Development of a prototype system for statewide asthma surveillance.

PubMed

Deprez, Ronald D; Asdigian, Nancy L; Oliver, L Christine; Anderson, Norman; Caldwell, Edgar; Baggott, Lee Ann

2002-12-01

We developed and evaluated a statewide and community-level asthma surveillance system. Databases and measures included a community prevalence survey, hospital admissions data, emergency department/outpatient clinic visit records, and a physician survey of diagnosis and treatment practices. We evaluated the system in 5 Maine communities varying in population and income. Asthma hospitalizations were high in the rural/low-socioeconomic-status communities studied, although diagnosed asthma was low. Males were more likely than females to experience asthma symptoms, although they were less likely to have been diagnosed with asthma or to have used hospital-based asthma care. Databases were useful for estimating asthma burden and identifying service needs as well as high-risk groups. They were less useful in estimating severity or in identifying environmental risks.

Turkish meteor surveillance systems and network: Impact craters and meteorites database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unsalan, O.; Ozel, M. E.; Derman, I. E.; Terzioglu, Z.; Kaygisiz, E.; Temel, T.; Topoyan, D.; Solmaz, A.; Yilmaz Kocahan, O.; Esenoglu, H. H.; Emrahoglu, N.; Yilmaz, A.; Yalcinkaya, B. O.

2014-07-01

In our project, we aim toward constructing Turkish Meteor Surveillance Systems and Network in Turkey. For this goal, video observational systems from SonotaCo (Japan) were chosen. Meteors are going to be observed with the specific cameras, their orbits will be calculated by the software from SonotaCo, and the places where they will be falling / impacting will be examined by field trips. The collected meteorites will be investigated by IR-Raman Spectroscopic techniques and SEM-EDX analyses in order to setup a database. On the other hand, according to our Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives, there are huge amounts of reports of falls for the past centuries. In order to treat these data properly, it is obvious that processing systems should be constructed and developed.

Design and Implementation of an Operational Database for the Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, NAS North Island, San Diego, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

deficiencies of the present system. Specific objectives critical in de,’cloping an under- standing of the system are: " Identify all knowledge workers who use...to be negligible. The limited training require- ments are primarily due to the users existing knowledge of tK2 Oracle database system, the Users

Automated graphic image generation system for effective representation of infectious disease surveillance data.

PubMed

Inoue, Masashi; Hasegawa, Shinsaku; Suyama, Akihiko; Meshitsuka, Shunsuke

2003-11-01

Infectious disease surveillance schemes have been established to detect infectious disease outbreak in the early stages, to identify the causative viral strains, and to rapidly assess related morbidity and mortality. To make a scheme function well, two things are required. Firstly, it must have sufficient sensitivity and be timely to guarantee as short a delay as possible from collection to redistribution of information. Secondly, it must provide a good representation of the results of the surveillance. To do this, we have developed a database system that can redistribute the information via the Internet. The feature of this system is to automatically generate the graphic images based on the numerical data stored in the database by using Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) script and Graphics Drawing (GD) library. It dynamically displays the information as a map or bar chart as well as a numerical impression according to the real time demand of the users. This system will be a useful tool for medical personnel and researchers working on infectious disease problems and will save significant time in the redistribution of information.

Web-based infectious disease surveillance systems and public health perspectives: a systematic review.

PubMed

Choi, Jihye; Cho, Youngtae; Shim, Eunyoung; Woo, Hyekyung

2016-12-08

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are a significant public health concern, and early detection and immediate response is crucial for disease control. These challenges have led to the need for new approaches and technologies to reinforce the capacity of traditional surveillance systems for detecting emerging infectious diseases. In the last few years, the availability of novel web-based data sources has contributed substantially to infectious disease surveillance. This study explores the burgeoning field of web-based infectious disease surveillance systems by examining their current status, importance, and potential challenges. A systematic review framework was applied to the search, screening, and analysis of web-based infectious disease surveillance systems. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases to extensively review the English literature published between 2000 and 2015. Eleven surveillance systems were chosen for evaluation according to their high frequency of application. Relevant terms, including newly coined terms, development and classification of the surveillance systems, and various characteristics associated with the systems were studied. Based on a detailed and informative review of the 11 web-based infectious disease surveillance systems, it was evident that these systems exhibited clear strengths, as compared to traditional surveillance systems, but with some limitations yet to be overcome. The major strengths of the newly emerging surveillance systems are that they are intuitive, adaptable, low-cost, and operated in real-time, all of which are necessary features of an effective public health tool. The most apparent potential challenges of the web-based systems are those of inaccurate interpretation and prediction of health status, and privacy issues, based on an individual's internet activity. Despite being in a nascent stage with further modification needed, web-based surveillance systems have evolved to complement traditional national surveillance systems. This review highlights ways in which the strengths of existing systems can be maintained and weaknesses alleviated to implement optimal web surveillance systems.

Influenza Research Database: an integrated bioinformatics resource for influenza research and surveillance

PubMed Central

Squires, R. Burke; Noronha, Jyothi; Hunt, Victoria; García‐Sastre, Adolfo; Macken, Catherine; Baumgarth, Nicole; Suarez, David; Pickett, Brett E.; Zhang, Yun; Larsen, Christopher N.; Ramsey, Alvin; Zhou, Liwei; Zaremba, Sam; Kumar, Sanjeev; Deitrich, Jon; Klem, Edward; Scheuermann, Richard H.

2012-01-01

Please cite this paper as: Squires et al. (2012) Influenza research database: an integrated bioinformatics resource for influenza research and surveillance. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(6), 404–416. Background  The recent emergence of the 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus has highlighted the value of free and open access to influenza virus genome sequence data integrated with information about other important virus characteristics. Design  The Influenza Research Database (IRD, http://www.fludb.org) is a free, open, publicly‐accessible resource funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases through the Bioinformatics Resource Centers program. IRD provides a comprehensive, integrated database and analysis resource for influenza sequence, surveillance, and research data, including user‐friendly interfaces for data retrieval, visualization and comparative genomics analysis, together with personal log in‐protected ‘workbench’ spaces for saving data sets and analysis results. IRD integrates genomic, proteomic, immune epitope, and surveillance data from a variety of sources, including public databases, computational algorithms, external research groups, and the scientific literature. Results  To demonstrate the utility of the data and analysis tools available in IRD, two scientific use cases are presented. A comparison of hemagglutinin sequence conservation and epitope coverage information revealed highly conserved protein regions that can be recognized by the human adaptive immune system as possible targets for inducing cross‐protective immunity. Phylogenetic and geospatial analysis of sequences from wild bird surveillance samples revealed a possible evolutionary connection between influenza virus from Delaware Bay shorebirds and Alberta ducks. Conclusions  The IRD provides a wealth of integrated data and information about influenza virus to support research of the genetic determinants dictating virus pathogenicity, host range restriction and transmission, and to facilitate development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. PMID:22260278

The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS): Risk assessment and real-time toxicovigilance across United States poison centers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watson, William A.; Litovitz, Toby L.; Belson, Martin G.

2005-09-01

The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) is a uniform data set of US poison centers cases. Categories of information include the patient, the caller, the exposure, the substance(s), clinical toxicity, treatment, and medical outcome. The TESS database was initiated in 1985, and provides a baseline of more than 36.2 million cases through 2003. The database has been utilized for a number of safety evaluations. Consideration of the strengths and limitations of TESS data must be incorporated into data interpretation. Real-time toxicovigilance was initiated in 2003 with continuous uploading of new cases from all poison centers to a central database. Real-timemore » toxicovigilance utilizing general and specific approaches is systematically run against TESS, further increasing the potential utility of poison center experiences as a means of early identification of potential public health threats.« less

Surveillance for human Salmonella infections in the United States.

PubMed

Swaminathan, Bala; Barrett, Timothy J; Fields, Patricia

2006-01-01

Surveillance for human Salmonella infections plays a critical role in understanding and controlling foodborne illness due to Salmonella. Along with its public health partners, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has several surveillance systems that collect information on Salmonella infections in the United States. The National Salmonella Surveillance System, begun in 1962, receives reports of laboratory-confirmed Salmonella infections through state public health laboratories. Salmonella outbreaks are reported by state and local health departments through the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Reporting System, which became a Web-based, electronic system (eFORS) in 2001. PulseNet facilitates the detection of clusters of Salmonella infections through standardized molecular subtyping (DNA "fingerprinting") of isolates and maintenance of "fingerprint" databases. The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria (NARMS) monitors antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella by susceptibility testing of every 20th Salmonella isolate received by state and local public health laboratories. FootNet is an active surveillance system that monitors Salmonella infections in sentinel areas, providing population-based estimates of infection rates. Efforts are underway to electronically link all of the Salmonella surveillance systems at CDC to facilitate optimum use of available data and minimize duplication.

The design and evaluation of an antimicrobial resistance surveillance system for neonatal intensive care units in Iran.

PubMed

Rezaei-Hachesu, Peyman; Samad-Soltani, Taha; Yaghoubi, Sajad; GhaziSaeedi, Marjan; Mirnia, Kayvan; Masoumi-Asl, Hossein; Safdari, Reza

2018-07-01

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have complex patients in terms of their diagnoses and required treatments. Antimicrobial treatment is a common therapy for patients in NICUs. To solve problems pertaining to empirical therapy, antimicrobial stewardship programs have recently been introduced. Despite the success of these programs in terms of data collection, there is still inefficiency in terms of analyzing and reporting the data. Thus, to successfully implement these stewardship programs, the design of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems is recommended as a first step. As a result, this study aimed to design an AMR surveillance system for use in the NICUs in northwestern Iranian hospitals to cover these information gaps. The recommended system is compatible with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The business intelligence (BI) requirements were extracted in an interview with a product owner (PO) using a valid and reliable checklist. Following this, an AMR surveillance system was designed and evaluated in relation to user experiences via a user experience questionnaire (UEQ). Finally, an association analysis was performed on the database, and the results were reported by identifying the important multidrug resistances in the database. A customized software development methodology was proposed. The three major modules of the AMR surveillance are the data registry, dashboard, and decision support modules. The data registry module was implemented based on a three-tier architecture, and the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) and dashboard modules were designed based on the BI requirements of the Scrum product owner (PO). The mean values of UEQ measures were in a good range. This measures showed the suitable usability of the AMR surveillance system. Applying efficient software development methodologies allows for the systems' compatibility with users' opinions and requirements. In addition, the construction of interdisciplinary communication models for research and software engineering allows for research and development concepts to be used in operational environments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

National Communicable Disease Surveillance System: A review on Information and Organizational Structures in Developed Countries.

PubMed

Bagherian, Hossein; Farahbakhsh, Mohammad; Rabiei, Reza; Moghaddasi, Hamid; Asadi, Farkhondeh

2017-12-01

To obtain necessary information for managing communicable diseases, different countries have developed national communicable diseases surveillance systems (NCDSS). Exploiting the lesson learned from the leading countries in development of surveillance systems provides the foundation for developing these systems in other countries. In this study, the information and organizational structure of NCDSS in developed countries were reviewed. The study reviewed publications found on the organizational structure, content and data flow of NCDSS in the United States of America (USA), Australia and Germany that were published in English between 2000 and 2016. The publications were identified by searching the CINAHL, Science Direct, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar databases and the related databases in selected countries. Thirty-four studies were investigated. All of the reviewed countries have implemented the NCDSS. In majority of countries the department of health (DoH) is responsible for managing this system. The reviewed countries have created a minimum data set for reporting communicable diseases data and information. For developing NCDSS, establishing coordinator centers, setting the effective policies and procedures, providing appropriate communication infrastructures for data exchange and defining a communicable diseases minimum data set are essential.

Development of the ageing management database of PUSPATI TRIGA reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramli, Nurhayati, E-mail: nurhayati@nm.gov.my; Tom, Phongsakorn Prak; Husain, Nurfazila

Since its first criticality in 1982, PUSPATI TRIGA Reactor (RTP) has been operated for more than 30 years. As RTP become older, ageing problems have been seen to be the prominent issues. In addressing the ageing issues, an Ageing Management (AgeM) database for managing related ageing matters was systematically developed. This paper presents the development of AgeM database taking into account all RTP major Systems, Structures and Components (SSCs) and ageing mechanism of these SSCs through the system surveillance program.

Description and validation of a new automated surveillance system for Clostridium difficile in Denmark.

PubMed

Chaine, M; Gubbels, S; Voldstedlund, M; Kristensen, B; Nielsen, J; Andersen, L P; Ellermann-Eriksen, S; Engberg, J; Holm, A; Olesen, B; Schønheyder, H C; Østergaard, C; Ethelberg, S; Mølbak, K

2017-09-01

The surveillance of Clostridium difficile (CD) in Denmark consists of laboratory based data from Departments of Clinical Microbiology (DCMs) sent to the National Registry of Enteric Pathogens (NREP). We validated a new surveillance system for CD based on the Danish Microbiology Database (MiBa). MiBa automatically collects microbiological test results from all Danish DCMs. We built an algorithm to identify positive test results for CD recorded in MiBa. A CD case was defined as a person with a positive culture for CD or PCR detection of toxin A and/or B and/or binary toxin. We compared CD cases identified through the MiBa-based surveillance with those reported to NREP and locally in five DCMs representing different Danish regions. During 2010-2014, NREP reported 13 896 CD cases, and the MiBa-based surveillance 21 252 CD cases. There was a 99·9% concordance between the local datasets and the MiBa-based surveillance. Surveillance based on MiBa was superior to the current surveillance system, and the findings show that the number of CD cases in Denmark hitherto has been under-reported. There were only minor differences between local data and the MiBa-based surveillance, showing the completeness and validity of CD data in MiBa. This nationwide electronic system can greatly strengthen surveillance and research in various applications.

Strengthening health security at the Hajj mass gatherings: characteristics of the infectious diseases surveillance systems operational during the 2015 Hajj.

PubMed

Alotaibi, Badriah M; Yezli, Saber; Bin Saeed, Abdul-Aziz A; Turkestani, Abdulhafeez; Alawam, Amnah H; Bieh, Kingsley L

2017-05-01

Hajj is one of the largest and the most ethnically and culturally diverse mass gatherings worldwide. The use of appropriate surveillance systems ensures timely information management for effective planning and response to infectious diseases threats during the pilgrimage. The literature describes infectious diseases prevention and control strategies for Hajj but with limited information on the operations and characteristics of the existing Hajj infectious diseases surveillance systems. We reviewed documents, including guidelines and reports from the Saudi Ministry of Health's database, to describe the characteristics of the infectious diseases surveillance systems that were operational during the 2015 Hajj, highlighting best practices and gaps and proposing strategies for strengthening and improvement. Using Pubmed and Embase online search engines and a combination of search terms including, 'mass gatherings' 'Olympics' 'surveillance' 'Hajj' 'health security', we explored the existing literature and highlighted some lessons learnt from other international mass gatherings. A regular indicator-based infectious disease surveillance system generates routine reports from health facilities within the Kingdom to the regional and central public health directorates all year round. During Hajj, enhanced indicator-based notifiable diseases surveillance systems complement the existing surveillance tool to ensure timely reporting of event information for appropriate action by public health officials. There is need to integrate the existing Hajj surveillance data management systems and to implement syndromic surveillance as an early warning system for infectious disease control during Hajj. International engagement is important to strengthen Hajj infectious diseases surveillance and to prevent disease transmission and globalization of infectious agents which could undermine global health security. © International Society of Travel Medicine, 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Systematic review of electronic surveillance of infectious diseases with emphasis on antimicrobial resistance surveillance in resource-limited settings.

PubMed

Rattanaumpawan, Pinyo; Boonyasiri, Adhiratha; Vong, Sirenda; Thamlikitkul, Visanu

2018-02-01

Electronic surveillance of infectious diseases involves rapidly collecting, collating, and analyzing vast amounts of data from interrelated multiple databases. Although many developed countries have invested in electronic surveillance for infectious diseases, the system still presents a challenge for resource-limited health care settings. We conducted a systematic review by performing a comprehensive literature search on MEDLINE (January 2000-December 2015) to identify studies relevant to electronic surveillance of infectious diseases. Study characteristics and results were extracted and systematically reviewed by 3 infectious disease physicians. A total of 110 studies were included. Most surveillance systems were developed and implemented in high-income countries; less than one-quarter were conducted in low-or middle-income countries. Information technologies can be used to facilitate the process of obtaining laboratory, clinical, and pharmacologic data for the surveillance of infectious diseases, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections. These novel systems require greater resources; however, we found that using electronic surveillance systems could result in shorter times to detect targeted infectious diseases and improvement of data collection. This study highlights a lack of resources in areas where an effective, rapid surveillance system is most needed. The availability of information technology for the electronic surveillance of infectious diseases, including AMR infections, will facilitate the prevention and containment of such emerging infectious diseases. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary Report: Uniform Traffic Control And Warning Messages For Portable Changeable Message Signs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

The California database incorporated in the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) is derived from the California TASAS (Traffic Accident Surveillance and Analysis System). The system, maintained by the Traffic Operations Office of Caltrans, is a m...

Insurance claims data: a possible solution for a national sports injury surveillance system? An evaluation of data information against ASIDD and consensus statements on sports injury surveillance.

PubMed

Aman, Malin; Forssblad, Magnus; Henriksson-Larsén, Karin

2014-06-12

Before preventive actions can be suggested for sports injuries at the national level, a solid surveillance system is required in order to study their epidemiology, risk factors and mechanisms. There are guidelines for sports injury data collection and classifications in the literature for that purpose. In Sweden, 90% of all athletes (57/70 sports federations) are insured with the same insurance company and data from their database could be a foundation for studies on acute sports injuries at the national level. To evaluate the usefulness of sports injury insurance claims data in sports injury surveillance at the national level. A database with 27 947 injuries was exported to an Excel file. Access to the corresponding text files was also obtained. Data were reviewed on available information, missing information and dropouts. Comparison with ASIDD (Australian Sports Injury Data Dictionary) and existing consensus statements in the literature (football (soccer), rugby union, tennis, cricket and thoroughbred horse racing) was performed in a structured manner. Comparison with ASIDD showed that 93% of the suggested data items were present in the database to at least some extent. Compliance with the consensus statements was generally high (13/18). Almost all claims (83%) contained text information concerning the injury. Relatively high-quality sports injury data can be obtained from a specific insurance company at the national level in Sweden. The database has the potential to be a solid base for research on acute sports injuries in different sports at the national level. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A general temporal data model and the structured population event history register

PubMed Central

Clark, Samuel J.

2010-01-01

At this time there are 37 demographic surveillance system sites active in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Central America, and this number is growing continuously. These sites and other longitudinal population and health research projects generate large quantities of complex temporal data in order to describe, explain and investigate the event histories of individuals and the populations they constitute. This article presents possible solutions to some of the key data management challenges associated with those data. The fundamental components of a temporal system are identified and both they and their relationships to each other are given simple, standardized definitions. Further, a metadata framework is proposed to endow this abstract generalization with specific meaning and to bind the definitions of the data to the data themselves. The result is a temporal data model that is generalized, conceptually tractable, and inherently contains a full description of the primary data it organizes. Individual databases utilizing this temporal data model can be customized to suit the needs of their operators without modifying the underlying design of the database or sacrificing the potential to transparently share compatible subsets of their data with other similar databases. A practical working relational database design based on this general temporal data model is presented and demonstrated. This work has arisen out of experience with demographic surveillance in the developing world, and although the challenges and their solutions are more general, the discussion is organized around applications in demographic surveillance. An appendix contains detailed examples and working prototype databases that implement the examples discussed in the text. PMID:20396614

Capacity of the national influenza surveillance system in Afghanistan, a chronic conflict setting.

PubMed

Rasooly, M H; Sahak, M N; Saeed, K I; Krishnan, S K; Khan, W; Hassounah, S

2016-10-02

Influenza surveillance is needed to monitor potential public health threats from the emergence of novel influenza viruses. This study assessed the capacity and performance of the national influenza surveillance system in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2014. Data were collected by review of hospital registers and the National Influenza Centre (NIC) database, interviews with influenza focal points at 9 influenza sentinel surveillance sites and the Centre staff, and observation of the sites. Out of 6900 specimens collected, influenza virus was detected in 253 (3.6%), predominantly H1N1 (63%); most of these cases were detected during the 2009 pandemic. The NIC had the capacity for virus isolation and PCR identification and performed reasonably until 2011 when support of the Naval American Medical Research Unit 3 was withdrawn. The limitations identified in the system indicated the need for: more complete data, improved technical competence and trained human resources, updating of the infrastructure/facilities, and the presence of standard operating procedures throughout surveillance.

[Comparing results of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surveillance using the French DRG-based information system (PMSI)].

PubMed

Nuemi, G; Astruc, K; Aho, S; Quantin, C

2013-10-01

The surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a national priority. The rate of MRSA infections is one of six indicators tracked by the Department of Health. Since 2002, the French institute for public health surveillance (InVS) has monitored MRSA infections to estimate incidence density. Today, the use of the French administrative database (PMSI) could facilitate this surveillance. The aim of this study was to compare MRSA incidence density computed at a national level using PMSI databases with the results from the InVS taken as the reference. PMSI databases for the years 2006 to 2009 were used. The reference results were those published by the InVS from 2006 to 2009. MRSA density defined as the number of MRSA infections recorded per year over 1000 hospital stays was computed. It was then compared with the MRSA incidence density measured by InVS. The time course of MRSA incidence in the PMSI records was modeled using a Poisson regression. The incidence density measured by the InVS was higher than the MRSA density computed using the PMSI, but this difference appeared to decrease over time. The PMSI density/InVS MRSA incidence density ratio was 0.8% in 2006 and about 9.2% in 2009. We observed inverted trends with a growing trend in MRSA density identified by the PMSI. Furthermore, the year of study was significantly associated with incidence density (P=0.01). Using PMSI data as an additional source of information in the hospital MRSA surveillance process makes it possible to detect and analyze patient repeats at the regional and national levels with linkage facilities. Estimation of incidence density for hospitals not participating to this surveillance system will be the next step. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[Implementation of Oncomelania hupensis monitoring system based on Baidu Map].

