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Vos B, Debouverie L, Doggen K, Delvaux N, Aertgeerts B, De Schreye R, Vaes B. Monitoring COVID-19 in Belgian general practice: A tool for syndromic surveillance based on electronic health records. Eur J Gen Pract 2024; 30:2293699. [PMID: 38186340 PMCID: PMC10776082 DOI: 10.1080/13814788.2023.2293699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 may initially manifest as flu-like symptoms. As such, general practitioners (GPs) will likely to play an important role in monitoring the pandemic through syndromic surveillance. OBJECTIVES To present a COVID-19 syndromic surveillance tool in Belgian general practices. METHODS We performed a nationwide observational prospective study in Belgian general practices. The surveillance tool extracted the daily entries of diagnostic codes for COVID-19 and associated conditions (suspected or confirmed COVID-19, acute respiratory infection and influenza-like illness) from electronic medical records. We calculated the 7-day rolling average for these diagnoses and compared them with data from two other Belgian population-based sources (laboratory-confirmed new COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions for COVID-19), using time series analysis. We also collected data from users and stakeholders about the syndromic surveillance tool and performed a thematic analysis. RESULTS 4773 out of 11,935 practising GPs in Belgium participated in the study. The curve of contacts for suspected COVID-19 followed a similar trend compared with the curves of the official data sources: laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions but with a 10-day delay for the latter. Data were quickly available and useful for decision making, but some technical and methodological components can be improved, such as a greater standardisation between EMR software developers. CONCLUSION The syndromic surveillance tool for COVID-19 in primary care provides rapidly available data useful in all phases of the COVID-19 pandemic to support data-driven decision-making. Potential enhancements were identified for a prospective surveillance tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bénédicte Vos
- Health Services Research, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Kris Doggen
- Health Services Research, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Delvaux
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Aertgeerts
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Bert Vaes
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Evans JMM, Young JJ, Mutch H, Blunsum A, Quinn J, Lowe DJ, Ho A, Marsh K, Mokogwu D. Implementation and evaluation of a SARI surveillance system in a tertiary hospital in Scotland in 2021/2022. Public Health 2024; 232:114-120. [PMID: 38772199 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2024.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To set up and evaluate a new surveillance system for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in Scotland. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study and evaluation of surveillance system. METHODS The SARI case definition comprised patients aged 16 years or over with an acute respiratory illness presentation requiring testing for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 and hospital admission. Data were collected from SARI cases by research nurses in one tertiary teaching hospital using a bespoke data collection tool from November 2021 to May 2022. Descriptive analyses of SARI cases were carried out. The following attributes of the surveillance system were evaluated according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines: stability, data quality, timeliness, positive predictive value, representativeness, simplicity, acceptability and flexibility. RESULTS The final surveillance dataset comprised 1163 records, with cases peaking in ISO week 50 (week ending 19/12/2021). The system produced a stable stream of surveillance data, with the proportion of SARI records with sufficient information for effective surveillance increasing from 65.4% during the first month to 87.0% over time. Similarly, the proportion where data collection was completed promptly was low initially, but increased to 50%-65% during later periods. CONCLUSION SARI surveillance was successfully established in one hospital, but for a national system, additional sentinel hospital sites across Scotland, with flexibility to ensure consistently high data completeness and timeliness are needed. Data collection should be automated where possible, and demands on clinicians minimised. SARI surveillance should be embedded and resourced as part of a national respiratory surveillance strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M M Evans
- Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
| | - J J Young
- Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - H Mutch
- Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - A Blunsum
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - J Quinn
- Emergency Department, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - D J Lowe
- Emergency Department, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom; School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - A Ho
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - K Marsh
- Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - D Mokogwu
- Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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3
