Editorial

Industry-sponsored Infectious Disease Surveillance—An Idea Whose Time has Come?

Authors: William E. Cleve, MT, MPH, Keith M. Ramsey, MD

Abstract

Influenza virus infections result in 200,000 hospitalizations and 38,000 deaths per year in the United States, despite widely available information about influenza and influenza prevention efforts via vaccination programs.1 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports provide abundant data on the status of influenza-like illnesses in the United States.2 A description of the FluStar™ Surveillance System, an industry-sponsored approach to influenza surveillance, appears in this issue of the Journal by Aull et al.3 FluSTAR surveillance information is routinely distributed via the internet.4 Roche Laboratories, Inc., the primary sponsor of the FluSTAR surveillance system, has taken on a noble mission to provide influenza surveillance information for the US, through a timely surveillance system among a voluntary network of physicians across the country.

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References

1. Thompson WW, Shay DK, Weintraub E, et al. Influenza-associated hospitalizations in the United States. JAMA 2004;292:1333–1340.
 
2. CDC Weekly Report: Influenza Summary Update. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly. Accessed on May 21, 2007.
 
3. Aull L, Blumentals WA, Iacuzio DA, et al. FluSTAR™: a novel influenza surveillance system—outcomes from the 2005–2006 flu season. South Med J 2007;100:873–880.
 
4. FluSTAR™ Internet Homepage. Available at: http://www.flustar.com. Accessed on May 21, 2007.
 
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems: recommendations from the guidelines working group. MMWR 2001;50(No. RR13);1–35.
 
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Update: Influenza Activity—United States and Worldwide, 2005–06 Season, and Composition of the 2006–07 Influenza Vaccine. MMWR 2006;55:648–653.
 
7. Bhat N, Wright JG, Broder KR, et al. Influenza-associated deaths among children in the United States, 2003–2004. N Engl J Med 2005;353:2559–2567.