheet. Qualitative data was cleaned, converted into an MS Excel database, and analyzed using Epi Info version 7.2 to obtain frequencies. Responses were also presented as direct quotes or word clouds. Results: The number of health facilities reporting IDSR increased from 103 to 228 (117%) before and after implementation of the eIDSR respectively. The completeness of IDSR reports in the last six months before the evaluation was ≥ 85%. Of the 201 rumors identi ed and veri ed, 161 (80%) were from the eIDSR pilot sites. The majority of the stakeholders interviewed believed that eIDSR met its predetermined objectives for public health surveillance. The bene ts of eIDSR included timely reporting and response to alerts and disease outbreaks, improved completeness, and timeliness of reporting, and supportive supervision to the operational levels. The strategy helped the stakeholders to appreciate their roles in public health surveillance. Conclusion: The eIDSR increased the number of health facilities reporting IDSR, enabled early identi cation, reporting, and veri cation of alerts, improved completeness of reports, and supportive supervision on staff at the operational levels. It was well accepted by the stakeholder as a system that made reporting easy with the potential to improve the public health surveillance system in Nigeria.

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“…Disease detection and notification efforts have changed dramatically since the anthrax mailings of 2001. Automated laboratory reporting via the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) [73] and automated hospital syndromic surveillance reporting [74] to public health agencies in many states and large cities have been implemented. Continuing efforts to strengthen the public health workforce should enable better detection, response, and management of a future bioterrorism crisis [75].…”

Section: Case Review Of the 2001 Anthrax Mailingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discernment between deliberate and natural infectious disease outbreaks

2006

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Public health authorities should be vigilant to the potential for outbreaks deliberately caused by biological agents (bioterrorism). Such events require a rapid response and incorporation of non-traditional partners for disease investigation and outbreak control. The astute application of infectious disease epidemiological principles can promote an enhanced index of suspicion for such events. We discuss epidemiological indicators that should be considered during outbreak investigations, and also examine their application during bioterrorism incidents, an accidental release of an agent, outbreaks of infections that were alleged to have been deliberately initiated, and a model scenario. The Grunow & Finke epidemiological assessment tool is used to examine these historical events and the model scenario. The results received from this analysis, coupled with an understanding of epidemiological clues to unnatural events, and knowledge of how to manage such events, can aid in the improved response and resolution of epidemics.

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Automated Laboratory Reporting of Infectious Diseases in a Climate of Bioterrorism

Cited by 31 publications

References 11 publications

Completeness of hepatitis, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV/AIDS surveillance in Izmir, Turkey

Completeness of hepatitis, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV/AIDS surveillance in Izmir, Turkey

Use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in communicable disease surveillance – a review of literature

Discernment between deliberate and natural infectious disease outbreaks

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