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Gu X, Watson C, Agrawal U, Whitaker H, Elson WH, Anand S, Borrow R, Buckingham A, Button E, Curtis L, Dunn D, Elliot AJ, Ferreira F, Goudie R, Hoang U, Hoschler K, Jamie G, Kar D, Kele B, Leston M, Linley E, Macartney J, Marsden GL, Okusi C, Parvizi O, Quinot C, Sebastianpillai P, Sexton V, Smith G, Suli T, Thomas NPB, Thompson C, Todkill D, Wimalaratna R, Inada-Kim M, Andrews N, Tzortziou-Brown V, Byford R, Zambon M, Lopez-Bernal J, de Lusignan S. Postpandemic Sentinel Surveillance of Respiratory Diseases in the Context of the World Health Organization Mosaic Framework: Protocol for a Development and Evaluation Study Involving the English Primary Care Network 2023-2024. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e52047. [PMID: 38569175 PMCID: PMC11024753 DOI: 10.2196/52047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prepandemic sentinel surveillance focused on improved management of winter pressures, with influenza-like illness (ILI) being the key clinical indicator. The World Health Organization (WHO) global standards for influenza surveillance include monitoring acute respiratory infection (ARI) and ILI. The WHO's mosaic framework recommends that the surveillance strategies of countries include the virological monitoring of respiratory viruses with pandemic potential such as influenza. The Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioner Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has provided sentinel surveillance since 1967, including virology since 1993. OBJECTIVE We aim to describe the RSC's plans for sentinel surveillance in the 2023-2024 season and evaluate these plans against the WHO mosaic framework. METHODS Our approach, which includes patient and public involvement, contributes to surveillance objectives across all 3 domains of the mosaic framework. We will generate an ARI phenotype to enable reporting of this indicator in addition to ILI. These data will support UKHSA's sentinel surveillance, including vaccine effectiveness and burden of disease studies. The panel of virology tests analyzed in UKHSA's reference laboratory will remain unchanged, with additional plans for point-of-care testing, pneumococcus testing, and asymptomatic screening. Our sampling framework for serological surveillance will provide greater representativeness and more samples from younger people. We will create a biomedical resource that enables linkage between clinical data held in the RSC and virology data, including sequencing data, held by the UKHSA. We describe the governance framework for the RSC. RESULTS We are co-designing our communication about data sharing and sampling, contextualized by the mosaic framework, with national and general practice patient and public involvement groups. We present our ARI digital phenotype and the key data RSC network members are requested to include in computerized medical records. We will share data with the UKHSA to report vaccine effectiveness for COVID-19 and influenza, assess the disease burden of respiratory syncytial virus, and perform syndromic surveillance. Virological surveillance will include COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and other common respiratory viruses. We plan to pilot point-of-care testing for group A streptococcus, urine tests for pneumococcus, and asymptomatic testing. We will integrate test requests and results with the laboratory-computerized medical record system. A biomedical resource will enable research linking clinical data to virology data. The legal basis for the RSC's pseudonymized data extract is The Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002, and all nonsurveillance uses require research ethics approval. CONCLUSIONS The RSC extended its surveillance activities to meet more but not all of the mosaic framework's objectives. We have introduced an ARI indicator. We seek to expand our surveillance scope and could do more around transmissibility and the benefits and risks of nonvaccine therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinchun Gu
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Conall Watson
- Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Utkarsh Agrawal
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Whitaker
- Statistics, Modelling and Economics Department, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - William H Elson
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sneha Anand
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ray Borrow
- Vaccine Evaluation Unit, UK Health Security Agency, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Elizabeth Button
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lottie Curtis
- Royal College of General Practitioners, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic Dunn
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alex J Elliot
- Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Filipa Ferreira
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalind Goudie
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Uy Hoang
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Katja Hoschler
- Respiratory Virus Unit, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin Jamie
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Debasish Kar
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrix Kele
- Respiratory Virus Unit, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Meredith Leston
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ezra Linley
- Vaccine Evaluation Unit, UK Health Security Agency, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Macartney
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gemma L Marsden
- Royal College of General Practitioners, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cecilia Okusi
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Omid Parvizi
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Respiratory Virus Unit, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Quinot
- Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Vanashree Sexton
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian Smith
- Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Timea Suli
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Catherine Thompson
- Respiratory Virus Unit, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Todkill
- Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rashmi Wimalaratna
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nick Andrews
- Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rachel Byford
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Zambon
- Virus Reference Department, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie Lopez-Bernal
- Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon de Lusignan
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Tur-Sinai A, Bentur N, Fabbietti P, Lamura G. Comparing the cross-national impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care received by community-dwelling older adults in 2020 and 2021: restoring formal home care versus polarizing informal care? Eur J Ageing 2024; 21:6. [PMID: 38265532 PMCID: PMC10808427 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00800-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the supply of formal and informal home care to older adults in many countries across the world. This study aims to compare the initial picture of how the supply of formal and informal home care to older adults in European countries and Israel changed during the first pandemic year (from mid-2020 to mid-2021) and to examine the changes that these countries made in the provision of adequate care to older adults. Using data from the two COVID-19 waves of SHARE, we show that the provision of formal home care services improved in the investigated period, as in 2021 the share of those who reported difficulties in receiving formal home care dropped significantly compared to the previous year. By contrast, informal care provision patterns experienced a growing polarization, with some countries continuing in reporting a strong support from this source, and others moving towards a remarkable reduction in the help coming from informal networks. These findings can serve as a basis for the development of evidence-based recommendations that can inform future care policies at the national level and to implement more sustainable models for older adults living in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviad Tur-Sinai
- Department of Health Systems Management, The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, 1930600 , Yezreel Valley, Israel
- School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642-8404, USA
| | - Netta Bentur
- The Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Paolo Fabbietti
- INRCA IRCCS-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Unit of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology, 60124, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Lamura
- INRCA IRCCS-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, 60124, Ancona, Italy
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de Lusignan S, Hobbs FR, Sheikh A. Lessons from the English primary care sentinel network's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 24:14-16. [PMID: 38040007 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00736-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon de Lusignan
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6ED, UK.
| | - Fd Richard Hobbs
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6ED, UK
| | - Aziz Sheikh
- Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Linares M, Larregola LS, de Yébenes PGG, Galilea JS. Primary care during COVID-19 pandemic - a survey to establish clinical needs and lessons learned in infectious respiratory diseases in Spain. BMC PRIMARY CARE 2023; 24:202. [PMID: 37789255 PMCID: PMC10546758 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-023-02160-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps and areas of need in health care systems. General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in the response to COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases (e.g., influenza). Knowing the current flow of these patients and the real needs of GPs is necessary to implement new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. We sought to learn about the flow of COVID-19 and flu patients in Spanish primary health centers and understand the training needs in both the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. METHODS A total of 451 regionally representative GPs completed an online survey between January and February 2022. RESULTS Most of the GPs had available infection containment measures (79%) and access to point-of-care (POC) rapid diagnostic testing (81%) in their centers. The availability of on-the-day diagnostic tests for COVID-19 was higher than that for influenza (80% vs. 20%). Most GPs referred 1 of 10 COVID-19 or flu patients with moderate to severe disease to the emergency department (80% and 90%, respectively). Training/knowledge was considered good regarding diagnostic tests and vaccines (85%) but null or low regarding antivirals (60%) and monoclonal antibodies (80%). CONCLUSIONS This survey identified the conditions of Spanish GPs in terms of the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 and flu patients. Respondents' comments suggested that quite radical system-level adjustments are needed to allow GPs to capitalize on the potential benefits of POC tests for diagnosis, reduction of referrals, and monitoring of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Linares
- Fundación iO, Calle Ortega y Gasset 60, 1D, Madrid, Spain.
- Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Madrid, Spain.