PubMed

Zhi-Hua, Chen; Yi-Sheng, Zhu; Zhi-Qiang, Xue; Xue-Bing, Li; Yi-Min, Ding; Li-Jun, Bi; Kai-Min, Gao; You, Zhang

2017-10-25

To construct the Oncomelania hupensis snail monitoring system based on the Baidu Map. The environmental basic information about historical snail environment and existing snail environment, etc. was collected with the monitoring data about different kinds of O. hupensis snails, and then the O. hupensis snail monitoring system was built. Geographic Information System (GIS) and the electronic fence technology and Application Program Interface (API) were applied to set up the electronic fence of the snail surveillance environments, and the electronic fence was connected to the database of the snail surveillance. The O. hupensis snail monitoring system based on the Baidu Map were built up, including three modules of O. hupensis Snail Monitoring Environmental Database, Dynamic Monitoring Platform and Electronic Map. The information about monitoring O. hupensis snails could be obtained through the computer and smartphone simultaneously. The O. hupensis snail monitoring system, which is based on Baidu Map, is a visible platform to follow the process of snailsearching and molluscaciding.

Locating People Diagnosed With HIV for Public Health Action: Utility of HIV Case Surveillance and Other Data Sources.

PubMed

Padilla, Mabel; Mattson, Christine L; Scheer, Susan; Udeagu, Chi-Chi N; Buskin, Susan E; Hughes, Alison J; Jaenicke, Thomas; Wohl, Amy Rock; Prejean, Joseph; Wei, Stanley C

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) case surveillance and other health care databases are increasingly being used for public health action, which has the potential to optimize the health outcomes of people living with HIV (PLWH). However, often PLWH cannot be located based on the contact information available in these data sources. We assessed the accuracy of contact information for PLWH in HIV case surveillance and additional data sources and whether time since diagnosis was associated with accurate contact information in HIV case surveillance and successful contact. The Case Surveillance-Based Sampling (CSBS) project was a pilot HIV surveillance system that selected a random population-based sample of people diagnosed with HIV from HIV case surveillance registries in 5 state and metropolitan areas. From November 2012 through June 2014, CSBS staff members attempted to locate and interview 1800 sampled people and used 22 data sources to search for contact information. Among 1063 contacted PLWH, HIV case surveillance data provided accurate telephone number, address, or HIV care facility information for 239 (22%), 412 (39%), and 827 (78%) sampled people, respectively. CSBS staff members used additional data sources, such as support services and commercial people-search databases, to locate and contact PLWH with insufficient contact information in HIV case surveillance. PLWH diagnosed <1 year ago were more likely to have accurate contact information in HIV case surveillance than were PLWH diagnosed ≥1 year ago ( P = .002), and the benefit from using additional data sources was greater for PLWH with more longstanding HIV infection ( P < .001). When HIV case surveillance cannot provide accurate contact information, health departments can prioritize searching additional data sources, especially for people with more longstanding HIV infection.

Introduction to United States Department of Agriculture VetNet: status of Salmonella and Campylobacter databases from 2004 through 2005.

PubMed

Jackson, Charlene R; Fedorka-Cray, Paula J; Wineland, Nora; Tankson, Jeanetta D; Barrett, John B; Douris, Aphrodite; Gresham, Cheryl P; Jackson-Hall, Carolina; McGlinchey, Beth M; Price, Maria Victoria

2007-01-01

In 2003 the United States Department of Agriculture established USDA VetNet. It was modeled after PulseNet USA, the national molecular subtyping network for foodborne disease surveillance. The objectives of USDA VetNet are: to use pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to subtype zoonotic pathogens submitted to the animal arm of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS); examine VetNet and PulseNet PFGE patterns; and use the data for surveillance and investigation of suspected foodborne illness outbreaks. Whereas PulseNet subtypes 7 foodborne disease-causing bacteria- Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Yersinia pestis, and Vibrio cholerae-VetNet at present subtypes nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes and Campylobacter from animals, including diagnostic specimens, healthy farm animals, and carcasses of food-producing animals at slaughter. By the end of 2005, VetNet had two functioning databases: the NARMS Salmonella and the NARMS Campylobacter databases. The Salmonella database contained 6763 Salmonella isolates and 2514 unique XbaI patterns, while the Campylobacter database contained 58 Campylobacter isolates and 53 unique SmaI patterns. Both databases contain the PFGE tagged image file format (TIFF) images, demographic information, and the antimicrobial resistance profiles assigned by NARMS. In the future, veterinary diagnostic laboratories will be invited to participate in VetNet. The establishment of USDA VetNet enhances the mission of the agriculture and public health communities in the surveillance and investigation of foodborne illness outbreaks.

The Free Trade Area of the Americas: Can Regional Economic Integration Lead to Greater Cooperation on Security?

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-01

Brazilian Air Force has been testing a new surveillance system called Sistema de Vigilancia da Amazonia (SIVAM), designed to...2000 Online Database, 23 April 1998 and “Plan de seguridad para la triple frontera,” Ser en el 2000 Online Database, 01 June...Plan de seguridad para la triple frontera,” Ser en el 2000 Online Database, 01 June 1998. 64 Robert Devlin, Antoni Estevadeordal

Developing a database management system to support birth defects surveillance in Florida.

PubMed

Salemi, Jason L; Hauser, Kimberlea W; Tanner, Jean Paul; Sampat, Diana; Correia, Jane A; Watkins, Sharon M; Kirby, Russell S

2010-01-01

The value of any public health surveillance program is derived from the ways in which data are managed and used to improve the public's health. Although birth defects surveillance programs vary in their case volume, budgets, staff, and objectives, the capacity to operate efficiently and maximize resources remains critical to long-term survival. The development of a fully-integrated relational database management system (DBMS) can enrich a surveillance program's data and improve efficiency. To build upon the Florida Birth Defects Registry--a statewide registry relying solely on linkage of administrative datasets and unconfirmed diagnosis codes-the Florida Department of Health provided funding to the University of South Florida to develop and pilot an enhanced surveillance system in targeted areas with a more comprehensive approach to case identification and diagnosis confirmation. To manage operational and administrative complexities, a DBMS was developed, capable of managing transmission of project data from multiple sources, tracking abstractor time during record reviews, offering tools for defect coding and case classification, and providing reports to DBMS users. Since its inception, the DBMS has been used as part of our surveillance projects to guide the receipt of over 200 case lists and review of 12,924 fetuses and infants (with associated maternal records) suspected of having selected birth defects in over 90 birthing and transfer facilities in Florida. The DBMS has provided both anticipated and unexpected benefits. Automation of the processes for managing incoming case lists has reduced clerical workload considerably, while improving accuracy of working lists for field abstraction. Data quality has improved through more effective use of internal edits and comparisons with values for other data elements, while simultaneously increasing abstractor efficiency in completion of case abstraction. We anticipate continual enhancement to the DBMS in the future. While we have focused on enhancing the capacity of our DBMS for birth defects surveillance, many of the tools and approaches we have developed translate directly to other public health and clinical registries.

IDD Info: a software to manage surveillance data of Iodine Deficiency Disorders.

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Teng, Bai-Jun; Zhang, Shu-Bin; Su, Xiao-Hui; Yu, Jun; Liu, Shou-Jun

2011-08-01

IDD info, a new software for managing survey data of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), is presented in this paper. IDD Info aims to create IDD project databases, process, analyze various national or regional surveillance data and form final report. It has series measures of choosing database from existing ones, revising it, choosing indicators from pool to establish database and adding indicators to pool. It also provides simple tools to scan one database and compare two databases, to set IDD standard parameters, to analyze data by single indicator and multi-indicators, and finally to form typeset report with content customized. IDD Info was developed using Chinese national IDD surveillance data of 2005. Its validity was evaluated by comparing with survey report given by China CDC. The IDD Info is a professional analysis tool, which succeeds in speeding IDD data analysis up to about 14.28% with respect to standard reference routines. It consequently enhances analysis performance and user compliance. IDD Info is a practical and accurate means of managing the multifarious IDD surveillance data that can be widely used by non-statisticians in national and regional IDD surveillance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Circuits of Surveillance

PubMed Central

Williams, Robin; Johnson, Paul

2005-01-01

This paper examines the increasing police use of DNA profiling and databasing as a developing instrumentality of modern state surveillance. It briefly notes previously published work on a variety of surveillance technologies and their role in the governance of social action and social order. It then argues that there are important differences amongst the ways in which several such technologies construct and use identificatory artefacts, their orientations to human subjectivity, and their role in the governmentality of citizens and others. The paper then describes the novel and powerful form of bio-surveillance offered by DNA profiling and illustrates this by reference to an ongoing empirical study of the police uses of the UK National DNA Database for the investigation of crime. It is argued that DNA profiling and databasing enable the construction of a ‘closed circuit’ of surveillance of a defined population. PMID:16467920

Identifying high risk medications causing potential drug-drug interactions in outpatients: A prescription database study based on an online surveillance system.

PubMed

Toivo, T M; Mikkola, J A V; Laine, K; Airaksinen, M

2016-01-01

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are a significant cause for adverse drug events (ADEs). DDIs are often predictable and preventable, but their prevention and management require systematic service development. Most DDI studies focus on interaction rates in hospitalized patients. Less is known of DDIs in outpatients, particularly how community pharmacists could contribute to DDI management by applying their surveillance systems for identifying high-risk medications. The study was related to the implementation of the first online DDI surveillance system in Finnish community pharmacies. The goal was to demonstrate how community pharmacies can utilize their prospective surveillance system 1) for identifying high risk medications causing potential DDIs in outpatients, 2) for collaborative service development with local physicians, and 3) for academic risk management research purposes. All DDI alerts given by the online surveillance system were collected during a one-month period in 16 out of 17 University Pharmacy outlets in Finland, covering approximately 10% of the national outpatient prescription volume. The surveillance system was based on the FASS database, which categorizes DDIs into four classes (A-D) according to their clinical significance. Potential drug-drug DDIs were analyzed for 276,891 dispensed community pharmacy prescriptions. Potential DDIs were associated with 10.8%, or 31,110 of these prescriptions. Clinically significant interaction alerts categorized as FASS classes D (most severe, should be avoided) and C (clinically significant but controllable) were associated with 0.5% and 7.0% of the prescriptions, respectively. Methotrexate and warfarin had the highest risk of causing potentially serious (class D) interactions. These interaction alerts were most frequently between methotrexate and NSAIDs and warfarin and NSAIDs. In general, NSAIDs were the most commonly interacting drugs in this study. This study demonstrates that community pharmacies can actively contribute to DDI risk management and systematically use their surveillance systems for identifying patients having clinically significant DDIs. The findings also indicate that the majority of potentially serious interactions in outpatients involve a limited number of drugs, particularly NSAIDs, warfarin and methotrexate. Further research should focus on community pharmacists' involvement in DDI risk management in collaboration with local health care providers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy information management for video surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Ying; Cheung, Sen-ching S.

2013-05-01

The widespread deployment of surveillance cameras has raised serious privacy concerns. Many privacy-enhancing schemes have been proposed to automatically redact images of trusted individuals in the surveillance video. To identify these individuals for protection, the most reliable approach is to use biometric signals such as iris patterns as they are immutable and highly discriminative. In this paper, we propose a privacy data management system to be used in a privacy-aware video surveillance system. The privacy status of a subject is anonymously determined based on her iris pattern. For a trusted subject, the surveillance video is redacted and the original imagery is considered to be the privacy information. Our proposed system allows a subject to access her privacy information via the same biometric signal for privacy status determination. Two secure protocols, one for privacy information encryption and the other for privacy information retrieval are proposed. Error control coding is used to cope with the variability in iris patterns and efficient implementation is achieved using surrogate data records. Experimental results on a public iris biometric database demonstrate the validity of our framework.

[Design and implementation of Geographical Information System on prevention and control of cholera].

PubMed

Li, Xiu-jun; Fang, Li-qun; Wang, Duo-chun; Wang, Lu-xi; Li, Ya-pin; Li, Yan-li; Yang, Hong; Kan, Biao; Cao, Wu-chun

2012-04-01

To build the Geographical Information System (GIS) database for prevention and control of cholera programs as well as using management analysis and function demonstration to show the spatial attribute of cholera. Data from case reporting system regarding diarrhoea, vibrio cholerae, serotypes of vibrio cholerae at the surveillance spots and seafoods, as well as surveillance data on ambient environment and climate were collected. All the data were imported to system database to show the incidence of vibrio cholerae in different provinces, regions and counties to support the spatial analysis through the spatial analysis of GIS. The epidemic trends of cholera, seasonal characteristics of the cholera and the variation of the vibrio cholerae with times were better understood. Information on hotspots, regions and time of epidemics was collected, and helpful in providing risk prediction on the incidence of vibrio cholerae. The exploitation of the software can predict and simulate the spatio-temporal risks, so as to provide guidance for the prevention and control of the disease.

Variations in clinicopathologic characteristics of thyroid cancer among racial ethnic groups: analysis of a large public city hospital and the SEER database.

PubMed

Moo-Young, Tricia A; Panergo, Jessel; Wang, Chih E; Patel, Subhash; Duh, Hong Yan; Winchester, David J; Prinz, Richard A; Fogelfeld, Leon

2013-11-01

Clinicopathologic variables influence the treatment and prognosis of patients with thyroid cancer. A retrospective analysis of public hospital thyroid cancer database and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results 17 database was conducted. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic data were compared across ethnic groups. Within the public hospital database, Hispanics versus non-Hispanic whites were younger and had more lymph node involvement (34% vs 17%, P < .001). Median tumor size was not statistically different across ethnic groups. Similar findings were demonstrated within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. African Americans aged <45 years had the largest tumors but were least likely to have lymph node involvement. Asians had the most stage IV disease despite having no differences in tumor size, lymph node involvement, and capsular invasion. There is considerable variability in the clinical presentation of thyroid cancer across ethnic groups. Such disparities persist within an equal-access health care system. These findings suggest that factors beyond socioeconomics may contribute to such differences. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ISS-An Electronic Syndromic Surveillance System for Infectious Disease in Rural China

PubMed Central

Yan, Weirong; Palm, Lars; Lu, Xin; Nie, Shaofa; Xu, Biao; Zhao, Qi; Tao, Tao; Cheng, Liwei; Tan, Li; Dong, Hengjin; Diwan, Vinod K.

2013-01-01

Background syndromic surveillance system has great advantages in promoting the early detection of epidemics and reducing the necessities of disease confirmation, and it is especially effective for surveillance in resource poor settings. However, most current syndromic surveillance systems are established in developed countries, and there are very few reports on the development of an electronic syndromic surveillance system in resource-constrained settings. Objective this study describes the design and pilot implementation of an electronic surveillance system (ISS) for the early detection of infectious disease epidemics in rural China, complementing the conventional case report surveillance system. Methods ISS was developed based on an existing platform ‘Crisis Information Sharing Platform’ (CRISP), combining with modern communication and GIS technology. ISS has four interconnected functions: 1) work group and communication group; 2) data source and collection; 3) data visualization; and 4) outbreak detection and alerting. Results As of Jan. 31st 2012, ISS has been installed and pilot tested for six months in four counties in rural China. 95 health facilities, 14 pharmacies and 24 primary schools participated in the pilot study, entering respectively 74256, 79701, and 2330 daily records into the central database. More than 90% of surveillance units at the study sites are able to send daily information into the system. In the paper, we also presented the pilot data from health facilities in the two counties, which showed the ISS system had the potential to identify the change of disease patterns at the community level. Conclusions The ISS platform may facilitate the early detection of infectious disease epidemic as it provides near real-time syndromic data collection, interactive visualization, and automated aberration detection. However, several constraints and challenges were encountered during the pilot implementation of ISS in rural China. PMID:23626853

ISS--an electronic syndromic surveillance system for infectious disease in rural China.

PubMed

Yan, Weirong; Palm, Lars; Lu, Xin; Nie, Shaofa; Xu, Biao; Zhao, Qi; Tao, Tao; Cheng, Liwei; Tan, Li; Dong, Hengjin; Diwan, Vinod K

2013-01-01

Syndromic surveillance system has great advantages in promoting the early detection of epidemics and reducing the necessities of disease confirmation, and it is especially effective for surveillance in resource poor settings. However, most current syndromic surveillance systems are established in developed countries, and there are very few reports on the development of an electronic syndromic surveillance system in resource-constrained settings. This study describes the design and pilot implementation of an electronic surveillance system (ISS) for the early detection of infectious disease epidemics in rural China, complementing the conventional case report surveillance system. ISS was developed based on an existing platform 'Crisis Information Sharing Platform' (CRISP), combining with modern communication and GIS technology. ISS has four interconnected functions: 1) work group and communication group; 2) data source and collection; 3) data visualization; and 4) outbreak detection and alerting. As of Jan. 31(st) 2012, ISS has been installed and pilot tested for six months in four counties in rural China. 95 health facilities, 14 pharmacies and 24 primary schools participated in the pilot study, entering respectively 74,256, 79,701, and 2330 daily records into the central database. More than 90% of surveillance units at the study sites are able to send daily information into the system. In the paper, we also presented the pilot data from health facilities in the two counties, which showed the ISS system had the potential to identify the change of disease patterns at the community level. The ISS platform may facilitate the early detection of infectious disease epidemic as it provides near real-time syndromic data collection, interactive visualization, and automated aberration detection. However, several constraints and challenges were encountered during the pilot implementation of ISS in rural China.

Achievable Rate Estimation of IEEE 802.11ad Visual Big-Data Uplink Access in Cloud-Enabled Surveillance Applications.

PubMed

Kim, Joongheon; Kim, Jong-Kook

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the computation procedures for estimating the impact of interference in 60 GHz IEEE 802.11ad uplink access in order to construct visual big-data database from randomly deployed surveillance camera sensing devices. The acquired large-scale massive visual information from surveillance camera devices will be used for organizing big-data database, i.e., this estimation is essential for constructing centralized cloud-enabled surveillance database. This performance estimation study captures interference impacts on the target cloud access points from multiple interference components generated by the 60 GHz wireless transmissions from nearby surveillance camera devices to their associated cloud access points. With this uplink interference scenario, the interference impacts on the main wireless transmission from a target surveillance camera device to its associated target cloud access point with a number of settings are measured and estimated under the consideration of 60 GHz radiation characteristics and antenna radiation pattern models.

Implementing GermWatcher, an enterprise infection control application.

PubMed

Doherty, Joshua; Noirot, Laura A; Mayfield, Jennie; Ramiah, Sridhar; Huang, Christine; Dunagan, Wm Claiborne; Bailey, Thomas C

2006-01-01

Automated surveillance tools can provide significant advantages to infection control practitioners. When stored in a relational database, the data collected can also be used to support numerous research and quality improvement opportunities. A previously described electronic infection control surveillance system was remodeled to provide multi-hospital support, an XML based rule set, and interoperability with an enterprise terminology server. This paper describes the new architecture being used at hospitals across BJC HealthCare.

Organization of surveillance in GI practice.

PubMed

Senore, Carlo; Bellisario, Cristina; Hassan, Cesare

2016-12-01

Several reports documented an inefficient utilisation of available resources, as well as a suboptimal compliance with surveillance recommendations. Although, evidence suggests that organisational issues can influence the quality of care delivered, surveillance protocols are usually based on non-organized approaches. We conducted a literature search (publication date: 01/2000-06/2016) on PubMed and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for guidelines, or consensus statements, for surveys of practice, reporting information about patients, or providers attitudes and behaviours, for intervention studies to enhance compliance with guidelines. Related articles were also scrutinised. Based on the clinical relevance and burden on endoscopy services this review was focused on surveillance for Barrett's oesophagus, IBD and post-polypectomy surveillance of colonic adenomas. Existing guidelines are generally recognising structure and process requirements influencing delivery of surveillance interventions, while less attention had been devoted to transitions and interfaces in the care process. Available evidence from practice surveys is suggesting the need to design organizational strategies aimed to enable patients to attend and providers to deliver timely and appropriate care. Well designed studies assessing the effectiveness of specific interventions in this setting are however lacking. Indirect evidence from screening settings would suggest that the implementation of automated standardized recall systems, utilisation of clinical registries, removing financial barriers, could improve appropriateness of use and compliance with recommendations. Lack of sound evidence regarding utility and methodology of surveillance can contribute to explain the observed variability in providers and patients attitudes and in compliance with the recommended surveillance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Charting a Path to Location Intelligence for STD Control.

PubMed

Gerber, Todd M; Du, Ping; Armstrong-Brown, Janelle; McNutt, Louise-Anne; Coles, F Bruce

2009-01-01

This article describes the New York State Department of Health's GeoDatabase project, which developed new methods and techniques for designing and building a geocoding and mapping data repository for sexually transmitted disease (STD) control. The GeoDatabase development was supported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Outcome Assessment through Systems of Integrated Surveillance workgroup. The design and operation of the GeoDatabase relied upon commercial-off-the-shelf tools that other public health programs may also use for disease-control systems. This article provides a blueprint of the structure and software used to build the GeoDatabase and integrate location data from multiple data sources into the everyday activities of STD control programs.

Real-time monitoring of school absenteeism to enhance disease surveillance: a pilot study of a mobile electronic reporting system.

PubMed

Lawpoolsri, Saranath; Khamsiriwatchara, Amnat; Liulark, Wongwat; Taweeseneepitch, Komchaluch; Sangvichean, Aumnuyphan; Thongprarong, Wiraporn; Kaewkungwal, Jaranit; Singhasivanon, Pratap

2014-05-12

School absenteeism is a common source of data used in syndromic surveillance, which can eventually be used for early outbreak detection. However, the absenteeism reporting system in most schools, especially in developing countries, relies on a paper-based method that limits its use for disease surveillance or outbreak detection. The objective of this study was to develop an electronic real-time reporting system on school absenteeism for syndromic surveillance. An electronic (Web-based) school absenteeism reporting system was developed to embed it within the normal routine process of absenteeism reporting. This electronic system allowed teachers to update students' attendance status via mobile tablets. The data from all classes and schools were then automatically sent to a centralized database for further analysis and presentation, and for monitoring temporal and spatial patterns of absent students. In addition, the system also had a disease investigation module, which provided a link between absenteeism data from schools and local health centers, to investigate causes of fever among sick students. The electronic school absenteeism reporting system was implemented in 7 primary schools in Bangkok, Thailand, with total participation of approximately 5000 students. During May-October 2012 (first semester), the percentage of absentees varied between 1% and 10%. The peak of school absenteeism (sick leave) was observed between July and September 2012, which coincided with the peak of dengue cases in children aged 6-12 years being reported to the disease surveillance system. The timeliness of a reporting system is a critical function in any surveillance system. Web-based application and mobile technology can potentially enhance the use of school absenteeism data for syndromic surveillance and outbreak detection. This study presents the factors that determine the implementation success of this reporting system.

