title: An early warning system based on syndromic surveillance to detect potential health emergencies among migrants: results of a two-year experience in Italy.
abstract: Profound geopolitical changes have impacted the southern and eastern Mediterranean since 2010 and defined a context of instability that is still affecting several countries today. Insecurity combined with the reduction of border controls has led to major population movements in the region and to migration surges from affected countries to southern Europe, especially to Italy. To respond to the humanitarian emergency triggered by this migration surge, Italy implemented a syndromic surveillance system in order to rapidly detect potential public health emergencies in immigrant reception centres. This system was discontinued after two years. This paper presents the results of this experience detailing its strengths and weaknesses in order to document the applicability and usefulness of syndromic surveillance in this specific context.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. christian.napoli@iss.it.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. flavia.riccardo@iss.it.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Riccardo
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. silvia.declich@iss.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Declich
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. mariagrazia.dente@iss.it.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Dente
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Communication, Ministry of Health, Via Ribotta, 5-00144 Rome, Italy. m.pompa@sanita.it.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pompa
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. caterina.rizzo@iss.it.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. rota@iss.it.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rota
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. antonino.bella@iss.it.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bella
mesh_terms: D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D014171:Transients and Migrants