By Lauren DiBiase, MS, Public Health Epidemiologist, UNC
Health Care
During influenza season, UNC Hospitals distributes a
comprehensive influenza and other respiratory virus surveillance summary to relevant
clinical and public health staff on a weekly basis. This summary of surveillance data allows
staff to find out when influenza activity is occurring, to track the seasonal
trends of influenza-related illness, to determine what specific influenza
viruses (i.e., H1N1, H3N2, B) are circulating and to ascertain what other
respiratory viruses are prevalent. The first figure in the report displays the weekly count of
positive lab-confirmed influenza cases, distinguishing between influenza type A
and influenza type B, as well as the weekly count of total influenza tests
ordered at UNC McLendon Laboratories.
Example of Figure 1.
A table summarizes the number of cumulative positive results
by virus type identified at both UNC McLendon Laboratories and the NC State
Laboratory of Public Health.
Example
of Table 1.
#
Cumulative Positive Results
|
||
Virus
Type
|
UNC
McLendon Laboratories
|
NC
State
Laboratory of Public Health
|
A (not typed)
|
595
|
0
|
A/H1
|
2
|
0
|
A(H1N1) Pandemic
|
17
|
12
|
A/H3
|
127
|
315
|
A/H3N2v
|
0
|
0
|
B
|
172
|
90
|
Total
|
913
|
417
|
The report’s second figure shows the weekly number of
positive labs for other respiratory viruses, including rhinovirus, RSV, parainfluenza,
adenovirus, coronavirus and human metapneumovirus.
Example of Figure 2.
The final figure utilizes data collected via NC DETECT, the
statewide syndromic surveillance system, to display the percentage of ED visits
at UNC Hospitals due to CDC influenza-like illness, defined as patients with
fever (temperature ≥38˚C)
and cough or sore throat. This figure
includes data from the previous influenza season as a comparison.
Example of Figure 3.
The surveillance summary also includes the cumulative number
of any influenza-associated deaths at UNC Hospitals
and some brief details about the patients who died – age group, type of
influenza virus and whether or not they were a direct admission or transferred
to UNC Hospitals.
This influenza season, we will be adding information to the
report on the number of patients who were hospitalized at the time of influenza
testing vs. those who were in the outpatient setting, to provide a sense of the
severity of the circulating strains of influenza.