Description of the MHS Health Level 7 Chemistry Laboratory for Public Health Surveillance

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

document provides a history of the HL7 chemistry database and its contents, explains the creation of chemistry/serology records, describes the pathway...in health surveillance activities. This technical document discusses the chemistry database by providing a history of the dataset and its contents...source for its usefulness in public health surveillance. While HL7 data also includes radiology, anatomic pathology reports and pharmacy transactions

Big data and ophthalmic research.

PubMed

Clark, Antony; Ng, Jonathon Q; Morlet, Nigel; Semmens, James B

2016-01-01

Large population-based health administrative databases, clinical registries, and data linkage systems are a rapidly expanding resource for health research. Ophthalmic research has benefited from the use of these databases in expanding the breadth of knowledge in areas such as disease surveillance, disease etiology, health services utilization, and health outcomes. Furthermore, the quantity of data available for research has increased exponentially in recent times, particularly as e-health initiatives come online in health systems across the globe. We review some big data concepts, the databases and data linkage systems used in eye research-including their advantages and limitations, the types of studies previously undertaken, and the future direction for big data in eye research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring costs of data collection at village clinics by village doctors for a syndromic surveillance system-a cross sectional survey from China.

PubMed

Ding, Yan; Fei, Yang; Xu, Biao; Yang, Jun; Yan, Weirong; Diwan, Vinod K; Sauerborn, Rainer; Dong, Hengjin

2015-07-25

Studies into the costs of syndromic surveillance systems are rare, especially for estimating the direct costs involved in implementing and maintaining these systems. An Integrated Surveillance System in rural China (ISSC project), with the aim of providing an early warning system for outbreaks, was implemented; village clinics were the main surveillance units. Village doctors expressed their willingness to join in the surveillance if a proper subsidy was provided. This study aims to measure the costs of data collection by village clinics to provide a reference regarding the subsidy level required for village clinics to participate in data collection. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a village clinic questionnaire and a staff questionnaire using a purposive sampling strategy. We tracked reported events using the ISSC internal database. Cost data included staff time, and the annual depreciation and opportunity costs of computers. We measured the village doctors' time costs for data collection by multiplying the number of full time employment equivalents devoted to the surveillance by the village doctors' annual salaries and benefits, which equaled their net incomes. We estimated the depreciation and opportunity costs of computers by calculating the equivalent annual computer cost and then allocating this to the surveillance based on the percentage usage. The estimated total annual cost of collecting data was 1,423 Chinese Renminbi (RMB) in 2012 (P25 = 857, P75 = 3284), including 1,250 RMB (P25 = 656, P75 = 3000) staff time costs and 134 RMB (P25 = 101, P75 = 335) depreciation and opportunity costs of computers. The total costs of collecting data from the village clinics for the syndromic surveillance system was calculated to be low compared with the individual net income in County A.

[A relational database to store Poison Centers calls].

PubMed

Barelli, Alessandro; Biondi, Immacolata; Tafani, Chiara; Pellegrini, Aristide; Soave, Maurizio; Gaspari, Rita; Annetta, Maria Giuseppina

2006-01-01

Italian Poison Centers answer to approximately 100,000 calls per year. Potentially, this activity is a huge source of data for toxicovigilance and for syndromic surveillance. During the last decade, surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks have drawn the attention of public health institutions due to the threat of terrorism and high-profile disease outbreaks. Poisoning surveillance needs the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of harmonised data about poisonings from all Poison Centers for use in public health action to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve health. The entity-relationship model for a Poison Center relational database is extremely complex and not studied in detail. For this reason, not harmonised data collection happens among Italian Poison Centers. Entities are recognizable concepts, either concrete or abstract, such as patients and poisons, or events which have relevance to the database, such as calls. Connectivity and cardinality of relationships are complex as well. A one-to-many relationship exist between calls and patients: for one instance of entity calls, there are zero, one, or many instances of entity patients. At the same time, a one-to-many relationship exist between patients and poisons: for one instance of entity patients, there are zero, one, or many instances of entity poisons. This paper shows a relational model for a poison center database which allows the harmonised data collection of poison centers calls.

A concept for routine emergency-care data-based syndromic surveillance in Europe.

PubMed

Ziemann, A; Rosenkötter, N; Garcia-Castrillo Riesgo, L; Schrell, S; Kauhl, B; Vergeiner, G; Fischer, M; Lippert, F K; Krämer, A; Brand, H; Krafft, T

2014-11-01

We developed a syndromic surveillance (SyS) concept using emergency dispatch, ambulance and emergency-department data from different European countries. Based on an inventory of sub-national emergency data availability in 12 countries, we propose framework definitions for specific syndromes and a SyS system design. We tested the concept by retrospectively applying cumulative sum and spatio-temporal cluster analyses for the detection of local gastrointestinal outbreaks in four countries and comparing the results with notifiable disease reporting. Routine emergency data was available daily and electronically in 11 regions, following a common structure. We identified two gastrointestinal outbreaks in two countries; one was confirmed as a norovirus outbreak. We detected 1/147 notified outbreaks. Emergency-care data-based SyS can supplement local surveillance with near real-time information on gastrointestinal patients, especially in special circumstances, e.g. foreign tourists. It most likely cannot detect the majority of local gastrointestinal outbreaks with few, mild or dispersed cases.

Social media and internet-based data in global systems for public health surveillance: a systematic review.

PubMed

Velasco, Edward; Agheneza, Tumacha; Denecke, Kerstin; Kirchner, Göran; Eckmanns, Tim

2014-03-01

The exchange of health information on the Internet has been heralded as an opportunity to improve public health surveillance. In a field that has traditionally relied on an established system of mandatory and voluntary reporting of known infectious diseases by doctors and laboratories to governmental agencies, innovations in social media and so-called user-generated information could lead to faster recognition of cases of infectious disease. More direct access to such data could enable surveillance epidemiologists to detect potential public health threats such as rare, new diseases or early-level warnings for epidemics. But how useful are data from social media and the Internet, and what is the potential to enhance surveillance? The challenges of using these emerging surveillance systems for infectious disease epidemiology, including the specific resources needed, technical requirements, and acceptability to public health practitioners and policymakers, have wide-reaching implications for public health surveillance in the 21st century. This article divides public health surveillance into indicator-based surveillance and event-based surveillance and provides an overview of each. We did an exhaustive review of published articles indexed in the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Scirus between 1990 and 2011 covering contemporary event-based systems for infectious disease surveillance. Our literature review uncovered no event-based surveillance systems currently used in national surveillance programs. While much has been done to develop event-based surveillance, the existing systems have limitations. Accordingly, there is a need for further development of automated technologies that monitor health-related information on the Internet, especially to handle large amounts of data and to prevent information overload. The dissemination to health authorities of new information about health events is not always efficient and could be improved. No comprehensive evaluations show whether event-based surveillance systems have been integrated into actual epidemiological work during real-time health events. The acceptability of data from the Internet and social media as a regular part of public health surveillance programs varies and is related to a circular challenge: the willingness to integrate is rooted in a lack of effectiveness studies, yet such effectiveness can be proved only through a structured evaluation of integrated systems. Issues related to changing technical and social paradigms in both individual perceptions of and interactions with personal health data, as well as social media and other data from the Internet, must be further addressed before such information can be integrated into official surveillance systems. © 2014 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Social Media and Internet-Based Data in Global Systems for Public Health Surveillance: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

VELASCO, EDWARD; AGHENEZA, TUMACHA; DENECKE, KERSTIN; KIRCHNER, GÖRAN; ECKMANNS, TIM

2014-01-01

Context: The exchange of health information on the Internet has been heralded as an opportunity to improve public health surveillance. In a field that has traditionally relied on an established system of mandatory and voluntary reporting of known infectious diseases by doctors and laboratories to governmental agencies, innovations in social media and so-called user-generated information could lead to faster recognition of cases of infectious disease. More direct access to such data could enable surveillance epidemiologists to detect potential public health threats such as rare, new diseases or early-level warnings for epidemics. But how useful are data from social media and the Internet, and what is the potential to enhance surveillance? The challenges of using these emerging surveillance systems for infectious disease epidemiology, including the specific resources needed, technical requirements, and acceptability to public health practitioners and policymakers, have wide-reaching implications for public health surveillance in the 21st century. Methods: This article divides public health surveillance into indicator-based surveillance and event-based surveillance and provides an overview of each. We did an exhaustive review of published articles indexed in the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Scirus between 1990 and 2011 covering contemporary event-based systems for infectious disease surveillance. Findings: Our literature review uncovered no event-based surveillance systems currently used in national surveillance programs. While much has been done to develop event-based surveillance, the existing systems have limitations. Accordingly, there is a need for further development of automated technologies that monitor health-related information on the Internet, especially to handle large amounts of data and to prevent information overload. The dissemination to health authorities of new information about health events is not always efficient and could be improved. No comprehensive evaluations show whether event-based surveillance systems have been integrated into actual epidemiological work during real-time health events. Conclusions: The acceptability of data from the Internet and social media as a regular part of public health surveillance programs varies and is related to a circular challenge: the willingness to integrate is rooted in a lack of effectiveness studies, yet such effectiveness can be proved only through a structured evaluation of integrated systems. Issues related to changing technical and social paradigms in both individual perceptions of and interactions with personal health data, as well as social media and other data from the Internet, must be further addressed before such information can be integrated into official surveillance systems. PMID:24597553

Assessing the population coverage of a health demographic surveillance system using satellite imagery and crowd-sourcing.

PubMed

Di Pasquale, Aurelio; McCann, Robert S; Maire, Nicolas

2017-01-01

Remotely sensed data can serve as an independent source of information about the location of residential structures in areas under demographic and health surveillance. We report on results obtained combining satellite imagery, imported from Bing, with location data routinely collected using the built-in GPS sensors of tablet computers, to assess completeness of population coverage in a Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Malawi. The Majete Malaria Project Health and Demographic Surveillance System, in Malawi, started in 2014 to support a project with the aim of studying the reduction of malaria using an integrated control approach by rolling out insecticide treated nets and improved case management supplemented with house improvement and larval source management. In order to support the monitoring of the trial a Health and Demographic Surveillance System was established in the area that surrounds the Majete Wildlife Reserve (1600 km2), using the OpenHDS data system. We compared house locations obtained using GPS recordings on mobile devices during the demographic surveillance census round with those acquired from satellite imagery. Volunteers were recruited through the crowdcrafting.org platform to identify building structures on the images, which enabled the compilation of a database with coordinates of potential residences. For every building identified on these satellite images by the volunteers (11,046 buildings identified of which 3424 (ca. 30%) were part of the censused area), we calculated the distance to the nearest house enumerated on the ground by fieldworkers during the census round of the HDSS. A random sample of buildings (85 structures) identified on satellite images without a nearby location enrolled in the census were visited by a fieldworker to determine how many were missed during the baseline census survey, if any were missed. The findings from this ground-truthing effort suggest that a high population coverage was achieved in the census survey, however the crowd-sourcing did not locate many of the inhabited structures (52.3% of the 6543 recorded during the census round). We conclude that using auxiliary data can play a useful role in quality assurance in population based health surveillance, but improved algorithms would be needed if crowd-sourced house locations are to be used as the basis of population databases.

The applicability of animal health surveillance systems for post-market monitoring of potential adverse effects of genetically modified (GM) feed.

PubMed

Vince, L; Kleter, G A; Kostov, K; Pfeiffer, D U; Guitian, J

2018-04-20

A facultative post market monitoring of potential health impacts of genetically modified (GM) feedstuffs on livestock consuming these feeds after pre-market risk assessment is under ongoing consideration. Within the IPAFEED database, scientific studies on health effects beyond performance in livestock and the results of a systematic search for evidence of outcome effects due to GM feed are consolidated. These outcomes were reviewed and checked for consistency in order to identify plausible syndromes suitable for conducting surveillance. The 24 selected studies showed no consistent changes in any health parameter. There were no repeated studies in any species by GM crop type and animal species. As such, there is insufficient evidence to inform the design of surveillance systems for detecting known adverse effects. Animal health surveillance systems have been proposed for the post market monitoring of potential adverse effects in animals. Such systems were evaluated for their applicability to the detection of hypothetical adverse effects and their strengths and weaknesses to detect syndromes of concern are presented. For known adverse effects, applied controlled post-market studies may yield conclusive and high-quality evidence. For detecting unknown adverse effects, the use of existing surveillance systems may still be of interest. A simulation tool developed within the project can be adapted and applied to existing surveillance systems to explore their applicability to the detection of potential adverse effects of GM feed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Outbreak bias in illness reporting and case confirmation in ciguatera fish poisoning surveillance in south Florida.

PubMed

Begier, Elizabeth M; Backer, Lorraine C; Weisman, Richard S; Hammond, Roberta M; Fleming, Lora E; Blythe, Donna

2006-01-01

Ciguatera fish poisoning is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by eating coral reef fish contaminated with ciguatoxins and is the most common marine poisoning. However, existing surveillance systems capture few cases. To improve regional ciguatera surveillance in South Florida, this study compared ciguatera illnesses in the Florida Poison Information Center-Miami (FPICM) call database to ciguatera cases in the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) disease surveillance systems. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify predictors of when FPICM reported ciguatera illnesses to FDOH and whether FDOH confirmed reported ciguatera cases. FPICM staff preferentially reported ciguatera illnesses that were of shorter duration (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.84 per additional illness day; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74, 0.97); outbreak-associated (AOR = 7.0; 95% CI 2.5, 19.5); and clinically more severe (AOR = 21.6; 95% CI 2.3, 198.5). Among ciguatera illnesses reported to FDOH, outbreak-associated illnesses were more likely than single, sporadic illnesses to become confirmed surveillance cases (crude OR = 11.1; 95% CI 2.0, 62.5). The over-representation of outbreak-associated ciguatera cases underestimates the true contribution of sporadic illnesses to ciguatera disease burden. This bias should be considered when evaluating surveillance systems that include both outbreak-associated and sporadic illness reports.

Driver acceptance of commercial vehicle operations (CVO) technology in the motor carrier environment. Executive summary, Critical issues relating to acceptance of technology by interstate truck and bus drivers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-05-01

The California database incorporated in the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) is derived from the California TASAS (Traffic Accident Surveillance and Analysis System). The system, maintained by the Traffic Operations Office of Caltrans, is a m...

An Expert System And Simulation Approach For Sensor Management & Control In A Distributed Surveillance Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leon, Barbara D.; Heller, Paul R.

1987-05-01

A surveillance network is a group of multiplatform sensors cooperating to improve network performance. Network control is distributed as a measure to decrease vulnerability to enemy threat. The network may contain diverse sensor types such as radar, ESM (Electronic Support Measures), IRST (Infrared search and track) and E-0 (Electro-Optical). Each platform may contain a single sensor or suite of sensors. In a surveillance network it is desirable to control sensors to make the overall system more effective. This problem has come to be known as sensor management and control (SM&C). Two major facets of network performance are surveillance and survivability. In a netted environment, surveillance can be enhanced if information from all sensors is combined and sensor operating conditions are controlled to provide a synergistic effect. In contrast, when survivability is the main concern for the network, the best operating status for all sensors would be passive or off. Of course, improving survivability tends to degrade surveillance. Hence, the objective of SM&C is to optimize surveillance and survivability of the network. Too voluminous data of various formats and the quick response time are two characteristics of this problem which make it an ideal application for Artificial Intelligence. A solution to the SM&C problem, presented as a computer simulation, will be presented in this paper. The simulation is a hybrid production written in LISP and FORTRAN. It combines the latest conventional computer programming methods with Artificial Intelligence techniques to produce a flexible state-of-the-art tool to evaluate network performance. The event-driven simulation contains environment models coupled with an expert system. These environment models include sensor (track-while-scan and agile beam) and target models, local tracking, and system tracking. These models are used to generate the environment for the sensor management and control expert system. The expert system, driven by a forward chaining inference engine, makes decisions based on the global database. The global database contains current track and sensor information supplied by the simulation. At present, the rule base emphasizes the surveillance features with rules grouped into three main categories: maintenance and enhancing track on prioritized targets; filling coverage holes and countering jamming; and evaluating sensor status. The paper will describe the architecture used for the expert system and the reasons for selecting the chosen methods. The SM&C simulation produces a graphical representation of sensors and their associated tracks such that the benefits of the sensor management and control expert system are evident. Jammer locations are also part of the display. The paper will describe results from several scenarios that best illustrate the sensor management and control concepts.

Advancements in web-database applications for rabies surveillance.

PubMed

Rees, Erin E; Gendron, Bruno; Lelièvre, Frédérick; Coté, Nathalie; Bélanger, Denise

2011-08-02

Protection of public health from rabies is informed by the analysis of surveillance data from human and animal populations. In Canada, public health, agricultural and wildlife agencies at the provincial and federal level are responsible for rabies disease control, and this has led to multiple agency-specific data repositories. Aggregation of agency-specific data into one database application would enable more comprehensive data analyses and effective communication among participating agencies. In Québec, RageDB was developed to house surveillance data for the raccoon rabies variant, representing the next generation in web-based database applications that provide a key resource for the protection of public health. RageDB incorporates data from, and grants access to, all agencies responsible for the surveillance of raccoon rabies in Québec. Technological advancements of RageDB to rabies surveillance databases include (1) automatic integration of multi-agency data and diagnostic results on a daily basis; (2) a web-based data editing interface that enables authorized users to add, edit and extract data; and (3) an interactive dashboard to help visualize data simply and efficiently, in table, chart, and cartographic formats. Furthermore, RageDB stores data from citizens who voluntarily report sightings of rabies suspect animals. We also discuss how sightings data can indicate public perception to the risk of racoon rabies and thus aid in directing the allocation of disease control resources for protecting public health. RageDB provides an example in the evolution of spatio-temporal database applications for the storage, analysis and communication of disease surveillance data. The database was fast and inexpensive to develop by using open-source technologies, simple and efficient design strategies, and shared web hosting. The database increases communication among agencies collaborating to protect human health from raccoon rabies. Furthermore, health agencies have real-time access to a wide assortment of data documenting new developments in the raccoon rabies epidemic and this enables a more timely and appropriate response.

Advancements in web-database applications for rabies surveillance

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Protection of public health from rabies is informed by the analysis of surveillance data from human and animal populations. In Canada, public health, agricultural and wildlife agencies at the provincial and federal level are responsible for rabies disease control, and this has led to multiple agency-specific data repositories. Aggregation of agency-specific data into one database application would enable more comprehensive data analyses and effective communication among participating agencies. In Québec, RageDB was developed to house surveillance data for the raccoon rabies variant, representing the next generation in web-based database applications that provide a key resource for the protection of public health. Results RageDB incorporates data from, and grants access to, all agencies responsible for the surveillance of raccoon rabies in Québec. Technological advancements of RageDB to rabies surveillance databases include 1) automatic integration of multi-agency data and diagnostic results on a daily basis; 2) a web-based data editing interface that enables authorized users to add, edit and extract data; and 3) an interactive dashboard to help visualize data simply and efficiently, in table, chart, and cartographic formats. Furthermore, RageDB stores data from citizens who voluntarily report sightings of rabies suspect animals. We also discuss how sightings data can indicate public perception to the risk of racoon rabies and thus aid in directing the allocation of disease control resources for protecting public health. Conclusions RageDB provides an example in the evolution of spatio-temporal database applications for the storage, analysis and communication of disease surveillance data. The database was fast and inexpensive to develop by using open-source technologies, simple and efficient design strategies, and shared web hosting. The database increases communication among agencies collaborating to protect human health from raccoon rabies. Furthermore, health agencies have real-time access to a wide assortment of data documenting new developments in the raccoon rabies epidemic and this enables a more timely and appropriate response. PMID:21810215

Evaluation of a Broad-Spectrum Partially Automated Adverse Event Surveillance System: A Potential Tool for Patient Safety Improvement in Hospitals With Limited Resources.

PubMed

Saikali, Melody; Tanios, Alain; Saab, Antoine

2017-11-21

The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity and resource efficiency of a partially automated adverse event (AE) surveillance system for routine patient safety efforts in hospitals with limited resources. Twenty-eight automated triggers from the hospital information system's clinical and administrative databases identified cases that were then filtered by exclusion criteria per trigger and then reviewed by an interdisciplinary team. The system, developed and implemented using in-house resources, was applied for 45 days of surveillance, for all hospital inpatient admissions (N = 1107). Each trigger was evaluated for its positive predictive value (PPV). Furthermore, the sensitivity of the surveillance system (overall and by AE category) was estimated relative to incidence ranges in the literature. The surveillance system identified a total of 123 AEs among 283 reviewed medical records, yielding an overall PPV of 52%. The tool showed variable levels of sensitivity across and within AE categories when compared with the literature, with a relatively low overall sensitivity estimated between 21% and 44%. Adverse events were detected in 23 of the 36 AE categories defined by an established harm classification system. Furthermore, none of the detected AEs were voluntarily reported. The surveillance system showed variable sensitivity levels across a broad range of AE categories with an acceptable PPV, overcoming certain limitations associated with other harm detection methods. The number of cases captured was substantial, and none had been previously detected or voluntarily reported. For hospitals with limited resources, this methodology provides valuable safety information from which interventions for quality improvement can be formulated.

Sequential Learning and Recognition of Comprehensive Behavioral Patterns Based on Flow of People

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibo, Tatsuya; Aoki, Shigeki; Miyamoto, Takao; Iwata, Motoi; Shiozaki, Akira

Recently, surveillance cameras have been set up everywhere, for example, in streets and public places, in order to detect irregular situations. In the existing surveillance systems, as only a handful of surveillance agents watch a large number of images acquired from surveillance cameras, there is a possibility that they may miss important scenes such as accidents or abnormal incidents. Therefore, we propose a method for sequential learning and the recognition of comprehensive behavioral patterns in crowded places. First, we comprehensively extract a flow of people from input images by using optical flow. Second, we extract behavioral patterns on the basis of change-point detection of the flow of people. Finally, in order to recognize an observed behavioral pattern, we draw a comparison between the behavioral pattern and previous behavioral patterns in the database. We verify the effectiveness of our approach by placing a surveillance camera on a campus.