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Vardavas C, Nikitara K, Aslanoglou K, Lagou I, Marou V, Phalkey R, Leonardi-Bee J, Fernandez E, Vivilaki V, Kamekis A, Symvoulakis E, Noori T, Wuerz A, Suk JE, Deogan C. Social determinants of health and vaccine uptake during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Prev Med Rep 2023; 35:102319. [PMID: 37564118 PMCID: PMC10410576 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Social determinants of health significantly impact population health status. The aim of this systematic review was to examine which social vulnerability factors or determinants of health at the individual or county level affected vaccine uptake within the first phase of the vaccination program. We performed a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published from January 2020 until September 2021 in Medline and Embase (Bagaria et al., 2022) and complemented the review with an assessment of pre-print literature within the same period. We restricted our criteria to studies performed in the EU/UK/EEA/US that report vaccine uptake in the general population as the primary outcome and included various social determinants of health as explanatory variables. This review provides evidence of significant associations between the early phases of vaccination uptake for SARS-CoV-2 and multiple socioeconomic factors including income, poverty, deprivation, race/ethnicity, education and health insurance. The identified associations should be taken into account to increase vaccine uptake in socially vulnerable groups, and to reduce disparities in uptake, in particular within the context of public health preparedness for future pandemics. While further corroboration is needed to explore the generalizability of these findings across the European setting, these results confirm the need to consider vulnerable groups and social determinants of health in the planning and roll-out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination programs and within the context of future respiratory pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantine Vardavas
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Ioanna Lagou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Valia Marou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Revati Phalkey
- Health Centre for Evidence Based Healthcare, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jo Leonardi-Bee
- Health Centre for Evidence Based Healthcare, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Esteve Fernandez
- Tobacco Control Unit, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tobacco Control, Institut Català d'Oncologia-ICO, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
- Tobacco Control Research Group, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de. Ellvitge-IDIBELL, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Campus of Bellvitge, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
- Centre of Biomedical Research Network on Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES de Enfermedaes Respiratorias), Insituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Teymur Noori
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Support, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden
| | - Andrea Wuerz
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Support, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden
| | - Jonathan E. Suk
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Support, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Deogan
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Support, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden
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Mazagatos C, Delgado-Sanz C, Milagro A, Liébana-Rodríguez M, Larrauri A. Impact of Influenza Vaccination on the Burden of Severe Influenza in the Elderly: Spain, 2017-2020. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1110. [PMID: 37376499 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11061110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Annual influenza vaccination is the main strategy to reduce the burden of seasonal influenza epidemics and is recommended for the elderly in most countries with influenza vaccination strategies, with the main objective of preventing hospitalizations and mortality associated with seasonal influenza in this age group. Studies from different countries have estimated the benefits of seasonal influenza vaccination programs in the elderly, preventing a considerable number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths every year. A study measured the number of medically attended confirmed influenza cases in primary care that are prevented annually by vaccination in the population aged 65 and older in Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal, but estimates of the impact of the national influenza vaccination program in the prevention of severe disease in Spain are lacking. The two objectives of this study were to estimate the burden of severe influenza disease in the Spanish population and to measure the impact of influenza vaccination in the prevention of these outcomes in the population aged 65 years and older. Using influenza surveillance systems put in place before the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a retrospective observational study to estimate the burden of hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Spain between 2017-18 and 2019-20, by season and age group. Burden estimates for the 65+ group, combined with vaccine effectiveness (VE) and vaccination coverage (VC) data, were used as input data in an ecological, observational study to estimate the impact of the influenza vaccination program on the elderly. We found a higher burden of severe influenza disease in seasons 2017-18 and 2018-19, with A(H3N2) circulation, and in the youngest and oldest age groups. In those aged 65 and older, we estimated an average of 9900 influenza hospitalizations and 1541 ICU admissions averted by vaccination each year. Seasonal influenza vaccination was able to prevent between 11 and 26% influenza hospitalizations and around 40% ICU admissions in the elderly in the three pre-pandemic seasons. In conclusion, our study complements previous analyses in the primary care setting in Spain and demonstrates the benefits of the annual influenza vaccination program in the prevention of severe influenza disease in the elderly, even in seasons with moderate VE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Mazagatos
