title: Using record linkage to examine testing patterns for respiratory viruses among children born in Western Australia.
abstract: Changes in respiratory pathogen testing can affect disease burden estimates. Using linked data, we describe changes in respiratory virus testing among children born in Western Australia in 1996-2012. We extracted data on respiratory specimens from these children from birth to age 9 years. We estimated testing rates by age, year, Aboriginal status and geographical location. Predictors of testing among children hospitalised at least once before their 10th birthday were identified using logistic regression. We compared detection methods for respiratory viruses from nasal/nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens by age and year. Of 83 199 virology testing records in 2000-2012, 80% were nasal/NP specimens. Infants aged <1 month had the highest testing rates. Testing rates in all children increased over the study period with considerable yearly fluctuations. Among hospitalised children, premature children <32 weeks gestation had over three times the odds of being tested (95% CI 3·47-4·13) than those born at term. Testing using molecular methods increased from 5% to 87% over the study period. Proportion of positive samples increased from 36·3% to 44·4% (P < 0·01); this change was greatest in children aged 2-9 years. These findings will assist in interpreting results from future epidemiology studies assessing the pathogen-specific burden of disease.
authors.affiliation: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia,PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872,Australia.
authors.forename: F J
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6037-2741
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia,PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872,Australia.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Blyth
authors.affiliation: PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children,GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia, 6840,Australia.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.affiliation: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia,PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872,Australia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: DE Klerk
authors.affiliation: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia,PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872,Australia.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards*; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Diagnostic testing; record linkage; respiratory infections; virology (human) and epidemiology