title: Influenza epidemiology in patients admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2015: the Influenza Complications Alert Network.
abstract: The Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN) is a sentinel hospital-based surveillance program that operates at sites in all states and territories in Australia. This report summarises the epidemiology of hospitalisations with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2015 influenza season. In this observational study, cases were defined as patients admitted to one of the sentinel hospitals with an acute respiratory illness with influenza confirmed by nucleic acid detection. During the period 1 April to 30 October 2015 (the 2015 influenza season), 2,070 patients were admitted with confirmed influenza to one of 17 FluCAN sentinel hospitals. Of these, 46% were elderly (≥ 65 years), 15% were children (< 16 years), 5% were Indigenous Australians, 2.1% were pregnant and 75% had chronic co-morbidities. A high proportion were due to influenza B (51%). There were a large number of hospital admissions detected with confirmed influenza in this national observational surveillance system in 2015 with case numbers similar to that reported in 2014. The national immunisation program is estimated to avert 46% of admissions from confirmed influenza across all at-risk groups, but more complete vaccination coverage in target groups could further reduce influenza admissions by as much as 14%.
authors.affiliation: Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: Allen C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.affiliation: University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Dominic E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.affiliation: Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: Louis B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Irving
authors.affiliation: Monash Infectious Diseases, Monash Medical Centre; Monash University, Clayton, Victoria.
authors.forename: Tony M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Korman
authors.affiliation: Australian National University, The Canberra Hospital, Garran, Australian Capital Territory.
authors.forename: Sanjaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senenayake
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Kristine K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Macartney
authors.affiliation: Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Western Australia, Telethon Kids Institute, West Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Blyth
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waterer
authors.affiliation: University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hewer
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Geelong, Victoria.
authors.forename: N Deborah
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wark
authors.affiliation: Cairns Base Hospital, Queensland.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Upham
authors.affiliation: Mater Hospitals, Brisbane, Queensland.
authors.forename: Simon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bowler
authors.affiliation: Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lessing
authors.affiliation: Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kotsimbos
authors.affiliation: ACT Government Health Directorate; Australian National University Medical School, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D029524:Betainfluenzavirus / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines