title: Influenza surveillance in Victoria, 2006.
abstract: The Victorian influenza season in 2006 remained within normal seasonal activity thresholds and was relatively mild compared with recent years. The season peaked in mid-August, with influenza-like illness (ILI) rates from general practitioner sentinel surveillance and the Melbourne Medical Locum Service (MMLS), and cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza notified to the Department of Human Services, reaching their zeniths within one week of each other. A total of 74 general practitioners (GPs) participated in the sentinel surveillance in 2006, reporting a total of 136,732 consultations during the surveillance period from May to September inclusive. Participating GPs reported a total of 765 patients with an ILI; an average ILI rate of 5.6 cases per 1,000 consultations. The average ILI rate from the MMLS in the same period was 8.5 cases per 1,000 call-outs. Eighty-two per cent of laboratory-confirmed influenza notifications during the surveillance period were type A; the remainder were type B. Typing indicated circulation of two predominant strains during the season: A/Wisconsin/67/2005(H3N2)-like virus and B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virus. The influenza vaccine for 2006 contained A/New Caledonia/20/ 99(H1N1)-like virus, A/California/7/2004(H3N2)-like virus and B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virus.
authors.affiliation: Communicable Disease Control Unit, Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria. James.Fielding@dhs.vic.gov.au
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: Emma R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Josie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Bronwyn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hawking
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Heath A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014611:Vaccination; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines