Because of its peculiar epidemiology, influenza requires adequate surveillance in order to collect scientifically correct data on its activity through the population of a specific geographic area. During the 1999-2000 influenza season, a network of clinical, epidemiological and virological surveillance has been created in the Area of Lecce within a national program (InfluNet). According to the protocol, a network of physicians had to survey a sample equivalent to 1% of the entire population. Each physician has recorded each week the number of patients with influenza infection (ILI) or other acute febrile respiratory infection (ARI), pointing out if patients had,or had not, received influenza vaccine. In parallel with the clinical and epidemiological surveillance, a virological surveillance has been carried out on a relatively small number of biological specimens derived from patients meeting the ILI criteria. The components of influenza viruses, if present, were isolated and/or identified. The vaccination coverage has increased in the last two years, in particular, as expected, among the elderly (> 64 years) and people in the high-risk groups. The epidemiological surveillance carried out in the Area of Lecce has shown that most cases occurred in children, among people aged 15-64 years, and among non-vaccinated people. These data suggest indirectly the vaccination of high-risk population to reduce influenza-related morbidity. Finally, the virological surveillance has confirmed that during the 1999-2000 influenza season most cases were caused by A/H3N2 virus.
Epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza in the area of Lecce
GABUTTI, Giovanni;
2000
Abstract
Because of its peculiar epidemiology, influenza requires adequate surveillance in order to collect scientifically correct data on its activity through the population of a specific geographic area. During the 1999-2000 influenza season, a network of clinical, epidemiological and virological surveillance has been created in the Area of Lecce within a national program (InfluNet). According to the protocol, a network of physicians had to survey a sample equivalent to 1% of the entire population. Each physician has recorded each week the number of patients with influenza infection (ILI) or other acute febrile respiratory infection (ARI), pointing out if patients had,or had not, received influenza vaccine. In parallel with the clinical and epidemiological surveillance, a virological surveillance has been carried out on a relatively small number of biological specimens derived from patients meeting the ILI criteria. The components of influenza viruses, if present, were isolated and/or identified. The vaccination coverage has increased in the last two years, in particular, as expected, among the elderly (> 64 years) and people in the high-risk groups. The epidemiological surveillance carried out in the Area of Lecce has shown that most cases occurred in children, among people aged 15-64 years, and among non-vaccinated people. These data suggest indirectly the vaccination of high-risk population to reduce influenza-related morbidity. Finally, the virological surveillance has confirmed that during the 1999-2000 influenza season most cases were caused by A/H3N2 virus.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