The dimensions of nursing surveillance: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Kelly, Lesly; Vincent, Deborah

2011-03-01

This paper is a report of an analysis of the concept of nursing surveillance. Nursing surveillance, a primary function of acute care nurses, is critical to patient safety and outcomes. Although it has been associated with patient outcomes and organizational context of care, little knowledge has been generated about the conceptual and operational process of surveillance. A search using the CINAHL, Medline and PubMed databases was used to compile an international data set of 18 papers and 4 book chapters published from 1985 to 2009. Rodger's evolutionary concept analysis techniques were used to analyse surveillance in a systems framework. This method focused the search to nursing surveillance (as opposed to other medical uses of the term) and used a theoretical framework to guide the analysis. The examination of the literature clarifies the multifaceted nature of nursing surveillance in the acute care setting. Surveillance involves purposeful and ongoing acquisition, interpretation and synthesis of patient data for clinical decision-making. Behavioural activities and multiple cognitive processes are used in surveillance in order for the nurse to make decisions for patient safety and health maintenance. A systems approach to the analysis also demonstrates how organizational characteristics and contextual factors influence the process in the acute care environment. This conceptual analysis describes the nature of the surveillance process and clarifies the concept for effective communication and future use in health services research. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The dimensions of nursing surveillance: a concept analysis

PubMed Central

Kelly, Lesly; Vincent, Deborah

2011-01-01

Aim This paper is a report of an analysis of the concept of nursing surveillance. Background Nursing surveillance, a primary function of acute care nurses, is critical to patient safety and outcomes. Although it has been associated with patient outcomes and organizational context of care, little knowledge has been generated about the conceptual and operational process of surveillance. Data sources A search using the CINAHL, Medline and PubMed databases was used to compile an international data set of 18 papers and 4 book chapters published from 1985 to 2009. Review methods Rodger’s evolutionary concept analysis techniques were used to analyse surveillance in a systems framework. This method focused the search to nursing surveillance (as opposed to other medical uses of the term) and used a theoretical framework to guide the analysis. Results The examination of the literature clarifies the multifaceted nature of nursing surveillance in the acute care setting. Surveillance involves purposeful and ongoing acquisition, interpretation and synthesis of patient data for clinical decision- making. Behavioural activities and multiple cognitive processes are used in surveillance in order for the nurse to make decisions for patient safety and health maintenance. A systems approach to the analysis also demonstrates how organizational characteristics and contextual factors influence the process in the acute care environment. Conclusion This conceptual analysis describes the nature of the surveillance process and clarifies the concept for effective communication and future use in health services research. PMID:21129007

Design considerations, architecture, and use of the Mini-Sentinel distributed data system.

PubMed

Curtis, Lesley H; Weiner, Mark G; Boudreau, Denise M; Cooper, William O; Daniel, Gregory W; Nair, Vinit P; Raebel, Marsha A; Beaulieu, Nicolas U; Rosofsky, Robert; Woodworth, Tiffany S; Brown, Jeffrey S

2012-01-01

We describe the design, implementation, and use of a large, multiorganizational distributed database developed to support the Mini-Sentinel Pilot Program of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As envisioned by the US FDA, this implementation will inform and facilitate the development of an active surveillance system for monitoring the safety of medical products (drugs, biologics, and devices) in the USA. A common data model was designed to address the priorities of the Mini-Sentinel Pilot and to leverage the experience and data of participating organizations and data partners. A review of existing common data models informed the process. Each participating organization designed a process to extract, transform, and load its source data, applying the common data model to create the Mini-Sentinel Distributed Database. Transformed data were characterized and evaluated using a series of programs developed centrally and executed locally by participating organizations. A secure communications portal was designed to facilitate queries of the Mini-Sentinel Distributed Database and transfer of confidential data, analytic tools were developed to facilitate rapid response to common questions, and distributed querying software was implemented to facilitate rapid querying of summary data. As of July 2011, information on 99,260,976 health plan members was included in the Mini-Sentinel Distributed Database. The database includes 316,009,067 person-years of observation time, with members contributing, on average, 27.0 months of observation time. All data partners have successfully executed distributed code and returned findings to the Mini-Sentinel Operations Center. This work demonstrates the feasibility of building a large, multiorganizational distributed data system in which organizations retain possession of their data that are used in an active surveillance system. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antimicrobial resistance: harmonisation of national antimicrobial resistance monitoring and surveillance programmes in animals and in animal-derived food.

PubMed

Franklin, A; Acar, J; Anthony, F; Gupta, R; Nicholls, T; Tamura, Y; Thompson, S; Threlfall, E J; Vose, D; van Vuuren, M; White, D G; Wegener, H C; Costarrica, M L

2001-12-01

A guideline on the harmonisation of national antimicrobial resistance monitoring and surveillance programmes in animals and animal-derived foods has been developed by the Ad hoc Group of experts on antimicrobial resistance of the Office International des Epizooties. The objective of the guideline is to allow the generation of comparable data from various national surveillance and monitoring systems in order to compare the situations in different regions or countries and to consolidate results at the national, regional and international level. Definitions of surveillance and monitoring are provided. National systems should be able to detect the emergence of resistance, and to determine the prevalence of resistant bacteria. The resulting data should be used in the assessment of risks to public health and should contribute to the establishment of a risk management policy. Specific factors identified for harmonisation include the animal species, food commodities, sampling plans, bacterial species, antimicrobials to be tested, laboratory methods, data reporting, database structure and the structure of reports.

Prisoners' expectations of the national forensic DNA database: surveillance and reconfiguration of individual rights.

PubMed

Machado, Helena; Santos, Filipe; Silva, Susana

2011-07-15

In this paper we aim to discuss how Portuguese prisoners know and what they feel about surveillance mechanisms related to the inclusion and deletion of the DNA profiles of convicted criminals in the national forensic database. Through a set of interviews with individuals currently imprisoned we focus on the ways this group perceives forensic DNA technologies. While the institutional and political discourses maintain that the restricted use and application of DNA profiles within the national forensic database protects individuals' rights, the prisoners claim that police misuse of such technologies potentially makes it difficult to escape from surveillance and acts as a mean of reinforcing the stigma of delinquency. The prisoners also argue that additional intensive and extensive use of surveillance devices might be more protective of their own individual rights and might possibly increase potential for exoneration. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autonomous facial recognition system inspired by human visual system based logarithmical image visualization technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Qianwen; Panetta, Karen; Agaian, Sos

2017-05-01

Autonomous facial recognition system is widely used in real-life applications, such as homeland border security, law enforcement identification and authentication, and video-based surveillance analysis. Issues like low image quality, non-uniform illumination as well as variations in poses and facial expressions can impair the performance of recognition systems. To address the non-uniform illumination challenge, we present a novel robust autonomous facial recognition system inspired by the human visual system based, so called, logarithmical image visualization technique. In this paper, the proposed method, for the first time, utilizes the logarithmical image visualization technique coupled with the local binary pattern to perform discriminative feature extraction for facial recognition system. The Yale database, the Yale-B database and the ATT database are used for computer simulation accuracy and efficiency testing. The extensive computer simulation demonstrates the method's efficiency, accuracy, and robustness of illumination invariance for facial recognition.

Practice databases and their uses in clinical research.

PubMed

Tierney, W M; McDonald, C J

1991-04-01

A few large clinical information databases have been established within larger medical information systems. Although they are smaller than claims databases, these clinical databases offer several advantages: accurate and timely data, rich clinical detail, and continuous parameters (for example, vital signs and laboratory results). However, the nature of the data vary considerably, which affects the kinds of secondary analyses that can be performed. These databases have been used to investigate clinical epidemiology, risk assessment, post-marketing surveillance of drugs, practice variation, resource use, quality assurance, and decision analysis. In addition, practice databases can be used to identify subjects for prospective studies. Further methodologic developments are necessary to deal with the prevalent problems of missing data and various forms of bias if such databases are to grow and contribute valuable clinical information.

Performance Assessment of Communicable Disease Surveillance in Disasters: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Babaie, Javad; Ardalan, Ali; Vatandoost, Hasan; Goya, Mohammad Mehdi; Akbarisari, Ali

2015-01-01

Background: This study aimed to identify the indices and frameworks that have been used to assess the performance of communicable disease surveillance (CDS) in response to disasters and other emergencies, including infectious disease outbreaks. Method: In this systematic review, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest databases and grey literature were searched until the end of 2013. All retrieved titles were examined in accordance with inclusion criteria. Abstracts of the relevant titles were reviewed and eligible abstracts were included in a list for data abstraction. Finally, the study variables were extracted. Results: Sixteen articles and one book were found relevant to our study objectives. In these articles, 31 criteria and 35 indicators were used or suggested for the assessment/evaluation of the performance of surveillance systems in disasters. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated guidelines for the evaluation of public health surveillance systems were the most widely used. Conclusion: Despite the importance of performance assessment in improving CDS in response to disasters, there is a lack of clear and accepted frameworks. There is also no agreement on the use of existing criteria and indices. The only relevant framework is the CDC guideline, which is a common framework for assessing public health surveillance systems as a whole. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate frameworks, criteria, and indices for specifically assessing the performance of CDS in response to disasters and other emergencies, including infectious diseases outbreaks. Key words: Disasters, Emergencies, Communicable Diseases, Surveillance System, Performance Assessment PMID:25774323

Surveillance of adverse effects following vaccination and safety of immunization programs.

PubMed

Waldman, Eliseu Alves; Luhm, Karin Regina; Monteiro, Sandra Aparecida Moreira Gomes; Freitas, Fabiana Ramos Martin de

2011-02-01

The aim of the review was to analyze conceptual and operational aspects of systems for surveillance of adverse events following immunization. Articles available in electronic format were included, published between 1985 and 2009, selected from the PubMed/Medline databases using the key words "adverse events following vaccine surveillance", "post-marketing surveillance", "safety vaccine" and "Phase IV clinical trials". Articles focusing on specific adverse events were excluded. The major aspects underlying the Public Health importance of adverse events following vaccination, the instruments aimed at ensuring vaccine safety, and the purpose, attributes, types, data interpretation issues, limitations, and further challenges in adverse events following immunization were describe, as well as strategies to improve sensitivity. The review was concluded by discussing the challenges to be faced in coming years with respect to ensuring the safety and reliability of vaccination programs.

Prevalence of Smoking and Associated Factors: Evidence From the CHILILAB Demographic Surveillance System in Vietnam.

PubMed

Thi Thanh Huong, Le; Khanh Long, Tran; Xuan Son, Phung; Thi Tuyet-Hanh, Tran

2017-07-01

This study analyzed secondary data from Chi Linh Health and Demographic Surveillance System (CHILILAB) database to identify smoking prevalence and associated demographic factors. Data were extracted from the database of the CHILILAB 2016, which included information on individual smoking behaviors, as well as individual and household demographic data. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analyses were performed with significance level of 0.05. The smoking prevalences were 34.7%, 0.9%, and 16.1% for men, women, and both genders, respectively. A total of 78.2% of current smokers smoked daily inside their houses. Lower smoking status was associated with younger age, being student, rich, and/or single. Future efforts should not only spend on further reduction of smoking rate in Chi Linh Town but should also pay special attention on reducing the prevalence of in-home smoking. This will help to decrease the risk of nonsmokers being exposed to secondhand smoke in their home environment.

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Shadow Detection in Images Using Visible Light Camera Sensor.

PubMed

Kim, Dong Seop; Arsalan, Muhammad; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-03-23

Recent developments in intelligence surveillance camera systems have enabled more research on the detection, tracking, and recognition of humans. Such systems typically use visible light cameras and images, in which shadows make it difficult to detect and recognize the exact human area. Near-infrared (NIR) light cameras and thermal cameras are used to mitigate this problem. However, such instruments require a separate NIR illuminator, or are prohibitively expensive. Existing research on shadow detection in images captured by visible light cameras have utilized object and shadow color features for detection. Unfortunately, various environmental factors such as illumination change and brightness of background cause detection to be a difficult task. To overcome this problem, we propose a convolutional neural network-based shadow detection method. Experimental results with a database built from various outdoor surveillance camera environments, and from the context-aware vision using image-based active recognition (CAVIAR) open database, show that our method outperforms previous works.

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Shadow Detection in Images Using Visible Light Camera Sensor

PubMed Central

Kim, Dong Seop; Arsalan, Muhammad; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-01-01

Recent developments in intelligence surveillance camera systems have enabled more research on the detection, tracking, and recognition of humans. Such systems typically use visible light cameras and images, in which shadows make it difficult to detect and recognize the exact human area. Near-infrared (NIR) light cameras and thermal cameras are used to mitigate this problem. However, such instruments require a separate NIR illuminator, or are prohibitively expensive. Existing research on shadow detection in images captured by visible light cameras have utilized object and shadow color features for detection. Unfortunately, various environmental factors such as illumination change and brightness of background cause detection to be a difficult task. To overcome this problem, we propose a convolutional neural network-based shadow detection method. Experimental results with a database built from various outdoor surveillance camera environments, and from the context-aware vision using image-based active recognition (CAVIAR) open database, show that our method outperforms previous works. PMID:29570690

Surveillance and Outbreak Response Management System (SORMAS) to support the control of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa.

PubMed

Fähnrich, C; Denecke, K; Adeoye, O O; Benzler, J; Claus, H; Kirchner, G; Mall, S; Richter, R; Schapranow, M P; Schwarz, N; Tom-Aba, D; Uflacker, M; Poggensee, G; Krause, G

2015-03-26

In the context of controlling the current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD), the World Health Organization claimed that 'critical determinant of epidemic size appears to be the speed of implementation of rigorous control measures', i.e. immediate follow-up of contact persons during 21 days after exposure, isolation and treatment of cases, decontamination, and safe burials. We developed the Surveillance and Outbreak Response Management System (SORMAS) to improve efficiency and timeliness of these measures. We used the Design Thinking methodology to systematically analyse experiences from field workers and the Ebola Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) after successful control of the EVD outbreak in Nigeria. We developed a process model with seven personas representing the procedures of EVD outbreak control. The SORMAS system architecture combines latest In-Memory Database (IMDB) technology via SAP HANA (in-memory, relational database management system), enabling interactive data analyses, and established SAP cloud tools, such as SAP Afaria (a mobile device management software). The user interface consists of specific front-ends for smartphones and tablet devices, which are independent from physical configurations. SORMAS allows real-time, bidirectional information exchange between field workers and the EOC, ensures supervision of contact follow-up, automated status reports, and GPS tracking. SORMAS may become a platform for outbreak management and improved routine surveillance of any infectious disease. Furthermore, the SORMAS process model may serve as framework for EVD outbreak modeling.

Active surveillance of postmarket medical product safety in the Federal Partners' Collaboration.

PubMed

Robb, Melissa A; Racoosin, Judith A; Worrall, Chris; Chapman, Summer; Coster, Trinka; Cunningham, Francesca E

2012-11-01

After half a century of monitoring voluntary reports of medical product adverse events, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a long-term project to build an adverse events monitoring system, the Sentinel System, which can access and evaluate electronic health care data to help monitor the safety of regulated medical products once they are marketed. On the basis of experience gathered through a number of collaborative efforts, the Federal Partners' Collaboration pilot project, involving FDA, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Department of Defense, is already enabling FDA to leverage the power of large public health care databases to assess, in near real time, the utility of analytical tools and methodologies that are being developed for use in the Sentinel System. Active medical product safety surveillance is enhanced by use of these large public health databases because specific populations of exposed patients can be identified and analyzed, and can be further stratified by key variables such as age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, and basis for eligibility to examine important subgroups.

Examining lung cancer risks across different industries and occupations in Ontario, Canada: the establishment of the Occupational Disease Surveillance System.

PubMed

Jung, James K H; Feinstein, Saul G; Palma Lazgare, Luis; Macleod, Jill S; Arrandale, Victoria H; McLeod, Christopher B; Peter, Alice; Demers, Paul A

2018-05-07

The Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS) was established in Ontario, Canada by linking a cohort of workers with data created from Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims to administrative health databases. The aim of this study was to use ODSS to identify high-risk industry and occupation groups for lung cancer in Ontario. Workers in the WSIB lost time claims database were linked to the Ontario Cancer Registry using subjects' health insurance numbers, name, sex, birthdate and death date (if applicable). Several occupations and industries known to be at increased risk were outlined a priori to examine whether ODSS could replicate these associations. Age-adjusted, sex-stratified Cox proportional hazard models compared the risk of lung cancer within one industry/occupation versus all other groups in the cohort. Workers with a lung cancer diagnosis prior to cohort entry were excluded for analysis, leaving 2 187 762 workers for analysis. During the 1983 to 2014 follow-up, 34 661 workers in the cohort were diagnosed with lung cancer. Among expected high-risk industries, elevated risks were observed among workers in quarries/sand pits and construction industries for both sexes, and among males in metal mines, iron foundries, non-metallic mineral products industries and transportation industries. Excess risk was also observed among occupations in drilling/blasting, other mining/quarrying, mineral ore treating, excavating/grading/paving, truck driving, painting, bus driving and construction. This current surveillance system identified several established high-risk groups for lung cancer and could be used for ongoing surveillance of occupational lung cancer in Ontario. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Semantic-based surveillance video retrieval.

PubMed

Hu, Weiming; Xie, Dan; Fu, Zhouyu; Zeng, Wenrong; Maybank, Steve

2007-04-01

Visual surveillance produces large amounts of video data. Effective indexing and retrieval from surveillance video databases are very important. Although there are many ways to represent the content of video clips in current video retrieval algorithms, there still exists a semantic gap between users and retrieval systems. Visual surveillance systems supply a platform for investigating semantic-based video retrieval. In this paper, a semantic-based video retrieval framework for visual surveillance is proposed. A cluster-based tracking algorithm is developed to acquire motion trajectories. The trajectories are then clustered hierarchically using the spatial and temporal information, to learn activity models. A hierarchical structure of semantic indexing and retrieval of object activities, where each individual activity automatically inherits all the semantic descriptions of the activity model to which it belongs, is proposed for accessing video clips and individual objects at the semantic level. The proposed retrieval framework supports various queries including queries by keywords, multiple object queries, and queries by sketch. For multiple object queries, succession and simultaneity restrictions, together with depth and breadth first orders, are considered. For sketch-based queries, a method for matching trajectories drawn by users to spatial trajectories is proposed. The effectiveness and efficiency of our framework are tested in a crowded traffic scene.

Developing Surveillance Methodology for Agricultural and Logging Injury in New Hampshire Using Electronic Administrative Data Sets.

PubMed

Scott, Erika E; Hirabayashi, Liane; Krupa, Nicole L; Sorensen, Julie A; Jenkins, Paul L

2015-08-01

Agriculture and logging rank among industries with the highest rates of occupational fatality and injury. Establishing a nonfatal injury surveillance system is a top priority in the National Occupational Research Agenda. Sources of data such as patient care reports (PCRs) and hospitalization data have recently transitioned to electronic databases. Using narrative and location codes from PCRs, along with International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, external cause of injury codes (E-codes) in hospital data, researchers are designing a surveillance system to track farm and logging injury. A total of 357 true agricultural or logging cases were identified. These data indicate that it is possible to identify agricultural and logging injury events in PCR and hospital data. Multiple data sources increase catchment; nevertheless, limitations in methods of identification of agricultural and logging injury contribute to the likely undercount of injury events.

Participant-centred active surveillance of adverse events following immunisation: a narrative review

PubMed Central

Cashman, Patrick; Macartney, Kristine; Khandaker, Gulam; King, Catherine; Gold, Michael; Durrheim, David N.

2017-01-01

Abstract The importance of active, participant-centred monitoring of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) is increasingly recognised as a valuable adjunct to traditional passive AEFI surveillance. The databases OVID Medline and OVID Embase were searched to identify all published articles referring to AEFI. Only studies which sought participant response after vaccination were included. A total of 6060 articles published since the year 2000 were identified. After the application of screening inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 articles describing 23 post-marketing AEFI systems were identified. Most countries had a single system: Ghana, Japan, China, Korea, Netherlands, Singapore, Brazil, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Cameroon except the USA (2), Canada (4) and Australia (6). Data were collected from participants with and without AEFI in all studies reviewed with denominator data enabling AEFI rate calculations. All studies considered either a single vaccine or specified vaccines or were time limited except one Australian system, which provides continuous automated participant-centred active surveillance of all vaccines. Post-marketing surveillance systems using solicited patient feedback are emerging as a novel AEFI monitoring tool. A number of exploratory systems utilising e-technology have been developed and their potential for scaling up and application in low and middle income countries deserves further investigation. PMID:28582563

The CSB Incident Screening Database: description, summary statistics and uses.

PubMed

Gomez, Manuel R; Casper, Susan; Smith, E Allen

2008-11-15

This paper briefly describes the Chemical Incident Screening Database currently used by the CSB to identify and evaluate chemical incidents for possible investigations, and summarizes descriptive statistics from this database that can potentially help to estimate the number, character, and consequences of chemical incidents in the US. The report compares some of the information in the CSB database to roughly similar information available from databases operated by EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and explores the possible implications of these comparisons with regard to the dimension of the chemical incident problem. Finally, the report explores in a preliminary way whether a system modeled after the existing CSB screening database could be developed to serve as a national surveillance tool for chemical incidents.

Injuries in the military: a review and commentary focused on prevention.

PubMed

Jones, B H; Perrotta, D M; Canham-Chervak, M L; Nee, M A; Brundage, J F

2000-04-01

In November 1996, the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board (AFEB) Injury Prevention and Control Work Group issued a report that cited injuries as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among military service members. This article reviews the types and categories of military morbidity and mortality data examined by the AFEB work group and the companion Department of Defense (DoD) Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group. This article further uses the injury data reviewed to illustrate the role of surveillance and research in injury prevention. The review provides the context for discussion of the implications of the AFEB work group's findings for the prevention of injuries in the military. The AFEB work group consisted of 11 civilian injury epidemiologists, health professionals and scientists from academia, and other non-DoD government agencies, plus six military liaison officers. Injury data from medical databases were provided to the civilian experts on the AFEB work group by the all-military DoD Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group. The AFEB work group assessed the value of each database to the process of prevention and made recommendations for improvement and use of each data source. Both work groups found that injuries were the single leading cause of deaths, disabilities, hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and manpower losses among military service members. They also identified numerous data sources useful for determining the causes and risk factors for injuries. Those data sources indicate that training injuries, sports, falls, and motor vehicle crashes are among the most important causes of morbidity for military personnel. While the work group recommends ways to prevent injuries, they felt the top priority for injury prevention must be the formation of a comprehensive medical surveillance system. Data from this surveillance system must be used routinely to prioritize and monitor injury and disease prevention and research programs. The success of injury prevention will depend not just on use of surveillance but also partnerships among the medical, surveillance, and safety agencies of the military services as well as the military commanders, other decision makers, and service members whose direct actions can prevent injuries and disease.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli F4, Pasteurella multocida, and Streptococcus suis isolates from a diagnostic veterinary laboratory and recommendations for a surveillance system

PubMed Central

Glass-Kaastra, Shiona K.; Pearl, David L.; Reid-Smith, Richard J.; McEwen, Beverly; Slavic, Durda; McEwen, Scott A.; Fairles, Jim

2014-01-01

Antimicrobial susceptibility data on Escherichia coli F4, Pasteurella multocida, and Streptococcus suis isolates from Ontario swine (January 1998 to October 2010) were acquired from a comprehensive diagnostic veterinary laboratory in Ontario, Canada. In relation to the possible development of a surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance, data were assessed for ease of management, completeness, consistency, and applicability for temporal and spatial statistical analyses. Limited farm location data precluded spatial analyses and missing demographic data limited their use as predictors within multivariable statistical models. Changes in the standard panel of antimicrobials used for susceptibility testing reduced the number of antimicrobials available for temporal analyses. Data consistency and quality could improve over time in this and similar diagnostic laboratory settings by encouraging complete reporting with sample submission and by modifying database systems to limit free-text data entry. These changes could make more statistical methods available for disease surveillance and cluster detection. PMID:24688133

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli F4, Pasteurella multocida, and Streptococcus suis isolates from a diagnostic veterinary laboratory and recommendations for a surveillance system.

PubMed

Glass-Kaastra, Shiona K; Pearl, David L; Reid-Smith, Richard J; McEwen, Beverly; Slavic, Durda; McEwen, Scott A; Fairles, Jim

2014-04-01

Antimicrobial susceptibility data on Escherichia coli F4, Pasteurella multocida, and Streptococcus suis isolates from Ontario swine (January 1998 to October 2010) were acquired from a comprehensive diagnostic veterinary laboratory in Ontario, Canada. In relation to the possible development of a surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance, data were assessed for ease of management, completeness, consistency, and applicability for temporal and spatial statistical analyses. Limited farm location data precluded spatial analyses and missing demographic data limited their use as predictors within multivariable statistical models. Changes in the standard panel of antimicrobials used for susceptibility testing reduced the number of antimicrobials available for temporal analyses. Data consistency and quality could improve over time in this and similar diagnostic laboratory settings by encouraging complete reporting with sample submission and by modifying database systems to limit free-text data entry. These changes could make more statistical methods available for disease surveillance and cluster detection.

Evaluation of Local Media Surveillance for Improved Disease Recognition and Monitoring in Global Hotspot Regions

PubMed Central

Schwind, Jessica S.; Wolking, David J.; Brownstein, John S.; Mazet, Jonna A. K.; Smith, Woutrina A.

2014-01-01

Digital disease detection tools are technologically sophisticated, but dependent on digital information, which for many areas suffering from high disease burdens is simply not an option. In areas where news is often reported in local media with no digital counterpart, integration of local news information with digital surveillance systems, such as HealthMap (Boston Children’s Hospital), is critical. Little research has been published in regards to the specific contribution of local health-related articles to digital surveillance systems. In response, the USAID PREDICT project implemented a local media surveillance (LMS) pilot study in partner countries to monitor disease events reported in print media. This research assessed the potential of LMS to enhance digital surveillance reach in five low- and middle-income countries. Over 16 weeks, select surveillance system attributes of LMS, such as simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, timeliness, and stability were evaluated to identify strengths and weaknesses in the surveillance method. Findings revealed that LMS filled gaps in digital surveillance network coverage by contributing valuable localized information on disease events to the global HealthMap database. A total of 87 health events were reported through the LMS pilot in the 16-week monitoring period, including 71 unique reports not found by the HealthMap digital detection tool. Furthermore, HealthMap identified an additional 236 health events outside of LMS. It was also observed that belief in the importance of the project and proper source selection from the participants was crucial to the success of this method. The timely identification of disease outbreaks near points of emergence and the recognition of risk factors associated with disease occurrence continue to be important components of any comprehensive surveillance system for monitoring disease activity across populations. The LMS method, with its minimal resource commitment, could be one tool used to address the information gaps seen in global ‘hot spot’ regions. PMID:25333618

A novel framework for intelligent surveillance system based on abnormal human activity detection in academic environments.

PubMed

Al-Nawashi, Malek; Al-Hazaimeh, Obaida M; Saraee, Mohamad

2017-01-01

Abnormal activity detection plays a crucial role in surveillance applications, and a surveillance system that can perform robustly in an academic environment has become an urgent need. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for an automatic real-time video-based surveillance system which can simultaneously perform the tracking, semantic scene learning, and abnormality detection in an academic environment. To develop our system, we have divided the work into three phases: preprocessing phase, abnormal human activity detection phase, and content-based image retrieval phase. For motion object detection, we used the temporal-differencing algorithm and then located the motions region using the Gaussian function. Furthermore, the shape model based on OMEGA equation was used as a filter for the detected objects (i.e., human and non-human). For object activities analysis, we evaluated and analyzed the human activities of the detected objects. We classified the human activities into two groups: normal activities and abnormal activities based on the support vector machine. The machine then provides an automatic warning in case of abnormal human activities. It also embeds a method to retrieve the detected object from the database for object recognition and identification using content-based image retrieval. Finally, a software-based simulation using MATLAB was performed and the results of the conducted experiments showed an excellent surveillance system that can simultaneously perform the tracking, semantic scene learning, and abnormality detection in an academic environment with no human intervention.

Fostering International Collaboration in Birth Defects Research and Prevention: A Perspective From the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research

PubMed Central

Botto, Lorenzo D.; Robert-Gnansia, Elisabeth; Siffel, Csaba; Harris, John; Borman, Barry; Mastroiacovo, Pierpaolo

2006-01-01

The International Clearing-house for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research, formerly known as International Clearinghouse of Birth Defects Monitoring Systems, consists of 40 registries worldwide that collaborate in monitoring 40 types of birth defects. Clearinghouse activities include the sharing and joint monitoring of birth defect data, epidemiologic and public health research, and capacity building, with the goal of reducing disease and promoting healthy birth outcomes through primary prevention. We discuss 3 of these activities: the collaborative assessment of the potential teratogenicity of first-trimester use of medications (the MADRE project), an example of the intersection of surveillance and research; the international databases of people with orofacial clefts, an example of the evolution from surveillance to outcome research; and the study of genetic polymorphisms, an example of collaboration in public health genetics. PMID:16571708

Accessible and inexpensive tools for global HPAI surveillance: A mobile-phone based system.

PubMed

Lin, Yibo; Heffernan, Claire

2011-02-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) disproportionately impacts poor livestock keepers in southern countries. Although the estimated cost of the disease in the billions, response to the epidemic remains fragmented and information channels slow. Given the continuing threat of outbreaks, and what appears to be the politicisation of outbreak reporting, new tools are needed to enforce transparency in stakeholder communication. In response to this need, we created a mobile-phone based surveillance system to aid critical information transfer among policy makers, practitioners and the poor themselves. The tool operates at the local, national and global levels and further links decision-makers to international databases. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Salmonella screening tool for consumer complaint-based foodborne illness surveillance systems.

PubMed

Li, John; Maclehose, Rich; Smith, Kirk; Kaehler, Dawn; Hedberg, Craig

2011-01-01

Foodborne illness surveillance based on consumer complaints detects outbreaks by finding common exposures among callers, but this process is often difficult. Laboratory testing of ill callers could also help identify potential outbreaks. However, collection of stool samples from all callers is not feasible. Methods to help screen calls for etiology are needed to increase the efficiency of complaint surveillance systems and increase the likelihood of detecting foodborne outbreaks caused by Salmonella. Data from the Minnesota Department of Health foodborne illness surveillance database (2000 to 2008) were analyzed. Complaints with identified etiologies were examined to create a predictive model for Salmonella. Bootstrap methods were used to internally validate the model. Seventy-one percent of complaints in the foodborne illness database with known etiologies were due to norovirus. The predictive model had a good discriminatory ability to identify Salmonella calls. Three cutoffs for the predictive model were tested: one that maximized sensitivity, one that maximized specificity, and one that maximized predictive ability, providing sensitivities and specificities of 32 and 96%, 100 and 54%, and 89 and 72%, respectively. Development of a predictive model for Salmonella could help screen calls for etiology. The cutoff that provided the best predictive ability for Salmonella corresponded to a caller reporting diarrhea and fever with no vomiting, and five or fewer people ill. Screening calls for etiology would help identify complaints for further follow-up and result in identifying Salmonella cases that would otherwise go unconfirmed; in turn, this could lead to the identification of more outbreaks.

Technical description of RODS: a real-time public health surveillance system.

PubMed

Tsui, Fu-Chiang; Espino, Jeremy U; Dato, Virginia M; Gesteland, Per H; Hutman, Judith; Wagner, Michael M

2003-01-01

This report describes the design and implementation of the Real-time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance (RODS) system, a computer-based public health surveillance system for early detection of disease outbreaks. Hospitals send RODS data from clinical encounters over virtual private networks and leased lines using the Health Level 7 (HL7) message protocol. The data are sent in real time. RODS automatically classifies the registration chief complaint from the visit into one of seven syndrome categories using Bayesian classifiers. It stores the data in a relational database, aggregates the data for analysis using data warehousing techniques, applies univariate and multivariate statistical detection algorithms to the data, and alerts users of when the algorithms identify anomalous patterns in the syndrome counts. RODS also has a Web-based user interface that supports temporal and spatial analyses. RODS processes sales of over-the-counter health care products in a similar manner but receives such data in batch mode on a daily basis. RODS was used during the 2002 Winter Olympics and currently operates in two states-Pennsylvania and Utah. It has been and continues to be a resource for implementing, evaluating, and applying new methods of public health surveillance.

The Spanish national health care-associated infection surveillance network (INCLIMECC): data summary January 1997 through December 2006 adapted to the new National Healthcare Safety Network Procedure-associated module codes.

PubMed

Pérez, Cristina Díaz-Agero; Rodela, Ana Robustillo; Monge Jodrá, Vincente

2009-12-01

In 1997, a national standardized surveillance system (designated INCLIMECC [Indicadores Clínicos de Mejora Continua de la Calidad]) was established in Spain for health care-associated infection (HAI) in surgery patients, based on the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) system. In 2005, in its procedure-associated module, the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) inherited the NNIS program for surveillance of HAI in surgery patients and reorganized all surgical procedures. INCLIMECC actively monitors all patients referred to the surgical ward of each participating hospital. We present a summary of the data collected from January 1997 to December 2006 adapted to the new NHSN procedures. Surgical site infection (SSI) rates are provided by operative procedure and NNIS risk index category. Further quality indicators reported are surgical complications, length of stay, antimicrobial prophylaxis, mortality, readmission because of infection or other complication, and revision surgery. Because the ICD-9-CM surgery procedure code is included in each patient's record, we were able to reorganize our database avoiding the loss of extensive information, as has occurred with other systems.

Using surveillance data to estimate pandemic vaccine effectiveness against laboratory confirmed influenza A(H1N1)2009 infection: two case-control studies, Spain, season 2009-2010

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Physicians of the Spanish Influenza Sentinel Surveillance System report and systematically swab patients attended to their practices for influenza-like illness (ILI). Within the surveillance system, some Spanish regions also participated in an observational study aiming at estimating influenza vaccine effectiveness (cycEVA study). During the season 2009-2010, we estimated pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness using both the influenza surveillance data and the cycEVA study. Methods We conducted two case-control studies using the test-negative design, between weeks 48/2009 and 8/2010 of the pandemic season. The surveillance-based study included all swabbed patients in the sentinel surveillance system. The cycEVA study included swabbed patients from seven Spanish regions. Cases were laboratory-confirmed pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009. Controls were ILI patients testing negative for any type of influenza. Variables collected in both studies included demographic data, vaccination status, laboratory results, chronic conditions, and pregnancy. Additionally, cycEVA questionnaire collected data on previous influenza vaccination, smoking, functional status, hospitalisations, visits to the general practitioners, and obesity. We used logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR), computing pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness as (1-OR)*100. Results We included 331 cases and 995 controls in the surveillance-based study and 85 cases and 351 controls in the cycEVA study. We detected nine (2.7%) and two (2.4%) vaccine failures in the surveillance-based and cycEVA studies, respectively. Adjusting for variables collected in surveillance database and swabbing month, pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness was 62% (95% confidence interval (CI): -5; 87). The cycEVA vaccine effectiveness was 64% (95%CI: -225; 96) when adjusting for common variables with the surveillance system and 75% (95%CI: -293; 98) adjusting for all variables collected. Conclusion Point estimates of the pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness suggested a protective effect of the pandemic vaccine against laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H1N1)2009 in the season 2009-2010. Both studies were limited by the low vaccine coverage and the late start of the vaccination campaign. Routine influenza surveillance provides reliable estimates and could be used for influenza vaccine effectiveness studies in future seasons taken into account the surveillance system limitations. PMID:22129083

Infectious Disease Surveillance in the 21st Century: An Integrated Web-Based Surveillance and Case Management System

PubMed Central

Haney, Gillian; Cocoros, Noelle; Cranston, Kevin; DeMaria, Alfred

2014-01-01

The Massachusetts Virtual Epidemiologic Network (MAVEN) was deployed in 2006 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Infectious Disease to serve as an integrated, Web-based disease surveillance and case management system. MAVEN replaced program-specific, siloed databases, which were inaccessible to local public health and unable to integrate electronic reporting. Disease events are automatically created without human intervention when a case or laboratory report is received and triaged in real time to state and local public health personnel. Events move through workflows for initial notification, case investigation, and case management. Initial development was completed within 12 months and recent state regulations mandate the use of MAVEN by all 351 jurisdictions. More than 300 local boards of health are using MAVEN, there are approximately one million events, and 70 laboratories report electronically. MAVEN has demonstrated responsiveness and flexibility to emerging diseases while also streamlining routine surveillance processes and improving timeliness of notifications and data completeness, although the long-term resource requirements are significant. PMID:24587547

How can a climate change perspective be integrated into public health surveillance?

PubMed

Pascal, M; Viso, A C; Medina, S; Delmas, M C; Beaudeau, P

2012-08-01

Climate change may be considered as a key factor for environmental change, exposure to health risks and pathogens, consequently impairing the state of health among populations. Efficient health surveillance systems are required to support adaptation to climate change. However, despite a growing awareness, the public health surveillance sector has had very little involvement in the drafting of adaptation plans. This paper proposes a method to raise awareness about climate change in the public health community, to identify possible health risks and to assess the needs for reinforced health surveillance systems. A working group was set up comprising surveillance experts in the following fields: environmental health; chronic diseases and; infectious diseases. Their goal was to define common objectives, to propose a framework for risk analysis, and to apply it to relevant health risks in France. The framework created helped to organize available information on climate-sensitive health risks, making a distinction between three main determinants as follows: (1) environment; (2) individual and social behaviours; and (3) demography and health status. The process is illustrated using two examples: heatwaves and airborne allergens. Health surveillance systems can be used to trigger early warning systems, to create databases which improve scientific knowledge about the health impacts of climate change, to identify and prioritize needs for intervention and adaptation measures, and to evaluate these measures. Adaptation requires public health professionals to consider climate change as a concrete input parameter in their studies and to create partnerships with professionals from other disciplines. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surveillance of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases using administrative data.

PubMed

Bernatsky, S; Lix, L; Hanly, J G; Hudson, M; Badley, E; Peschken, C; Pineau, C A; Clarke, A E; Fortin, P R; Smith, M; Bélisle, P; Lagace, C; Bergeron, L; Joseph, L

2011-04-01

There is growing interest in developing tools and methods for the surveillance of chronic rheumatic diseases, using existing resources such as administrative health databases. To illustrate how this might work, we used population-based administrative data to estimate and compare the prevalence of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) across three Canadian provinces, assessing for regional differences and the effects of demographic factors. Cases of SARDs (systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, primary Sjogren's, polymyositis/dermatomyositis) were ascertained from provincial physician billing and hospitalization data. We combined information from three case definitions, using hierarchical Bayesian latent class regression models that account for the imperfect nature of each case definition. Using methods that account for the imperfect nature of both billing and hospitalization databases, we estimated the over-all prevalence of SARDs to be approximately 2-3 cases per 1,000 residents. Stratified prevalence estimates suggested similar demographic trends across provinces (i.e. greater prevalence in females-versus-males, and in persons of older age). The prevalence in older females approached or exceeded 1 in 100, which may reflect the high burden of primary Sjogren's syndrome in this group. Adjusting for demographics, there was a greater prevalence in urban-versus-rural settings. In our work, prevalence estimates had good face validity and provided useful information about potential regional and demographic variations. Our results suggest that surveillance of some rheumatic diseases using administrative data may indeed be feasible. Our work highlights the usefulness of using multiple data sources, adjusting for the error in each.

Bridging the knowledge gap: an innovative surveillance system to monitor the health of British Columbia's healthcare workforce.

PubMed

Gilligan, Tony; Alamgir, Hasanat

2008-01-01

Healthcare workers are exposed to a variety of work-related hazards including biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic, psychological hazards; and workplace violence. The Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare in British Columbia (OHSAH), in conjunction with British Columbia (BC) health regions, developed and implemented a comprehensive surveillance system that tracks occupational exposures and stressors as well as injuries and illnesses among a defined population of healthcare workers. Workplace Health Indicator Tracking and Evaluation (WHITE) is a secure operational database, used for data entry and transaction reporting. It has five modules: Incident Investigation, Case Management, Employee Health, Health and Safety, and Early Intervention/Return to Work. Since the WHITE database was first introduced into BC in 2004, it has tracked the health of 84,318 healthcare workers (120,244 jobs), representing 35,927 recorded incidents, resulting in 18,322 workers' compensation claims. Currently, four of BC's six healthcare regions are tracking and analyzing incidents and the health of healthcare workers using WHITE, providing OHSAH and healthcare stakeholders with comparative performance indicators on workplace health and safety. A number of scientific manuscripts have also been published in peer-reviewed journals. The WHITE database has been very useful for descriptive epidemiological studies, monitoring health risk factors, benchmarking, and evaluating interventions.

Differences in the Reporting of Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities among Three Large National Databases for Breast Reconstruction.

PubMed

Kamali, Parisa; Zettervall, Sara L; Wu, Winona; Ibrahim, Ahmed M S; Medin, Caroline; Rakhorst, Hinne A; Schermerhorn, Marc L; Lee, Bernard T; Lin, Samuel J

2017-04-01

Research derived from large-volume databases plays an increasing role in the development of clinical guidelines and health policy. In breast cancer research, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results, National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, and Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases are widely used. This study aims to compare the trends in immediate breast reconstruction and identify the drawbacks and benefits of each database. Patients with invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ were identified from each database (2005-2012). Trends of immediate breast reconstruction over time were evaluated. Patient demographics and comorbidities were compared. Subgroup analysis of immediate breast reconstruction use per race was conducted. Within the three databases, 1.2 million patients were studied. Immediate breast reconstruction in invasive breast cancer patients increased significantly over time in all databases. A similar significant upward trend was seen in ductal carcinoma in situ patients. Significant differences in immediate breast reconstruction rates were seen among races; and the disparity differed among the three databases. Rates of comorbidities were similar among the three databases. There has been a significant increase in immediate breast reconstruction; however, the extent of the reporting of overall immediate breast reconstruction rates and of racial disparities differs significantly among databases. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program report similar findings, with the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database reporting results significantly lower in several categories. These findings suggest that use of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database may not be universally generalizable to the entire U.S.

Communicable Disease Reporting Systems in the World: A Systematic Review Article

PubMed Central

JANATI, Ali; HOSSEINY, Mozhgan; GOUYA, Mohammad Mehdi; MORADI, Ghobad; GHADERI, Ebrahim

2015-01-01

Background: Communicable disease reporting and surveillance system has poor infrastructure and supporters in most of countries. Its quality improvement is a challenge and requires an accurate and efficient care and reporting systems at all levels to achieve new and simple models. This study evaluates reporting systems of communicable diseases using systematic review. Methods: This was a systematic review study. For data collection, we used the following database and search engines: Proquest, Science direct, Pub MED, Scopes, Springer, and EBESCO. For Persian databases, we used SID, Iranmedex and Magiran. Our key words were “Communicable Diseases”, “Notifiable Disease”, “Disease Notification”, “Reporting System”,” Surveillance Systems” and “evaluation”. Two independent researchers reviewed the resources and the results were classified in different domains. Results: From 1889 cases, only 66 resources were studied. The results were classified in several domains, including those who were reporting, reporting methods and procedures, responsibilities and reporting system characteristics, problems and solutions of the report, the reporting process, and receptor level. Conclusion: Disease-reporting system has similar problems in all parts of the world. Change, improve, update and continuous monitoring of the reporting system are very important. Although the reporting process can vary in different regions, but being perfect and timely are important principles in system design. Detailed explanations of tasks and providing appropriate instructions are the most important points to integrate an efficient reporting system. PMID:26744702

The International Haemovigilance Network Database for the Surveillance of Adverse Reactions and Events in Donors and Recipients of Blood Components: technical issues and results.

