Surveillance for laboratory-confirmed, influenza-associated hospitalizations--Colorado, 2004-05 influenza season.
The number of annual hospitalizations for influenza and pneumonia associated with influenza viruses in the United States is estimated at 95,000; however, no state-based or national surveillance system exists to monitor these events in all age groups, and population-based numbers of laboratory-confirmed, influenza hospitalizations are unknown. Certain existing surveillance systems provide population-based national estimates of influenza-related hospitalizations based on sampling methodology (i.e., the National Hospital Discharge Survey) or sentinel surveillance; however, these systems are not timely, population-based for all ages, and available at the state level. The Emerging Infections Program (EIP) conducts population-based surveillance for laboratory-confirmed, influenza-related hospitalizations of persons aged <18 years in 11 metropolitan areas, and the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) provides population-based estimates of laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalization rates among children aged <5 years who were prospectively enrolled and tested for influenza in three sentinel counties. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that states develop strategies to monitor influenza-related hospitalizations. This report describes a surveillance system for laboratory-confirmed, influenza-associated hospitalizations in all age groups in Colorado that was implemented for the 2004--05 influenza season. The findings indicate that implementation of statewide, population-based surveillance for influenza-associated hospitalizations is feasible and useful for assessing the age-specific burden of serious influenza-associated morbidity and the relative severity of influenza seasons.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012621:Seasons