[Disease outbreak monitoring system based on ambulance transport data].
BACKGROUND
Disease outbreak monitoring is relevant not only for naturally occurring diseases but also for detecting a biological terror event. Surveillance systems are already operational in Denmark, but none of these has the high update frequencies necessary for early warning, and the majority monitor specific infectious diseases.


METHODS
An early-warning system for detection of disease outbreaks in Denmark based on ambulance transport frequency was developed and tested employing a biological outbreak scenario.


RESULTS
The system, termed "Bioalarm", demonstrated an ability to adapt to minor statistical variations due to, e.g., mild influenza epidemics and at the same time to elicit an early warning in the event of a outbreak consistent with a bioterrorist attack.


CONCLUSIONS
Bioalarm not only is relevant for early warning of a disease outbreak as a result of a biological attack but also facilitates early detection of naturally occurring outbreaks.
Bork
Kristian Hveysel
KH
Statens Serum Institut, Center for Biologisk Beredskab og Biostatistisk Afdeling, og Falck, Falckhuset i København, København S. khb@ssi.dk
Klein
Bjarke Mirner
BM
Pedersen
Ulrik Bo
UB
Trautner
Sven
S
Heegaard
Erik Deichmann
ED
D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004631:Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*