- National Centre of Epidemiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Concepción Delgado-Sanz
- National Centre of Epidemiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Milagro
- Miguel Servet University Hospital, Microbiology, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Health Research Institute Aragón, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - María Liébana-Rodríguez
- Servicio Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain
| | - Amparo Larrauri
- National Centre of Epidemiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Torres AR, Guiomar RG, Verdasca N, Melo A, Rodrigues AP. Resurgence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Children: An Out-of-Season Epidemic in Portugal. ACTA MEDICA PORT 2023; 36:343-352. [PMID: 36705636 DOI: 10.20344/amp.18589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION An out-of-season increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) incidence was observed in Portugal from June 2021 onwards, revealing a continuing surge in cases throughout 2021/2022 autumn/winter. We aimed to describe this out-of-season epidemic and define its epidemic period, by analysing RSV incidence from week 40 of 2020 (2020-W40) to week 18 of 2022 (2022-W18). MATERIAL AND METHODS Surveillance data on weekly RSV laboratory confirmed cases, in Portugal, was used to monitor RSV incidence using CUSUM test methodology for count data. RESULTS In 2021-W23, the CUSUM score identified a significant increase in the risk of RSV. By that time, the percentage of RSV positive tests rose from 1% in 2021-W22 (3/265) to 6% in 2021-W23 (18/298). Despite a sharp decrease in RSV incidence on 2021-W33 and on 2022-W02, the CUSUM score stayed over the limit up to 2022-W07, indicating that the RSV activity remained at an epidemic level. Distinct peaks of RSV cases were observed between 2021-W30 and 2021-W32 (average of 77 RSV cases per week) and between 2021-W39 and 2021-W41 (average of 79 RSV cases per week) with positivity rates around 60%. CONCLUSION An out-of-season RSV epidemic was identified, with a longer epidemic period compared with previous seasons. Possible reasons include relaxation of COVID-19 physical distancing measures and a greater proportion of population susceptible to disease. As several factors may change the pattern of RSV activity, countries should implement year-round surveillance RSV surveillance systems. These findings might have an impact on public health planning regarding future RSV surges, namely, on the palivizumab prophylaxis period for high-risk infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Torres
- Departamento de Epidemiologia. Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Raquel Guiomar Guiomar
- Departamento de Doenças Infeciosas. Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Nuno Verdasca
- Departamento de Doenças Infeciosas. Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Aryse Melo
- Departamento de Doenças Infeciosas. Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge. Lisboa. Portugal
| | - Ana Paula Rodrigues
- Departamento de Epidemiologia. Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge. Lisboa. Portugal
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Vega-Alonso T, Lozano-Alonso JE, Ordax-Díez A. Comprehensive surveillance of acute respiratory infections during the COVID-19 pandemic: a methodological approach using sentinel networks, Castilla y León, Spain, January 2020 to May 2022. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2200638. [PMID: 37227298 PMCID: PMC10283458 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.21.2200638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundSince 1996, epidemiological surveillance of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Spain has been limited to seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and potential pandemic viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic provides opportunities to adapt existing systems for extended surveillance to capture a broader range of ARI.AimTo describe how the Influenza Sentinel Surveillance System of Castilla y León, Spain was rapidly adapted in 2020 to comprehensive sentinel surveillance for ARI, including influenza and COVID-19.MethodsUsing principles and methods of the health sentinel network, we integrated electronic medical record data from 68 basic surveillance units, covering 2.6% of the regional population between January 2020 to May 2022. We tested sentinel and non-sentinel samples sent weekly to the laboratory network for SARS-CoV-2, influenza viruses and other respiratory pathogens. The moving epidemic method (MEM) was used to calculate epidemic thresholds.ResultsARI incidence was estimated at 18,942 cases per 100,000 in 2020/21 and 45,223 in 2021/22, with similar seasonal fold increases by type of respiratory disease. Incidence of influenza-like illness was negligible in 2020/21 but a 5-week epidemic was detected by MEM in 2021/22. Epidemic thresholds for ARI and COVID-19 were estimated at 459.4 and 191.3 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. More than 5,000 samples were tested against a panel of respiratory viruses in 2021/22.ConclusionExtracting data from electronic medical records reported by trained professionals, combined with a standardised microbiological information system, is a feasible and useful method to adapt influenza sentinel reports to comprehensive ARI surveillance in the post-COVID-19 era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Vega-Alonso
- Regional Public Health Directorate, Regional Health Ministry, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - Ana Ordax-Díez
- Regional Public Health Directorate, Regional Health Ministry, Valladolid, Spain