PubMed

Politis, C; Wiersum, J C; Richardson, C; Robillard, P; Jorgensen, J; Renaudier, P; Faber, J-C; Wood, E M

2016-11-01

The International Haemovigilance Network's ISTARE is an online database for surveillance of all adverse reactions (ARs) and adverse events (AEs) associated with donation of blood and transfusion of blood components, irrespective of severity or the harm caused. ISTARE aims to unify the collection and sharing of information with a view to harmonizing best practices for haemovigilance systems around the world. Adverse reactionss and adverse events are recorded by blood component, type of reaction, severity and imputability to transfusion, using internationally agreed standard definitions. From 2006 to 2012, 125 national sets of annual aggregated data were received from 25 countries, covering 132.8 million blood components issued. The incidence of all ARs was 77.5 per 100 000 components issued, of which 25% were severe (19.1 per 100 000). Of 349 deaths (0.26 per 100 000), 58% were due to the three ARs related to the respiratory system: transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO, 27%), transfusion-associated acute lung injury (TRALI, 19%) and transfusion-associated dyspnoea (TAD, 12%). Cumulatively, 594 477 donor complications were reported (rate 660 per 100 000), of which 2.9% were severe. ISTARE is a well-established surveillance tool offering important contributions to international efforts to maximize transfusion safety. © 2016 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Deploying digital health data to optimize influenza surveillance at national and local scales

PubMed Central

Arab, Ali; Viboud, Cécile; Grenfell, Bryan T.; Bansal, Shweta

2018-01-01

The surveillance of influenza activity is critical to early detection of epidemics and pandemics and the design of disease control strategies. Case reporting through a voluntary network of sentinel physicians is a commonly used method of passive surveillance for monitoring rates of influenza-like illness (ILI) worldwide. Despite its ubiquity, little attention has been given to the processes underlying the observation, collection, and spatial aggregation of sentinel surveillance data, and its subsequent effects on epidemiological understanding. We harnessed the high specificity of diagnosis codes in medical claims from a database that represented 2.5 billion visits from upwards of 120,000 United States healthcare providers each year. Among influenza seasons from 2002-2009 and the 2009 pandemic, we simulated limitations of sentinel surveillance systems such as low coverage and coarse spatial resolution, and performed Bayesian inference to probe the robustness of ecological inference and spatial prediction of disease burden. Our models suggest that a number of socio-environmental factors, in addition to local population interactions, state-specific health policies, as well as sampling effort may be responsible for the spatial patterns in U.S. sentinel ILI surveillance. In addition, we find that biases related to spatial aggregation were accentuated among areas with more heterogeneous disease risk, and sentinel systems designed with fixed reporting locations across seasons provided robust inference and prediction. With the growing availability of health-associated big data worldwide, our results suggest mechanisms for optimizing digital data streams to complement traditional surveillance in developed settings and enhance surveillance opportunities in developing countries. PMID:29513661

Evaluation of Electronic Healthcare Databases for Post-Marketing Drug Safety Surveillance and Pharmacoepidemiology in China.

PubMed

Yang, Yu; Zhou, Xiaofeng; Gao, Shuangqing; Lin, Hongbo; Xie, Yanming; Feng, Yuji; Huang, Kui; Zhan, Siyan

2018-01-01

Electronic healthcare databases (EHDs) are used increasingly for post-marketing drug safety surveillance and pharmacoepidemiology in Europe and North America. However, few studies have examined the potential of these data sources in China. Three major types of EHDs in China (i.e., a regional community-based database, a national claims database, and an electronic medical records [EMR] database) were selected for evaluation. Forty core variables were derived based on the US Mini-Sentinel (MS) Common Data Model (CDM) as well as the data features in China that would be desirable to support drug safety surveillance. An email survey of these core variables and eight general questions as well as follow-up inquiries on additional variables was conducted. These 40 core variables across the three EHDs and all variables in each EHD along with those in the US MS CDM and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) CDM were compared for availability and labeled based on specific standards. All of the EHDs' custodians confirmed their willingness to share their databases with academic institutions after appropriate approval was obtained. The regional community-based database contained 1.19 million people in 2015 with 85% of core variables. Resampled annually nationwide, the national claims database included 5.4 million people in 2014 with 55% of core variables, and the EMR database included 3 million inpatients from 60 hospitals in 2015 with 80% of core variables. Compared with MS CDM or OMOP CDM, the proportion of variables across the three EHDs available or able to be transformed/derived from the original sources are 24-83% or 45-73%, respectively. These EHDs provide potential value to post-marketing drug safety surveillance and pharmacoepidemiology in China. Future research is warranted to assess the quality and completeness of these EHDs or additional data sources in China.

Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) Surveillance by HPLC-MS: Instrumental Parameters Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harvey, C A; Meissner, R

Surveillance of PETN Homologs in the stockpile here at LLNL is currently carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultra violet (UV) detection. Identification of unknown chromatographic peaks with this detection scheme is severely limited. The design agency is aware of the limitations of this methodology and ordered this study to develop instrumental parameters for the use of a currently owned mass spectrometer (MS) as the detection system. The resulting procedure would be a ''drop-in'' replacement for the current surveillance method (ERD04-524). The addition of quadrupole mass spectrometry provides qualitative identification of PETN and its homologs (Petrin, DiPEHN,more » TriPEON, and TetraPEDN) using a LLNL generated database, while providing mass clues to the identity of unknown chromatographic peaks.« less

Lessons Learned From Developing Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel Embrittlement Database

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Jy-An John

Materials behaviors caused by neutron irradiation under fission and/or fusion environments can be little understood without practical examination. Easily accessible material information system with large material database using effective computers is necessary for design of nuclear materials and analyses or simulations of the phenomena. The developed Embrittlement Data Base (EDB) at ORNL is this comprehensive collection of data. EDB database contains power reactor pressure vessel surveillance data, the material test reactor data, foreign reactor data (through bilateral agreements authorized by NRC), and the fracture toughness data. The lessons learned from building EDB program and the associated database management activity regardingmore » Material Database Design Methodology, Architecture and the Embedded QA Protocol are described in this report. The development of IAEA International Database on Reactor Pressure Vessel Materials (IDRPVM) and the comparison of EDB database and IAEA IDRPVM database are provided in the report. The recommended database QA protocol and database infrastructure are also stated in the report.« less

Joint use of Disparate Data for the Surveillance of Zoonoses: A Feasibility Study for a One Health Approach in Germany.

PubMed

Wendt, A; Kreienbrock, L; Campe, A

2016-11-01

Zoonotic diseases concern human and animal populations and are transmitted between both humans and animals. Nevertheless, surveillance data on zoonoses are collected separately for the most part in different databases for either humans or animals. Bearing in mind the concept of One Health, it is assumed that a global view of these data might help to prevent and control zoonotic diseases. In following this approach, we wanted to determine which zoonotic data are routinely collected in Germany and whether these data could be integrated in a useful way to improve surveillance. Therefore, we conducted an inventory of the existing data collections and gathered information on possible One Health surveillance areas in Germany by approaching experts through a scoping survey, personal interviews and during a workshop. In matching the information between the status quo for existing data collections and the possible use cases for One Health surveillance, this study revealed that data integration is currently hindered by missing data, missing pathogen information or a lack of timeliness, depending on the surveillance purpose. Therefore, integrating the existing data would require substantial efforts and changes to adapt the collection procedures for routine databases. Nevertheless, during this study, we observed a need for different stakeholders from the human and animal health sectors to share information to improve the surveillance of zoonoses. Therefore, our findings suggest that before the data sets from different databases are integrated for joint analyses, the surveillance could be improved by the sharing of information and knowledge through a collaboration of stakeholders from different sectors and institutions. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Participant-centred active surveillance of adverse events following immunisation: a narrative review.

PubMed

Cashman, Patrick; Macartney, Kristine; Khandaker, Gulam; King, Catherine; Gold, Michael; Durrheim, David N

2017-05-01

The importance of active, participant-centred monitoring of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) is increasingly recognised as a valuable adjunct to traditional passive AEFI surveillance. The databases OVID Medline and OVID Embase were searched to identify all published articles referring to AEFI. Only studies which sought participant response after vaccination were included. A total of 6060 articles published since the year 2000 were identified. After the application of screening inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 articles describing 23 post-marketing AEFI systems were identified. Most countries had a single system: Ghana, Japan, China, Korea, Netherlands, Singapore, Brazil, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Cameroon except the USA (2), Canada (4) and Australia (6). Data were collected from participants with and without AEFI in all studies reviewed with denominator data enabling AEFI rate calculations. All studies considered either a single vaccine or specified vaccines or were time limited except one Australian system, which provides continuous automated participant-centred active surveillance of all vaccines. Post-marketing surveillance systems using solicited patient feedback are emerging as a novel AEFI monitoring tool. A number of exploratory systems utilising e-technology have been developed and their potential for scaling up and application in low and middle income countries deserves further investigation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Uses of tuberculosis mortality surveillance to identify programme errors and improve database reporting.

PubMed

Selig, L; Guedes, R; Kritski, A; Spector, N; Lapa E Silva, J R; Braga, J U; Trajman, A

2009-08-01

In 2006, 848 persons died from tuberculosis (TB) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, corresponding to a mortality rate of 5.4 per 100 000 population. No specific TB death surveillance actions are currently in place in Brazil. Two public general hospitals with large open emergency rooms in Rio de Janeiro City. To evaluate the contribution of TB death surveillance in detecting gaps in TB control. We conducted a survey of TB deaths from September 2005 to August 2006. Records of TB-related deaths and deaths due to undefined causes were investigated. Complementary data were gathered from the mortality and TB notification databases. Seventy-three TB-related deaths were investigated. Transmission hazards were identified among firefighters, health care workers and in-patients. Management errors included failure to isolate suspected cases, to confirm TB, to correct drug doses in underweight patients and to trace contacts. Following the survey, 36 cases that had not previously been notified were included in the national TB notification database and the outcome of 29 notified cases was corrected. TB mortality surveillance can contribute to TB monitoring and evaluation by detecting correctable and specific programme- and hospital-based care errors, and by improving the accuracy of TB database reporting. Specific local and programmatic interventions can be proposed as a result.

First experiences in the implementation of biometric technology to link data from Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems with health facility data.

PubMed

Serwaa-Bonsu, Adwoa; Herbst, Abraham J; Reniers, Georges; Ijaa, Wilfred; Clark, Benjamin; Kabudula, Chodziwadziwa; Sankoh, Osman

2010-02-24

In developing countries, Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSSs) provide a framework for tracking demographic and health dynamics over time in a defined geographical area. Many HDSSs co-exist with facility-based data sources in the form of Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). Integrating both data sources through reliable record linkage could provide both numerator and denominator populations to estimate disease prevalence and incidence rates in the population and enable determination of accurate health service coverage. To measure the acceptability and performance of fingerprint biometrics to identify individuals in demographic surveillance populations and those attending health care facilities serving the surveillance populations. Two HDSS sites used fingerprint biometrics for patient and/or surveillance population participant identification. The proportion of individuals for whom a fingerprint could be successfully enrolled were characterised in terms of age and sex. Adult (18-65 years) fingerprint enrolment rates varied between 94.1% (95% CI 93.6-94.5) for facility-based fingerprint data collection at the Africa Centre site to 96.7% (95% CI 95.9-97.6) for population-based fingerprint data collection at the Agincourt site. Fingerprint enrolment rates in children under 1 year old (Africa Centre site) were only 55.1% (95% CI 52.7-57.4). By age 5, child fingerprint enrolment rates were comparable to those of adults. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fingerprint-based individual identification for population-based research in developing countries. Record linkage between demographic surveillance population databases and health care facility data based on biometric identification systems would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of population health, including the ability to study health service utilisation from a population perspective, rather than the more restrictive health service perspective.

Informatics infrastructure for syndrome surveillance, decision support, reporting, and modeling of critical illness.

PubMed

Herasevich, Vitaly; Pickering, Brian W; Dong, Yue; Peters, Steve G; Gajic, Ognjen

2010-03-01

To develop and validate an informatics infrastructure for syndrome surveillance, decision support, reporting, and modeling of critical illness. Using open-schema data feeds imported from electronic medical records (EMRs), we developed a near-real-time relational database (Multidisciplinary Epidemiology and Translational Research in Intensive Care Data Mart). Imported data domains included physiologic monitoring, medication orders, laboratory and radiologic investigations, and physician and nursing notes. Open database connectivity supported the use of Boolean combinations of data that allowed authorized users to develop syndrome surveillance, decision support, and reporting (data "sniffers") routines. Random samples of database entries in each category were validated against corresponding independent manual reviews. The Multidisciplinary Epidemiology and Translational Research in Intensive Care Data Mart accommodates, on average, 15,000 admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) per year and 200,000 vital records per day. Agreement between database entries and manual EMR audits was high for sex, mortality, and use of mechanical ventilation (kappa, 1.0 for all) and for age and laboratory and monitored data (Bland-Altman mean difference +/- SD, 1(0) for all). Agreement was lower for interpreted or calculated variables, such as specific syndrome diagnoses (kappa, 0.5 for acute lung injury), duration of ICU stay (mean difference +/- SD, 0.43+/-0.2), or duration of mechanical ventilation (mean difference +/- SD, 0.2+/-0.9). Extraction of essential ICU data from a hospital EMR into an open, integrative database facilitates process control, reporting, syndrome surveillance, decision support, and outcome research in the ICU.

Results of the national surveillance of antimicrobial resistance of Enterobacteriaceae and Gram negative bacilli in health care-associated infections in Colombia, 2012-2014.

PubMed

Ovalle, María Victoria; Saavedra, Sandra Yamile; González, María Nilse; Hidalgo, Andrea Melissa; Duarte, Carolina; Beltrán, Mauricio

2017-12-01

The Colombian National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for the surveillance of healthcare-associated infections was set up to meet this problem in the third quarter of 2012. To describe resistance profiles and laboratory-based surveillance based on the information collected by the System. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of the information notified to the Colombian Public Health Surveillance System (Sivigila), and in the Whonet databases covering the period from July 2012 to December 2014 provided by the primary data-generating units in the country, as well as laboratory surveillance results from 1,642 phenotypic and genotypic tests on carbapenemase isolates (927 from Enterobacteriaceae, 614 from Pseudomonas spp. and 101 from Acinetobacter spp.). There was a significant increase in Escherichia coli resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (reaching 26.3% in ICUs and 22.5% in other hospital wards), and Klebsiella pneumoniae resistance to ertapenem also increased (reaching 14.6% in ICUs). Acinetobacter baumannii carbapenem resistance exceeded 50% in ICUs whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa had lower carbapenem resistance (38.8%). KPC (n = 574) and NDM (n=57) were the most frequently occurring carbapenemases in Enterobacteriaceae, VIM (n=229) and KPC (n=114) in P. aeruginosa, and OXA-23 in A. baumannii (n=87); several carbapenemase combinations were identified, KPC + VIM being the most common in Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae. The data from the surveillance of healthcare-associated infections revealed significant carbapenem resistance profiles and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms circulating in Colombian healthcare institutions.

Development of a statewide trauma registry using multiple linked sources of data.

PubMed Central

Clark, D. E.

1993-01-01

In order to develop a cost-effective method of injury surveillance and trauma system evaluation in a rural state, computer programs were written linking records from two major hospital trauma registries, a statewide trauma tracking study, hospital discharge abstracts, death certificates, and ambulance run reports. A general-purpose database management system, programming language, and operating system were used. Data from 1991 appeared to be successfully linked using only indirect identifying information. Familiarity with local geography and the idiosyncracies of each data source were helpful in programming for effective matching of records. For each individual case identified in this way, data from all available sources were then merged and imported into a standard database format. This inexpensive, population-based approach, maintaining flexibility for end-users with some database training, may be adaptable for other regions. There is a need for further improvement and simplification of the record-linkage process for this and similar purposes. PMID:8130556

Generation of signature databases with fast codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, Robert A.; Woodling, Arthur E.; Brazzell, James S.

1990-09-01

Using the FASTSIG signature code to generate optical signature databases for the Ground-based Surveillance and Traking System (GSTS) Program has improved the efficiency of the database generation process. The goal of the current GSTS database is to provide standardized, threat representative target signatures that can easily be used for acquisition and trk studies, discrimination algorithm development, and system simulations. Large databases, with as many as eight interpolalion parameters, are required to maintain the fidelity demands of discrimination and to generalize their application to other strateg systems. As the need increases for quick availability of long wave infrared (LWIR) target signatures for an evolving design4o-threat, FASTSIG has become a database generation alternative to using the industry standard OptiCal Signatures Code (OSC). FASTSIG, developed in 1985 to meet the unique strategic systems demands imposed by the discrimination function, has the significant advantage of being a faster running signature code than the OSC, typically requiring two percent of the cpu time. It uses analytical approximations to model axisymmetric targets, with the fidelity required for discrimination analysis. Access of the signature database is accomplished through use of the waveband integration and interpolation software, INTEG and SIGNAT. This paper gives details of this procedure as well as sample interpolated signatures and also covers sample verification by comparison to the OSC, in order to establish the fidelity of the FASTSIG generated database.

Digital disease detection: A systematic review of event-based internet biosurveillance systems.

PubMed

O'Shea, Jesse

2017-05-01

Internet access and usage has changed how people seek and report health information. Meanwhile,infectious diseases continue to threaten humanity. The analysis of Big Data, or vast digital data, presents an opportunity to improve disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence. Epidemic intelligence contains two components: indicator based and event-based. A relatively new surveillance type has emerged called event-based Internet biosurveillance systems. These systems use information on events impacting health from Internet sources, such as social media or news aggregates. These systems circumvent the limitations of traditional reporting systems by being inexpensive, transparent, and flexible. Yet, innovations and the functionality of these systems can change rapidly. To update the current state of knowledge on event-based Internet biosurveillance systems by identifying all systems, including current functionality, with hopes to aid decision makers with whether to incorporate new methods into comprehensive programmes of surveillance. A systematic review was performed through PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, while also including grey literature and other publication types. 50 event-based Internet systems were identified, including an extraction of 15 attributes for each system, described in 99 articles. Each system uses different innovative technology and data sources to gather data, process, and disseminate data to detect infectious disease outbreaks. The review emphasises the importance of using both formal and informal sources for timely and accurate infectious disease outbreak surveillance, cataloguing all event-based Internet biosurveillance systems. By doing so, future researchers will be able to use this review as a library for referencing systems, with hopes of learning, building, and expanding Internet-based surveillance systems. Event-based Internet biosurveillance should act as an extension of traditional systems, to be utilised as an additional, supplemental data source to have a more comprehensive estimate of disease burden. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of approaches to rheumatic fever surveillance across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

PubMed

Oliver, Jane; Baker, Michael G; Pierse, Nevil; Carapetis, Jonathan

2015-11-01

Rheumatic fever (RF) prevention, control and surveillance are increasingly important priorities in New Zealand (NZ) and Australia. We compared RF surveillance across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries to assist in benchmarking and identifying useful approaches. A structured literature review was completed using Medline and PubMed databases, investigating RF incidence rates. Surveillance methods were noted. Health department websites were searched to assess whether addressing RF was a Government priority. Of 32 OECD member countries, nine reported RF incidence rates after 1999. Highest rates were seen in indigenous Australians, and NZ Māori and Pacific peoples. NZ and Australian surveillance systems are highly developed, with notification and register data compiled regularly. Only these two Governments appeared to prioritise RF surveillance and control. Other countries relied mainly on hospitalisation data. There is a lack of standardisation across incidence rate calculations. Israel and Italy may have relatively high RF rates among developed countries. RF lingers in specific populations in OECD member countries. At a minimum, RF registers are needed in higher incidence countries. Countries with low RF incidences should periodically review surveillance information to ensure rates are not increasing. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2015 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Integrating workplace exposure databases for occupational medicine services and epidemiologic studies at a former nuclear weapons facility.

PubMed

Ruttenber, A J; McCrea, J S; Wade, T D; Schonbeck, M F; LaMontagne, A D; Van Dyke, M V; Martyny, J W

2001-02-01

We outline methods for integrating epidemiologic and industrial hygiene data systems for the purpose of exposure estimation, exposure surveillance, worker notification, and occupational medicine practice. We present examples of these methods from our work at the Rocky Flats Plant--a former nuclear weapons facility that fabricated plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons and is now being decontaminated and decommissioned. The weapons production processes exposed workers to plutonium, gamma photons, neutrons, beryllium, asbestos, and several hazardous chemical agents, including chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals. We developed a job exposure matrix (JEM) for estimating exposures to 10 chemical agents in 20 buildings for 120 different job categories over a production history spanning 34 years. With the JEM, we estimated lifetime chemical exposures for about 12,000 of the 16,000 former production workers. We show how the JEM database is used to estimate cumulative exposures over different time periods for epidemiological studies and to provide notification and determine eligibility for a medical screening program developed for former workers. We designed an industrial hygiene data system for maintaining exposure data for current cleanup workers. We describe how this system can be used for exposure surveillance and linked with the JEM and databases on radiation doses to develop lifetime exposure histories and to determine appropriate medical monitoring tests for current cleanup workers. We also present time-line-based graphical methods for reviewing and correcting exposure estimates and reporting them to individual workers.

Estimating Wisconsin asthma prevalence using clinical electronic health records and public health data.

PubMed

Tomasallo, Carrie D; Hanrahan, Lawrence P; Tandias, Aman; Chang, Timothy S; Cowan, Kelly J; Guilbert, Theresa W

2014-01-01

We compared a statewide telephone health survey with electronic health record (EHR) data from a large Wisconsin health system to estimate asthma prevalence in Wisconsin. We developed frequency tables and logistic regression models using Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and University of Wisconsin primary care clinic data. We compared adjusted odds ratios (AORs) from each model. Between 2007 and 2009, the EHR database contained 376,000 patients (30,000 with asthma), and 23,000 (1850 with asthma) responded to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone survey. AORs for asthma were similar in magnitude and direction for the majority of covariates, including gender, age, and race/ethnicity, between survey and EHR models. The EHR data had greater statistical power to detect associations than did survey data, especially in pediatric and ethnic populations, because of larger sample sizes. EHRs can be used to estimate asthma prevalence in Wisconsin adults and children. EHR data may improve public health chronic disease surveillance using high-quality data at the local level to better identify areas of disparity and risk factors and guide education and health care interventions.

Epidemiology of Nonfatal Deliberate Self-Harm in the United States as Described in Three Medical Databases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Claassen, Cynthia A.; Trivedi, Madhukar H.; Shimizu, Iris; Stewart, Sunita; Larkin, Gregory Luke; Litovitz, Toby

2006-01-01

The absence of validated U.S. rates of nonfatal suicidal behavior places risk management and injury prevention programs at danger of being poorly informed and inadequately conceptualized. In this study we compare estimated rates of intentional self-harm from two ongoing surveys (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury…

The 2009 DOD Cost Research Workshop: Acquisition Reform

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

2 ACEIT Enhancement, Help-Desk/Training, Consulting DASA-CE–3 Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and...Management Information System (OSMIS) online interactive relational database DASA-CE–2 Title: ACEIT Enhancement, Help-Desk/Training, Consulting Summary...support and training for the Automated Cost estimator Integrated Tools ( ACEIT ) software suite. ACEIT is the Army standard suite of analytical tools for

Post-Caesarean Section Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Using an Online Database and Mobile Phone Technology.

