File(s) under permanent embargo
FluCAN 2009: initial results from sentinel surveillance for adult influenza and pneumonia in eight Australian hospitals
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 10:47 authored by Kelly, PM, Kotsimbos, T, Reynolds, A, Wood-Baker, R, Hancox, B, Brown, SGA, Holmes, M, Simpson, G, Bowler, S, Waterer, G, Irving, LB, Jenkins, C, Thompson, PJ, Cheng, ACObjective: To describe the epidemiology of adult patients hospitalised with influenza or pneumonia during a pandemic season in a sentinel network in Australia. Design, participants and setting: Prospective case series of adult hospital admissions to eight acute care general public hospitals (Influenza Complications Alert Network [Flu CAN] sentinel hospitals) in six Australian jurisdictions, 1 July to 4 December 2009. Main outcome measures: Demographic, clinical and outcome measures in patients admitted with laboratory-confirmed pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza in the sentinel hospitals compared with data from national notifications and intensive care unit (ICU) surveillance; admissions for influenza and pneumonia over time in each jurisdiction. Results: During 190 hospital-weeks of observation, there were 538 influenza admissions. Of these, 465 patients (86.4%) had the pandemic strain, representing 9.3% of total admissions with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza (n = 4992) recorded nationally in 2009. Of these patients, 250/465 (53.8%) were women, 67/453 (14.8%) were Indigenous, and the median age was 46 years (interquartile range, 29–58 years). Comorbidities were present in 354/464 patients (76.3%), and 40 were pregnant (30.3% of women aged 15–49 years). FluCAN reported that 102 patients (21.9%) were admitted to ICUs, and of patients admitted to hospital, 26 (5.6%) died. FluCAN results were very similar to national notification data and published ICU admissions data. Of those who were followed to 30 days after discharge, 30 (6.5%) were readmitted. Of 1468 patients hospitalised with pneumonia, 718 (48.9%) were tested for influenza and 163 (11.1%) were co-infected with the pandemic strain. Conclusions: Sentinel surveillance systems can provide important and reliable information in a timely fashion and can monitor changes in severity of influenza during a pandemic season.
History
Publication title
Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume
194Issue
4Pagination
169-174ISSN
0025-729XDepartment/School
Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchPublisher
Australasian Med Publ Co LtdPlace of publication
Level 1, 76 Berry St, Sydney, Australia, Nsw, 2060Rights statement
Copyright 2011 MJA Group AustraliaRepository Status
- Restricted