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Monitoring COVID-19 and Influenza: The Added Value of a Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance System in Portugal. THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DES MALADIES INFECTIEUSES ET DE LA MICROBIOLOGIE MEDICALE 2023; 2023:6590011. [PMID: 36846348 PMCID: PMC9950323 DOI: 10.1155/2023/6590011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Background Severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) surveillance is recommended to assess the severity of respiratory infections disease. In 2021, the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, in collaboration with two general hospitals, implemented a SARI sentinel surveillance system based on electronic health registries. We describe its application in the 2021/2022 season and compare the evolution of SARI cases with the COVID-19 and influenza activity in two regions of Portugal. Methods The main outcome of interest was the weekly incidence of patients hospitalized due to SARI, reported within the surveillance system. SARI cases were defined as patients containing ICD-10 codes for influenza-like illness, cardiovascular diagnosis, respiratory diagnosis, and respiratory infection in their primary admission diagnosis. Independent variables included weekly COVID-19 and influenza incidence in the North and Lisbon and Tagus Valley regions. Pearson and cross-correlations between SARI cases, COVID-19 incidence and influenza incidence were estimated. Results A high correlation between SARI cases or hospitalizations due to respiratory infection and COVID-19 incidence was obtained (ρ = 0.78 and ρ = 0.82, respectively). SARI cases detected the COVID-19 epidemic peak a week earlier. A weak correlation was observed between SARI and influenza cases (ρ = -0.20). However, if restricted to hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diagnosis, a moderate correlation was observed (ρ = 0.37). Moreover, hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diagnosis detected the increase of influenza epidemic activity a week earlier. Conclusion In the 2021/2022 season, the Portuguese SARI sentinel surveillance system pilot was able to early detect the COVID-19 epidemic peak and the increase of influenza activity. Although cardiovascular manifestations associated with influenza infection are known, more seasons of surveillance are needed, to confirm the potential use of cardiovascular hospitalizations as an indicator of influenza activity.
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Maeder M, Auderset D, Borel B, Masserey E, Schwarz J, Mueller Y. Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study. Int J Public Health 2023; 67:1605361. [PMID: 36726524 PMCID: PMC9884669 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1605361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: During the COVID pandemic, data collected in family medicine were scarce. The COVID-FM project aimed to monitor trends of COVID-related activity in family medicine practices of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, during the year 2021. Methods: Practitioners were invited to join an ad hoc sentinel surveillance system. Online data collection was based on daily activity reports and monthly questionnaires. Participants categorized daily counts of consultations and phone calls into predefined categories. Data were reported and discussed on a weekly basis with public health authorities. Results: On the target of 50 physicians, 37 general physicians from 32 practices finally constituted the COVID-FM sentinel network, contributing to 901 practice-weeks of surveillance in family medicine and 604 in paediatrics. In paediatrics, COVID-related activity corresponded mostly to COVID-19 diagnostic consultations (2911/25990 face-to-face consultations = 11.2%) while in family medicine, other COVID-related topics-such as questions on vaccination-predominated (4143/42221 = 9.8%). Conclusion: COVID-related consultations constituted an important part of primary care practices' activity in 2021. Monitoring COVID-related activity in primary care provided health authorities with valuable information to guide public health action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel Maeder
- Department of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Diane Auderset
- Department of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Joëlle Schwarz
- Department of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yolanda Mueller
- Department of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland,*Correspondence: Yolanda Mueller,
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Using the rear-view mirror to look forward. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:220112e. [PMID: 36695481 PMCID: PMC9837852 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.2.220112e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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Agamennone M, Fantacuzzi M, Vivenzio G, Scala MC, Campiglia P, Superti F, Sala M. Antiviral Peptides as Anti-Influenza Agents. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:11433. [PMID: 36232735 PMCID: PMC9569631 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza viruses represent a leading cause of high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Approaches for fighting flu are seasonal vaccines and some antiviral drugs. The development of the seasonal flu vaccine requires a great deal of effort, as careful studies are needed to select the strains to be included in each year's vaccine. Antiviral drugs available against Influenza virus infections have certain limitations due to the increased resistance rate and negative side effects. The highly mutative nature of these viruses leads to the emergence of new antigenic variants, against which the urgent development of new approaches for antiviral therapy is needed. Among these approaches, one of the emerging new fields of "peptide-based therapies" against Influenza viruses is being explored and looks promising. This review describes the recent findings on the antiviral activity, mechanism of action and therapeutic capability of antiviral peptides that bind HA, NA, PB1, and M2 as a means of countering Influenza virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Agamennone
- Department of Pharmacy, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Marialuigia Fantacuzzi
- Department of Pharmacy, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Giovanni Vivenzio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Maria Carmina Scala
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Fabiana Superti
- National Centre for Innovative Technologies in Public Health, National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Sala
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
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