Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Surveillance for Severe Illness and Response, New York, New York, USA, April–July 2009

Abstract

Health departments need the capacity to rapidly expand and modify surveillance during a changing outbreak.

Genetic and clinical assessment of 2009 pandemic influenza in southern China

“…We found that during the pandemic period 17% of overall pH1N1 infected cases were children ( < 12 years). This observation agrees with the published data from China and neighboring countries [7,21] but is in contrast with that of North America where pediatric infections were more prevalent [22,23].…”

Disparities in the Severity of Influenza Illness

“…This association could not be entirely explained by access to care and underlying Disease surveillance in New York City (NYC) during the spring and summer of 2009 revealed an increased risk of hospitalization or death due to novel H1N1 influenza infection (2009 H1N1 influenza) among individuals of low socioeconomic status (SES). 1 Ageadjusted rates of hospitalization for 2009 H1N1 were significantly higher in high-poverty neighborhoods than in low-poverty neighborhoods; approximately half of hospitalized cases lived in low-income areas. 1 However, associations between poverty and severe 2009 H1N1 illness at the individual level were not understood.…”

“…1 Ageadjusted rates of hospitalization for 2009 H1N1 were significantly higher in high-poverty neighborhoods than in low-poverty neighborhoods; approximately half of hospitalized cases lived in low-income areas. 1 However, associations between poverty and severe 2009 H1N1 illness at the individual level were not understood.…”

Evaluation of a Pilot Respiratory Virus Surveillance System Linking Electronic Health Record and Diagnostic Data

“…During the pandemic, DOHMH discouraged diagnostic testing of mild ILI cases within the community and promoted empiric treatment for patients presenting with ILI symptoms. 1 Furthermore, not all participating clinics began diagnostic testing immediately, which potentially contributed to the low testing rate of ILI encounters. During the initial phase of this system's operation, data for 22 specimens were considered incomplete.…”

“…With onset of the 2009 pH1N1 outbreak, DOHMH also implemented enhanced citywide surveillance primarily for severe and hospitalized cases of influenza and ILI. 1 Because multiple respiratory viruses can cocirculate and present as ILI, 2,3 DOHMH collaborated with a network of community health centers, the Institute for Family Health (IFH), to implement a pilot respiratory virus surveillance system in ambulatory settings. This pilot surveillance system was designed to determine which respiratory virus strains were circulating in the community and link clinical and epidemiologic data in ambulatory electronic health records (EHRs) with respiratory virus diagnostic data to better characterize patients presenting with ILI.…”