title: Implementing hospital-based surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections caused by influenza and other respiratory pathogens in New Zealand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent experience with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 highlighted the importance of global surveillance for severe respiratory disease to support pandemic preparedness and seasonal influenza control. Improved surveillance in the southern hemisphere is needed to provide critical data on influenza epidemiology, disease burden, circulating strains and effectiveness of influenza prevention and control measures. Hospital-based surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases was established in New Zealand on 30 April 2012. The aims were to measure incidence, prevalence, risk factors, clinical spectrum and outcomes for SARI and associated influenza and other respiratory pathogen cases as well as to understand influenza contribution to patients not meeting SARI case definition.
  
  
  METHODS
  All inpatients with suspected respiratory infections who were admitted overnight to the study hospitals were screened daily. If a patient met the World Health Organization's SARI case definition, a respiratory specimen was tested for influenza and other respiratory pathogens. A case report form captured demographics, history of presenting illness, co-morbidities, disease course and outcome and risk factors. These data were supplemented from electronic clinical records and other linked data sources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hospital-based SARI surveillance has been implemented and is fully functioning in New Zealand. Active, prospective, continuous, hospital-based SARI surveillance is useful in supporting pandemic preparedness for emerging influenza A(H7N9) virus infections and seasonal influenza prevention and control.
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Q Sue
authors: QS
authors: Huang
authors: University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Baker
authors: Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Colin
authors: C
authors: McArthur
authors: Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Sally
authors: S
authors: Roberts
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand . ; Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand . ; University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Williamson
authors: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Cameron
authors: C
authors: Grant
authors: Counties Manakau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Trenholme
authors: Counties Manakau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Conroy
authors: C
authors: Wong
authors: Counties Manakau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Taylor
authors: Counties Manakau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Lyndsay
authors: L
authors: LeComte
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Graham
authors: G
authors: Mackereth
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Don
authors: D
authors: Bandaranayake
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Wood
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Ange
authors: A
authors: Bissielo
authors: Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Seeds
authors: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand .
authors: Nikki
authors: N
authors: Turner
authors: University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand .
authors: Nevil
authors: N
authors: Pierse
authors: WHO Collaborating Centre, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States of America .
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Thomas
authors: WHO Collaborating Centre, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States of America .
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Webby
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, United States of America .
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Gross
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, United States of America .
authors: Jazmin
authors: J
authors: Duque
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, United States of America .
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Thompson
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, United States of America .
authors: Marc-Alain
authors: MA
authors: Widdowson
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D058872:Epidemics; D006760:Hospitalization; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D064766:Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index