PubMed

Castillo, Eliana; McIsaac, Corrine; MacDougall, Bhreagh; Wilson, Douglas; Kohr, Rosemary

2017-08-01

Obstetric surgical site infections (SSIs) are common and expensive to the health care system but remain under reported given shorter postoperative hospital stays and suboptimal post-discharge surveillance systems. SSIs, for the purpose of this paper, are defined according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (1999) as infection incurring within 30 days of the operative procedure (in this case, Caesarean section [CS]). Demonstrate the feasibility of real-life use of a patient driven SSIs post-discharge surveillance system consisting of an online database and mobile phone technology (surgical mobile app - how2trak) among women undergoing CS in a Canadian urban centre. Estimate the rate of SSIs and associated predisposing factors. Prospective cohort of consecutive women delivering by CS at one urban Canadian hospital. Using surgical mobile app-how2trak-predetermined demographics, comorbidities, procedure characteristics, and self-reported symptoms and signs of infection were collected and linked to patients' incision self-portraits (photos) on postpartum days 3, 7, 10, and 30. A total of 105 patients were enrolled over a 5-month period. Mean age was 31 years, 13% were diabetic, and most were at low risk of surgical complications. Forty-six percent of surgeries were emergency CSs, and 104/105 received antibiotic prophylaxis. Forty-five percent of patients (47/105) submitted at least one photo, and among those, one surgical site infection was detected by photo appearance and self-reported symptoms by postpartum day 10. The majority of patients whom uploaded photos did so multiple times and 43% of them submitted photos up to day 30. Patients with either a diagnosis of diabetes or self-reported Asian ethnicity were less likely to submit photos. Post-discharge surveillance for CS-related SSIs using surgical mobile app how2trak is feasible and deserves further study in the post-discharge setting. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS)-based characterization of U.S. non-native venomous snake exposures, 1995-2004.

PubMed

Seifert, Steven A; Oakes, Jennifer A; Boyer, Leslie V

2007-01-01

Non-native (exotic) snake exposures in the United States have not been systematically characterized. The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) database of the American Association of Poison Control Centers was analyzed to quantify the number and types, demographic associations, clinical presentations, managements and outcomes, and the health resource utilization of non-native snake exposures. From 1995 through 2004, there were 399 non-native exposures in the TESS database. Of these, 350 snakes (87%) were identified by genus and species, comprising at least 77 different varieties. Roughly equal percentages of snakes originated in Asia, Africa and Latin America, with a smaller number from the Middle-East, Australia, and Europe. Nearly half were viperids and a little more than a third were elapids. The vast majority of exposed individuals were adults. However, almost 15% were aged 17 years or less, and almost 7% were children aged 5 years or younger. Eighty-four percent were males. The vast majority of exposures occurred at the victim's own residence. Over 50% were evaluated at a healthcare facility, with 28.7% admitted to an ICU. Overall, 26% of patients were coded as receiving antivenom treatment. Coded outcomes were similar between viperid and elapid envenomations. There were three deaths, two involving viperid snakes and one elapid. Enhancements to the TESS database are required for better precision in and more complete characterization of non-native snake envenomations.

Fatal and non-fatal injuries from vessels under air pressure in construction.

PubMed

Welch, L S; Weeks, J; Hunting, K L

1999-02-01

Using a surveillance system that captures data on construction workers treated in an urban emergency department, we identified a series of injuries caused by vessels and tools under air pressure. We describe those six cases, as well as similar cases found in the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries; we also review data from the National Surveillance for Traumatic Occupational Fatalities database and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among the injuries and deaths for which we had good case descriptions, the majority would have been prevented by adherence to existing Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards in the construction industry.

An Automated System Combining Safety Signal Detection and Prioritization from Healthcare Databases: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Arnaud, Mickael; Bégaud, Bernard; Thiessard, Frantz; Jarrion, Quentin; Bezin, Julien; Pariente, Antoine; Salvo, Francesco

2018-04-01

Signal detection from healthcare databases is possible, but is not yet used for routine surveillance of drug safety. One challenge is to develop methods for selecting signals that should be assessed with priority. The aim of this study was to develop an automated system combining safety signal detection and prioritization from healthcare databases and applicable to drugs used in chronic diseases. Patients present in the French EGB healthcare database for at least 1 year between 2005 and 2015 were considered. Noninsulin glucose-lowering drugs (NIGLDs) were selected as a case study, and hospitalization data were used to select important medical events (IME). Signal detection was performed quarterly from 2008 to 2015 using sequence symmetry analysis. NIGLD/IME associations were screened if one or more exposed case was identified in the quarter, and three or more exposed cases were identified in the population at the date of screening. Detected signals were prioritized using the Longitudinal-SNIP (L-SNIP) algorithm based on strength (S), novelty (N), and potential impact of signal (I), and pattern of drug use (P). Signals scored in the top 10% were identified as of high priority. A reference set was built based on NIGLD summaries of product characteristics (SPCs) to compute the performance of the developed system. A total of 815 associations were screened and 241 (29.6%) were detected as signals; among these, 58 (24.1%) were prioritized. The performance for signal detection was sensitivity = 47%; specificity = 80%; positive predictive value (PPV) 33%; negative predictive value = 82%. The use of the L-SNIP algorithm increased the early identification of positive controls, restricted to those mentioned in the SPCs after 2008: PPV = 100% versus PPV = 14% with its non-use. The system revealed a strong new signal with dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitors and venous thromboembolism. The developed system seems promising for the routine use of healthcare data for safety surveillance of drugs used in chronic diseases.

Video face recognition against a watch list

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Jehanzeb; Dagli, Charlie K.; Huang, Thomas S.

2007-10-01

Due to a large increase in the video surveillance data recently in an effort to maintain high security at public places, we need more robust systems to analyze this data and make tasks like face recognition a realistic possibility in challenging environments. In this paper we explore a watch-list scenario where we use an appearance based model to classify query faces from low resolution videos into either a watch-list or a non-watch-list face. We then use our simple yet a powerful face recognition system to recognize the faces classified as watch-list faces. Where the watch-list includes those people that we are interested in recognizing. Our system uses simple feature machine algorithms from our previous work to match video faces against still images. To test our approach, we match video faces against a large database of still images obtained from a previous work in the field from Yahoo News over a period of time. We do this matching in an efficient manner to come up with a faster and nearly real-time system. This system can be incorporated into a larger surveillance system equipped with advanced algorithms involving anomalous event detection and activity recognition. This is a step towards more secure and robust surveillance systems and efficient video data analysis.

A mobile field-work data collection system for the wireless era of health surveillance.

PubMed

Forsell, Marianne; Sjögren, Petteri; Renard, Matthew; Johansson, Olle

2011-03-01

In many countries or regions the capacity of health care resources is below the needs of the population and new approaches for health surveillance are needed. Innovative projects, utilizing wireless communication technology, contribute to reliable methods for field-work data collection and reporting to databases. The objective was to describe a new version of a wireless IT-support system for field-work data collection and administration. The system requirements were drawn from the design objective and translated to system functions. The system architecture was based on fieldwork experiences and administrative requirements. The Smartphone devices were HTC Touch Diamond2s, while the system was based on a platform with Microsoft .NET components, and a SQL Server 2005 with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. The user interfaces were based on .NET programming, and Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system. A synchronization module enabled download of field data to the database, via a General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) to a Local Area Network (LAN) interface. The field-workers considered the here-described applications user-friendly and almost self-instructing. The office administrators considered that the back-office interface facilitated retrieval of health reports and invoice distribution. The current IT-support system facilitates short lead times from fieldwork data registration to analysis, and is suitable for various applications. The advantages of wireless technology, and paper-free data administration need to be increasingly emphasized in development programs, in order to facilitate reliable and transparent use of limited resources.

Implementing a vector surveillance-response system for chagas disease control: a 4-year field trial in Nicaragua.

PubMed

Yoshioka, Kota; Tercero, Doribel; Pérez, Byron; Nakamura, Jiro; Pérez, Lenin

2017-03-06

Chagas disease is one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). International goals for its control involve elimination of vector-borne transmission. Central American countries face challenges in establishing sustainable vector control programmes, since the main vector, Triatoma dimidiata, cannot be eliminated. In 2012, the Ministry of Health in Nicaragua started a field test of a vector surveillance-response system to control domestic vector infestation. This paper reports the main findings from this pilot study. This study was carried out from 2012 to 2015 in the Municipality of Totogalpa. The Japan International Cooperation Agency provided technical cooperation in designing and monitoring the surveillance-response system until 2014. This system involved 1) vector reports by householders to health facilities, 2) data analysis and planning of responses at the municipal health centre and 3) house visits or insecticide spraying by health personnel as a response. We registered all vector reports and responses in a digital database. The collected data were used to describe and analyse the system performance in terms of amount of vector reports as well as rates and timeliness of responses. During the study period, T. dimidiata was reported 396 times. Spatiotemporal analysis identified some high-risk clusters. All houses reported to be infested were visited by health personnel in 2013 and this response rate dropped to 39% in 2015. Rates of insecticide spraying rose above 80% in 2013 but no spraying was carried out in the following 2 years. The timeliness of house visits improved significantly after the responsibility was transferred from a vector control technician to primary health care staff. We argue that the proposed vector surveillance-response system is workable within the resource-constrained health system in Nicaragua. Integration to the primary health care services was a key to improve the system performance. Continual efforts are necessary to keep adapting the surveillance-response system to the dynamic health systems. We also discuss that the goal of eliminating vector-borne transmission remains unachievable. This paper provides lessons not only for Chagas disease control in Central America, but also for control efforts for other NTDs that need a sustainable surveillance-response system to support elimination.

Multi-stream face recognition on dedicated mobile devices for crime-fighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jassim, Sabah A.; Sellahewa, Harin

2006-09-01

Automatic face recognition is a useful tool in the fight against crime and terrorism. Technological advance in mobile communication systems and multi-application mobile devices enable the creation of hybrid platforms for active and passive surveillance. A dedicated mobile device that incorporates audio-visual sensors would not only complement existing networks of fixed surveillance devices (e.g. CCTV) but could also provide wide geographical coverage in almost any situation and anywhere. Such a device can hold a small portion of a law-enforcing agency biometric database that consist of audio and/or visual data of a number of suspects/wanted or missing persons who are expected to be in a local geographical area. This will assist law-enforcing officers on the ground in identifying persons whose biometric templates are downloaded onto their devices. Biometric data on the device can be regularly updated which will reduce the number of faces an officer has to remember. Such a dedicated device would act as an active/passive mobile surveillance unit that incorporate automatic identification. This paper is concerned with the feasibility of using wavelet-based face recognition schemes on such devices. The proposed schemes extend our recently developed face verification scheme for implementation on a currently available PDA. In particular we will investigate the use of a combination of wavelet frequency channels for multi-stream face recognition. We shall present experimental results on the performance of our proposed schemes for a number of publicly available face databases including a new AV database of videos recorded on a PDA.

Studies of Physical Education in the United States Using SOFIT: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Thomas L.; Smith, Nicole J.

2017-01-01

Purpose: An objective database for physical education (PE) is important for policy and practice decisions, and the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) has been identified as an appropriate surveillance tool for PE across the nation. The purpose of this review was to assess peer-reviewed studies using SOFIT to study K-12 PE in…

Toward an open-access global database for mapping, control, and surveillance of neglected tropical diseases.

PubMed

Hürlimann, Eveline; Schur, Nadine; Boutsika, Konstantina; Stensgaard, Anna-Sofie; Laserna de Himpsl, Maiti; Ziegelbauer, Kathrin; Laizer, Nassor; Camenzind, Lukas; Di Pasquale, Aurelio; Ekpo, Uwem F; Simoonga, Christopher; Mushinge, Gabriel; Saarnak, Christopher F L; Utzinger, Jürg; Kristensen, Thomas K; Vounatsou, Penelope

2011-12-01

After many years of general neglect, interest has grown and efforts came under way for the mapping, control, surveillance, and eventual elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Disease risk estimates are a key feature to target control interventions, and serve as a benchmark for monitoring and evaluation. What is currently missing is a georeferenced global database for NTDs providing open-access to the available survey data that is constantly updated and can be utilized by researchers and disease control managers to support other relevant stakeholders. We describe the steps taken toward the development of such a database that can be employed for spatial disease risk modeling and control of NTDs. With an emphasis on schistosomiasis in Africa, we systematically searched the literature (peer-reviewed journals and 'grey literature'), contacted Ministries of Health and research institutions in schistosomiasis-endemic countries for location-specific prevalence data and survey details (e.g., study population, year of survey and diagnostic techniques). The data were extracted, georeferenced, and stored in a MySQL database with a web interface allowing free database access and data management. At the beginning of 2011, our database contained more than 12,000 georeferenced schistosomiasis survey locations from 35 African countries available under http://www.gntd.org. Currently, the database is expanded to a global repository, including a host of other NTDs, e.g. soil-transmitted helminthiasis and leishmaniasis. An open-access, spatially explicit NTD database offers unique opportunities for disease risk modeling, targeting control interventions, disease monitoring, and surveillance. Moreover, it allows for detailed geostatistical analyses of disease distribution in space and time. With an initial focus on schistosomiasis in Africa, we demonstrate the proof-of-concept that the establishment and running of a global NTD database is feasible and should be expanded without delay.

A signal detection method for temporal variation of adverse effect with vaccine adverse event reporting system data.

PubMed

Cai, Yi; Du, Jingcheng; Huang, Jing; Ellenberg, Susan S; Hennessy, Sean; Tao, Cui; Chen, Yong

2017-07-05

To identify safety signals by manual review of individual report in large surveillance databases is time consuming; such an approach is very unlikely to reveal complex relationships between medications and adverse events. Since the late 1990s, efforts have been made to develop data mining tools to systematically and automatically search for safety signals in surveillance databases. Influenza vaccines present special challenges to safety surveillance because the vaccine changes every year in response to the influenza strains predicted to be prevalent that year. Therefore, it may be expected that reporting rates of adverse events following flu vaccines (number of reports for a specific vaccine-event combination/number of reports for all vaccine-event combinations) may vary substantially across reporting years. Current surveillance methods seldom consider these variations in signal detection, and reports from different years are typically collapsed together to conduct safety analyses. However, merging reports from different years ignores the potential heterogeneity of reporting rates across years and may miss important safety signals. Reports of adverse events between years 1990 to 2013 were extracted from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database and formatted into a three-dimensional data array with types of vaccine, groups of adverse events and reporting time as the three dimensions. We propose a random effects model to test the heterogeneity of reporting rates for a given vaccine-event combination across reporting years. The proposed method provides a rigorous statistical procedure to detect differences of reporting rates among years. We also introduce a new visualization tool to summarize the result of the proposed method when applied to multiple vaccine-adverse event combinations. We applied the proposed method to detect safety signals of FLU3, an influenza vaccine containing three flu strains, in the VAERS database. We showed that it had high statistical power to detect the variation in reporting rates across years. The identified vaccine-event combinations with significant different reporting rates over years suggested potential safety issues due to changes in vaccines which require further investigation. We developed a statistical model to detect safety signals arising from heterogeneity of reporting rates of a given vaccine-event combinations across reporting years. This method detects variation in reporting rates over years with high power. The temporal trend of reporting rate across years may reveal the impact of vaccine update on occurrence of adverse events and provide evidence for further investigations.

Advancing the science for active surveillance: rationale and design for the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership.

PubMed

Stang, Paul E; Ryan, Patrick B; Racoosin, Judith A; Overhage, J Marc; Hartzema, Abraham G; Reich, Christian; Welebob, Emily; Scarnecchia, Thomas; Woodcock, Janet

2010-11-02

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Amendments Act of 2007 mandated that the FDA develop a system for using automated health care data to identify risks of marketed drugs and other medical products. The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership is a public-private partnership among the FDA, academia, data owners, and the pharmaceutical industry that is responding to the need to advance the science of active medical product safety surveillance by using existing observational databases. The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership's transparent, open innovation approach is designed to systematically and empirically study critical governance, data resource, and methodological issues and their interrelationships in establishing a viable national program of active drug safety surveillance by using observational data. This article describes the governance structure, data-access model, methods-testing approach, and technology development of this effort, as well as the work that has been initiated.

[Active surveillance of adverse drug reaction in the era of big data: challenge and opportunity for control selection].

PubMed

Wang, S F; Zhan, S Y

2016-07-01

Electronic healthcare databases have become an important source for active surveillance of drug safety in the era of big data. The traditional epidemiology research designs are needed to confirm the association between drug use and adverse events based on these datasets, and the selection of the comparative control is essential to each design. This article aims to explain the principle and application of each type of control selection, introduce the methods and parameters for method comparison, and describe the latest achievements in the batch processing of control selection, which would provide important methodological reference for the use of electronic healthcare databases to conduct post-marketing drug safety surveillance in China.

Characterizing Lyme Disease Surveillance in an Endemic State.

PubMed

Rutz, H J; Wee, S B; Feldman, K A

2018-03-01

Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne disease in Maryland and the United States. Surveillance for LD is valuable for understanding the burden of the disease, particularly to assess whether the disease is spreading and to appreciate who is affected. However, not all cases of LD in Maryland are reported, and surveillance practices vary across each of Maryland's 24 local health departments (LHDs). To better understand this variability and to systematically characterize the surveillance process, we surveyed Maryland's LHDs regarding LD surveillance. The Maryland Local Health Department Lyme Disease Surveillance Survey has been administered annually since 2011. Questions asked each year included whether all LD reports are investigated or only a subset, and how many reports are not entered into the surveillance database. Since 2011, Maryland has lost surveillance personnel for LD. Each year from 2009 to 2012, a median 3598 (range 2462 to 5722) reports were not entered into the surveillance database and hence not investigated. These reports represent 43-55% of all reports received for the year. Over time, more LHDs chose to streamline their LD investigation approach by investigating only those reports that met the criteria for laboratory evidence of infection: in 2008, 5 (21%) LHDs investigated only a subset of LD reports; by 2013, this increased to 15 (63%). There is wide variability across LHDs in how LD investigations are conducted. Maryland LHDs have experienced a loss of LD surveillance personnel with a concomitant increase in the number of LHDs adopting a streamlined approach to investigating cases. These findings underscore the tremendous burden of LD on the public health agencies and highlight the need for alternative approaches that can both reduce burden and preserve surveillance data quality. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A Matter of Perspective: Comparison of the Characteristics of Persons with HIV Infection in the United States from the HIV Outpatient Study, Medical Monitoring Project, and National HIV Surveillance System

PubMed Central

Buchacz, Kate; Frazier, Emma L.; Hall, H. Irene; Hart, Rachel; Huang, Ping; Franklin, Dana; Hu, Xiaohong; Palella, Frank J.; Chmiel, Joan S.; Novak, Richard M.; Wood, Kathy; Yangco, Bienvenido; Armon, Carl; Brooks, John T.; Skarbinski, Jacek

2015-01-01

Comparative analyses of the characteristics of persons living with HIV infection (PLWH) in the United States (US) captured in surveillance and other observational databases are few. To explore potential joint data use to guide HIV treatment and prevention in the US, we examined three CDC-funded data sources in 2012: the HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS), a multisite longitudinal cohort; the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP), a probability sample of PLWH receiving medical care; and the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS), a surveillance system of all PLWH. Overall, data from 1,697 HOPS, 4,901 MMP, and 865,102 NHSS PLWH were analyzed. Compared with the MMP population, HOPS participants were more likely to be older, non-Hispanic/Latino white, not using injection drugs, insured, diagnosed with HIV before 2009, prescribed antiretroviral therapy, and to have most recent CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count ≥500 cells/mm3 and most recent viral load test<2 00 copies/mL. The MMP population was demographically similar to all PLWH in NHSS, except it tended to be slightly older, HIV diagnosed more recently, and to have AIDS. Our comparative results provide an essential first step for combined epidemiologic data analyses to inform HIV care and prevention for PLWH in the US. PMID:26793282

Building a structured monitoring and evaluating system of postmarketing drug use in Shanghai.

PubMed

Du, Wenmin; Levine, Mitchell; Wang, Longxing; Zhang, Yaohua; Yi, Chengdong; Wang, Hongmin; Wang, Xiaoyu; Xie, Hongjuan; Xu, Jianglong; Jin, Huilin; Wang, Tongchun; Huang, Gan; Wu, Ye

2007-01-01

In order to understand a drug's full profile in the post-marketing environment, information is needed regarding utilization patterns, beneficial effects, ADRs and economic value. China, the most populated country in the world, has the largest number of people who are taking medications. To begin to appreciate the impact of these medications, a multifunctional evaluation and surveillance system was developed, the Shanghai Drug Monitoring and Evaluative System (SDMES). Set up by the Shanghai Center for Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring in 2001, the SDMES contains three databases: a population health data base of middle aged and elderly persons; hospital patient medical records; and a spontaneous ADR reporting database. Each person has a unique identification and Medicare number, which permits record-linkage within and between these three databases. After more than three years in development, the population health database has comprehensive data for more than 320,000 residents. The hospital database has two years of inpatient medical records from five major hospitals, and will be increasing to 10 hospitals in 2007. The spontaneous reporting ADR database has collected 20,205 cases since 2001 from approximately 295 sources, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, drug wholesalers and pharmacies. The SDMES has the potential to become an important national and international pharmacoepidemiology resource for drug evaluation.

Decision support methods for the detection of adverse events in post-marketing data.

PubMed

Hauben, M; Bate, A

2009-04-01

Spontaneous reporting is a crucial component of post-marketing drug safety surveillance despite its significant limitations. The size and complexity of some spontaneous reporting system databases represent a challenge for drug safety professionals who traditionally have relied heavily on the scientific and clinical acumen of the prepared mind. Computer algorithms that calculate statistical measures of reporting frequency for huge numbers of drug-event combinations are increasingly used to support pharamcovigilance analysts screening large spontaneous reporting system databases. After an overview of pharmacovigilance and spontaneous reporting systems, we discuss the theory and application of contemporary computer algorithms in regular use, those under development, and the practical considerations involved in the implementation of computer algorithms within a comprehensive and holistic drug safety signal detection program.

Correlation between National Influenza Surveillance Data and Google Trends in South Korea

PubMed Central

Jo, Min Woo; Shin, Soo-Yong; Lee, Jae Ho; Ryoo, Seoung Mok; Kim, Won Young; Seo, Dong-Woo

2013-01-01

Background In South Korea, there is currently no syndromic surveillance system using internet search data, including Google Flu Trends. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between national influenza surveillance data and Google Trends in South Korea. Methods Our study was based on a publicly available search engine database, Google Trends, using 12 influenza-related queries, from September 9, 2007 to September 8, 2012. National surveillance data were obtained from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) influenza-like illness (ILI) and virologic surveillance system. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to compare the national surveillance and the Google Trends data for the overall period and for 5 influenza seasons. Results The correlation coefficient between the KCDC ILI and virologic surveillance data was 0.72 (p<0.05). The highest correlation was between the Google Trends query of H1N1 and the ILI data, with a correlation coefficient of 0.53 (p<0.05), for the overall study period. When compared with the KCDC virologic data, the Google Trends query of bird flu had the highest correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.93 (p<0.05) in the 2010-11 season. The following queries showed a statistically significant correlation coefficient compared with ILI data for three consecutive seasons: Tamiflu (r = 0.59, 0.86, 0.90, p<0.05), new flu (r = 0.64, 0.43, 0.70, p<0.05) and flu (r = 0.68, 0.43, 0.77, p<0.05). Conclusions In our study, we found that the Google Trends for certain queries using the survey on influenza correlated with national surveillance data in South Korea. The results of this study showed that Google Trends in the Korean language can be used as complementary data for influenza surveillance but was insufficient for the use of predictive models, such as Google Flu Trends. PMID:24339927

Correlation between national influenza surveillance data and google trends in South Korea.

PubMed

Cho, Sungjin; Sohn, Chang Hwan; Jo, Min Woo; Shin, Soo-Yong; Lee, Jae Ho; Ryoo, Seoung Mok; Kim, Won Young; Seo, Dong-Woo

2013-01-01

In South Korea, there is currently no syndromic surveillance system using internet search data, including Google Flu Trends. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between national influenza surveillance data and Google Trends in South Korea. Our study was based on a publicly available search engine database, Google Trends, using 12 influenza-related queries, from September 9, 2007 to September 8, 2012. National surveillance data were obtained from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) influenza-like illness (ILI) and virologic surveillance system. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to compare the national surveillance and the Google Trends data for the overall period and for 5 influenza seasons. The correlation coefficient between the KCDC ILI and virologic surveillance data was 0.72 (p<0.05). The highest correlation was between the Google Trends query of H1N1 and the ILI data, with a correlation coefficient of 0.53 (p<0.05), for the overall study period. When compared with the KCDC virologic data, the Google Trends query of bird flu had the highest correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.93 (p<0.05) in the 2010-11 season. The following queries showed a statistically significant correlation coefficient compared with ILI data for three consecutive seasons: Tamiflu (r = 0.59, 0.86, 0.90, p<0.05), new flu (r = 0.64, 0.43, 0.70, p<0.05) and flu (r = 0.68, 0.43, 0.77, p<0.05). In our study, we found that the Google Trends for certain queries using the survey on influenza correlated with national surveillance data in South Korea. The results of this study showed that Google Trends in the Korean language can be used as complementary data for influenza surveillance but was insufficient for the use of predictive models, such as Google Flu Trends.

Record linkage for pharmacoepidemiological studies in cancer patients.

PubMed

Herk-Sukel, Myrthe P P van; Lemmens, Valery E P P; Poll-Franse, Lonneke V van de; Herings, Ron M C; Coebergh, Jan Willem W

2012-01-01

An increasing need has developed for the post-approval surveillance of (new) anti-cancer drugs by means of pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes research in the area of oncology. To create an overview that makes researchers aware of the available database linkages in Northern America and Europe which facilitate pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes research in cancer patients. In addition to our own database, i.e. the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (ECR) linked to the PHARMO Record Linkage System, we considered database linkages between a population-based cancer registry and an administrative healthcare database that at least contains information on drug use and offers a longitudinal perspective on healthcare utilization. Eligible database linkages were limited to those that had been used in multiple published articles in English language included in Pubmed. The HMO Cancer Research Network (CRN) in the US was excluded from this review, as an overview of the linked databases participating in the CRN is already provided elsewhere. Researchers who had worked with the data resources included in our review were contacted for additional information and verification of the data presented in the overview. The following database linkages were included: the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results-Medicare; cancer registry data linked to Medicaid; Canadian cancer registries linked to population-based drug databases; the Scottish cancer registry linked to the Tayside drug dispensing data; linked databases in the Nordic Countries of Europe: Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark; and the ECR-PHARMO linkage in the Netherlands. Descriptives of the included database linkages comprise population size, generalizability of the population, year of first data availability, contents of the cancer registry, contents of the administrative healthcare database, the possibility to select a cancer-free control cohort, and linkage to other healthcare databases. The linked databases offer a longitudinal perspective, allowing for observations of health care utilization before, during, and after cancer diagnosis. They create new powerful data resources for the monitoring of post-approval drug utilization, as well as a framework to explore the (cost-)effectiveness of new, often expensive, anti-cancer drugs as used in everyday practice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Active Surveillance of Birth Defects Among US Department of Defense Beneficiaries: A Feasibility Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-05-01

cleft palate / lip , upper alimentary, male reproductive, and urinary tract birth defects than the active surveillance database. Prevalence for the...the passive CEIS surveillance contained a smaller number of cleft palate / lip , upper alimentary, male reproductive, and urinary tract birth defects...Cardiovascular 33 29 8 63 Respiratory 4 3 0 4 Cleft palate / lip 12 4 3 14 Upper alimentary

Using administrative databases in the surveillance of depressive disorders--case definitions.

PubMed

Alaghehbandan, Reza; Macdonald, Don; Barrett, Brendan; Collins, Kayla; Chen, Yue

2012-12-01

The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of provincial administrative databases in carrying out surveillance on depressive disorders. Electronic medical records (EMRs) at 3 family practice clinics in St. John's, NL, Canada, were audited; 253 depressive disorder cases and 257 patients not diagnosed with a depressive disorder were selected. The EMR served as the "gold standard," which then was compared to these same patients investigated through the use of various case definitions applied against the provincial hospital and physician administrative databases. Variables used in the development of the case definitions were depressive disorder diagnoses (either in hospital or physician claims data), date of diagnosis, and service provider type [general practitioner (GP) vs. psychiatrist]. Of the 120 case definitions investigated, 26 were found to have a kappa statistic greater than 0.6, of which 5 case definitions were considered the most appropriate for surveillance of depressive disorders. Of the 5 definitions, the following case definition, with a 77.5% sensitivity and 93% specificity, was found to be the most valid ([ ≥1 hospitalizations OR ≥1 psychiatrist visit related to depressive disorders any time] OR ≥2 GP visits related to depressive disorders within the first 2 years of diagnosis). This study found that provincial administrative databases may be useful for carrying out surveillance on depressive disorders among the adult population. The approach used in this study was simple and resulted in rather reasonable sensitivity and specificity.

A primer of drug safety surveillance: an industry perspective. Part II: Product labeling and product knowledge.

PubMed

Allan, M C

1992-01-01

To place the fundamentals of clinical drug safety surveillance in a conceptual framework that will facilitate understanding and application of adverse drug event data to protect the health of the public and support a market for pharmaceutical manufacturers' products. Part II of this series discusses specific issues regarding product labeling, such as developing the labeling, changing the labeling, and the legal as well as commercial ramifications of the contents of the labeling. An adverse event report scenario is further analyzed and suggestions are offered for maintaining the product labeling as an accurate reflection of the drug safety surveillance data. This article also emphasizes the necessity of product knowledge in adverse event database management. Both scientific and proprietary knowledge are required. Acquiring product knowledge is a part of the day-to-day activities of drug safety surveillance. A knowledge of the history of the product may forestall adverse publicity, as shown in the illustration. This review uses primary sources from the federal laws (regulations), commentaries, and summaries. Very complex topics are briefly summarized in the text. Secondary sources, ranging from newspaper articles to judicial summaries, illustrate the interpretation of adverse drug events and opportunities for drug safety surveillance intervention. The reference materials used were articles theoretically or practically applicable in the day-to-day practice of drug safety surveillance. The role of clinical drug safety surveillance in product monitoring and drug development is described. The process of drug safety surveillance is defined by the Food and Drug Administration regulations, product labeling, product knowledge, and database management. Database management is subdivided into the functions of receipt, retention, retrieval, and review of adverse event reports. Emphasis is placed on the dynamic interaction of the components of the process. Suggestions are offered to facilitate communication of a review of adverse event data for various audiences. Careful drug safety surveillance is beneficial to the health of the public and the commercial well-being of the manufacturer. Attention to the basic principles is essential and, as illustrated, may be sufficient to resolve some problems.

Estimating Wisconsin Asthma Prevalence Using Clinical Electronic Health Records and Public Health Data

PubMed Central

Tomasallo, Carrie D.; Hanrahan, Lawrence P.; Tandias, Aman; Chang, Timothy S.; Cowan, Kelly J.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We compared a statewide telephone health survey with electronic health record (EHR) data from a large Wisconsin health system to estimate asthma prevalence in Wisconsin. Methods. We developed frequency tables and logistic regression models using Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and University of Wisconsin primary care clinic data. We compared adjusted odds ratios (AORs) from each model. Results. Between 2007 and 2009, the EHR database contained 376 000 patients (30 000 with asthma), and 23 000 (1850 with asthma) responded to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone survey. AORs for asthma were similar in magnitude and direction for the majority of covariates, including gender, age, and race/ethnicity, between survey and EHR models. The EHR data had greater statistical power to detect associations than did survey data, especially in pediatric and ethnic populations, because of larger sample sizes. Conclusions. EHRs can be used to estimate asthma prevalence in Wisconsin adults and children. EHR data may improve public health chronic disease surveillance using high-quality data at the local level to better identify areas of disparity and risk factors and guide education and health care interventions. PMID:24228643

Improving Cardiac Surgical Site Infection Reporting and Prevention By Using Registry Data for Case Ascertainment.

PubMed

Nayar, Vaidehi; Kennedy, Andrea; Pappas, Janine; Atchley, Krista D; Field, Cynthia; Smathers, Sarah; Teszner, Eva E; Sammons, Julia S; Coffin, Susan E; Gerber, Jeffrey S; Spray, Thomas L; Steven, James M; Bell, Louis M; Forrer, Joan; Gonzalez, Fernando; Chi, Albert; Nieczpiel, William J; Martin, John N; Gaynor, J William

2016-01-01

The use of administrative data for surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance leads to inaccurate reporting of SSI rates [1]. A quality improvement (QI) initiative was conducted linking clinical registry and administrative databases to improve reporting and reduce the incidence of SSI [2]. At our institution, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (STS-CHSD) and infection surveillance database (ISD) were linked to the enterprise data warehouse containing electronic health record (EHR) billing data. A data visualization tool was created to (1) use the STS-CHSD for case ascertainment, (2) resolve discrepancies between the databases, and (3) assess impact of QI initiatives, including wound alert reports, bedside reviews, prevention bundles, and billing coder education. Over the 24-month study period, 1,715 surgical cases were ascertained according to the STS-CHSD clinical criteria, with 23 SSIs identified through the STS-CHSD, 20 SSIs identified through the ISD, and 32 SSIs identified through the billing database. The rolling 12-month STS-CHSD SSI rate decreased from 2.73% (21 of 769 as of January 2013) to 1.11% (9 of 813 as of December 2014). Thirty reporting discrepancies were reviewed to ensure accuracy. Workflow changes facilitated communication and improved adjudication of suspected SSIs. Billing coder education increased coding accuracy and narrowed variation between the 3 SSI sources. The data visualization tool demonstrated temporal relationships between QI initiatives and SSI rate reductions. Linkage of registry and infection control surveillance data with the EHR improves SSI surveillance. The visualization tool and workflow changes facilitated communication, SSI adjudication, and assessment of the QI initiatives. Implementation of these initiatives was associated with decreased SSI rates. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HepSEQ: International Public Health Repository for Hepatitis B

PubMed Central

Gnaneshan, Saravanamuttu; Ijaz, Samreen; Moran, Joanne; Ramsay, Mary; Green, Jonathan

2007-01-01

HepSEQ is a repository for an extensive library of public health and molecular data relating to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection collected from international sources. It is hosted by the Centre for Infections, Health Protection Agency (HPA), England, United Kingdom. This repository has been developed as a web-enabled, quality-controlled database to act as a tool for surveillance, HBV case management and for research. The web front-end for the database system can be accessed from . The format of the database system allows for comprehensive molecular, clinical and epidemiological data to be deposited into a functional database, to search and manipulate the stored data and to extract and visualize the information on epidemiological, virological, clinical, nucleotide sequence and mutational aspects of HBV infection through web front-end. Specific tools, built into the database, can be utilized to analyse deposited data and provide information on HBV genotype, identify mutations with known clinical significance (e.g. vaccine escape, precore and antiviral-resistant mutations) and carry out sequence homology searches against other deposited strains. Further mechanisms are also in place to allow specific tailored searches of the database to be undertaken. PMID:17130143

Trends in penicillin and macrolide resistance among pneumococci in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in relation to antibiotic sales to pharmacies and dispensing doctors.

PubMed

Livermore, David M; Reynolds, Rosy; Stephens, Peter; Duckworth, Georgia; Felmingham, David; Johnson, Alan P; Murchan, Stephen; Murphy, Olive; Gungabissoon, Usha; Waight, Pauline; Pebody, Richard; Shackcloth, Jemma; Warner, Marina; Williams, Laura; George, Robert C

2006-10-01

It is widely believed that reducing antimicrobial usage should reduce resistance, although observational evidence is mixed. Pneumococci make ideal subjects to test this belief as they are widely surveyed and lack an animal reservoir. Accordingly, susceptibility data for pneumococci in the UK and Ireland were retrieved from the Health Protection Agency's LabBase/CoSurv system and from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) and British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) databases. The BSAC surveillance examines respiratory pneumococci; the other systems focus upon invasive organisms only, with the LabBase/CoSurv system being the most comprehensive, capturing data on most bacteraemias in England and Wales. National pharmacy sales data were obtained from the IMS Health MIDAS database and were modelled to the resistance data by logistic and linear regression analysis. All systems except for the BSAC respiratory surveillance data indicated that penicillin resistance has fallen significantly since 1999 in the UK, whereas macrolide resistance has been essentially stable, or has risen slightly. The data for Ireland were based on smaller sample sizes but suggested a fall in penicillin non-susceptibility from 1999 to 2004, with conflicting evidence for macrolide resistance. The recent decreasing trend in penicillin resistance is in contrast to a rising trend in England and Wales until (at least) 1997 and strongly rising macrolide resistance from 1989 to 1993. UK pharmacy sales of macrolides and oral beta-lactams fell by ca. 30% in the late 1990s following increased concern about resistance, before stabilising or rising weakly; sales in Ireland were stable or rose slightly in the study period. We conclude that falling penicillin resistance in pneumococci followed reduced sales of oral beta-lactams to pharmacies in the UK, but a similar fall in macrolide sales was not associated with any fall in resistance. Stabilisation or decline in penicillin resistance has occurred in Ireland despite stable or increasing oral beta-lactam sales.

First experiences in the implementation of biometric technology to link data from Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems with health facility data

PubMed Central

Serwaa-Bonsu, Adwoa; Herbst, Abraham J.; Reniers, Georges; Ijaa, Wilfred; Clark, Benjamin; Kabudula, Chodziwadziwa; Sankoh, Osman

2010-01-01

Background In developing countries, Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSSs) provide a framework for tracking demographic and health dynamics over time in a defined geographical area. Many HDSSs co-exist with facility-based data sources in the form of Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). Integrating both data sources through reliable record linkage could provide both numerator and denominator populations to estimate disease prevalence and incidence rates in the population and enable determination of accurate health service coverage. Objective To measure the acceptability and performance of fingerprint biometrics to identify individuals in demographic surveillance populations and those attending health care facilities serving the surveillance populations. Methodology Two HDSS sites used fingerprint biometrics for patient and/or surveillance population participant identification. The proportion of individuals for whom a fingerprint could be successfully enrolled were characterised in terms of age and sex. Results Adult (18–65 years) fingerprint enrolment rates varied between 94.1% (95% CI 93.6–94.5) for facility-based fingerprint data collection at the Africa Centre site to 96.7% (95% CI 95.9–97.6) for population-based fingerprint data collection at the Agincourt site. Fingerprint enrolment rates in children under 1 year old (Africa Centre site) were only 55.1% (95% CI 52.7–57.4). By age 5, child fingerprint enrolment rates were comparable to those of adults. Conclusion This work demonstrates the feasibility of fingerprint-based individual identification for population-based research in developing countries. Record linkage between demographic surveillance population databases and health care facility data based on biometric identification systems would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of population health, including the ability to study health service utilisation from a population perspective, rather than the more restrictive health service perspective. PMID:20200659

[Antimicrobial resistance in gram negative bacteria isolated from intensive care units of Colombian hospitals, WHONET 2003, 2004 and 2005].

PubMed

Miranda, María Consuelo; Pérez, Federico; Zuluaga, Tania; Olivera, María del Rosario; Correa, Adriana; Reyes, Sandra Lorena; Villegas, Maria Virginia

2006-09-01

Surveillance systems play a key role in the detection and control of bacterial resistance. It is necessary to constantly collect information from all institutions because the mechanisms of bacterial resistance can operate in different ways between countries, cities and even in hospitals in the same area. Therefore local information is important in order to learn about bacterial behaviour and design appropriate interventions for each institution. Between January 2003 and December 2004, the Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM) developed a surveillance project in 10 tertiary hospitals in 6 cities of Colombia. Describe the trends of antibiotic resistance among the isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomona aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacter cloacae, five of the most prevalent nosocomial Gram negative pathogens. The susceptibility tests were performed by automated methods in 9 hospitals and by Kirby Bauer in 1 hospital. Antibiotics with known activity against Gram negatives, according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, were selected. The laboratories performed internal and external quality controls. During the study period, the information was downloaded monthly from the databases of each microbiology laboratory and sent to CIDEIM where it was centralized in a database using the system WHONET 5.3. The high resistance rates reported especially for A. baumannii, evidenced the presence of multidrug resistant bacteria in both ICUs and wards at every studied institution. The creation of a national surveillance network to improve our capabilities to detect, follow up, and control the antibiotic resistance in Colombia is urgently needed.

Digital food photography: Dietary surveillance and beyond

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The method used for creating a database of approximately 20,000 digital images of multiple portion sizes of foods linked to the USDA's Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) is presented. The creation of this database began in 2002, and its development has spanned 10 years. Initially...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velsko, S. P.

The microbial DNA Index System (MiDIS) is a concept for a microbial forensic database and investigative decision support system that can be used to help investigators identify the sources of microbial agents that have been used in a criminal or terrorist incident. The heart of the proposed system is a rigorous method for calculating source probabilities by using certain fundamental sampling distributions associated with the propagation and mutation of microbes on disease transmission networks. This formalism has a close relationship to mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal human DNA forensics, and the proposed decision support system is somewhat analogous to the CODIS andmore » SWGDAM mtDNA databases. The MiDIS concept does not involve the use of opportunistic collections of microbial isolates and phylogenetic tree building as a basis for inference. A staged approach can be used to build MiDIS as an enduring capability, beginning with a pilot demonstration program that must meet user expectations for performance and validation before evolving into a continuing effort. Because MiDIS requires input from a a broad array of expertise including outbreak surveillance, field microbial isolate collection, microbial genome sequencing, disease transmission networks, and laboratory mutation rate studies, it will be necessary to assemble a national multi-laboratory team to develop such a system. The MiDIS effort would lend direction and focus to the national microbial genetics research program for microbial forensics, and would provide an appropriate forensic framework for interfacing to future national and international disease surveillance efforts.« less

Assessment of avian influenza surveillance and reporting needs of stakeholders in Michigan, 2007.

PubMed

Martell-Moran, Nicole K; Mauer, Whitney A; Kaneene, John B

2011-06-15

To identify stakeholders who should be included in a Michigan-based avian influenza surveillance system (AISS) and to describe their avian influenza (AI) surveillance and reporting needs. Cross-sectional survey involving a convenience sample of respondents. 272 federal, state, and local governmental and regulatory agency professionals; veterinarians and laboratory professionals in academia; private practice veterinarians; and poultry industry members. A needs assessment survey that focused on stakeholder identification, current surveillance methods, information sharing, and desired AISS enhancements was administered by mail, and responses were summarized. Various AISS stakeholders were identified, among whom the requirements for surveillance information and methods of reporting (including via a World Wide Web-based database, e-mail, and a website) differed. Although 90% of all respondent types indicated that poultry industry representatives were key stakeholders, < 33% of poultry industry respondents indicated that private practice veterinarians and personnel in laboratories or public agencies should be considered stakeholders. The predominant concern (55.4% of respondents) regarding the current AISS was the effectiveness of communication among agencies, industry, and the public. The primary challenge identified by respondents was confidentiality (30.2% of respondents). In Michigan-and potentially in other regions of the United States-integration of Internet-related data systems and stakeholder communication is likely to promote earlier identification of AI, achieve more effective responses to outbreaks, reduce morbidity among humans and other animals, and decrease outbreak-associated financial losses. Stakeholder education and technological safeguard assurances will be essential in AISS enhancement.

Use of medical administrative data for the surveillance of psychotic disorders in France.

PubMed

Chan Chee, Christine; Chin, Francis; Ha, Catherine; Beltzer, Nathalie; Bonaldi, Christophe

2017-12-04

Psychotic disorders are among the most severe psychiatric disorders that have great effects on the individuals and the society. For surveillance of chronic low prevalence conditions such as psychotic disorders, medical administrative databases can be useful due to their large coverage of the population, their continuous availability and low costs with possibility of linkage between different databases. The aims of this study are to identify the population with psychotic disorders by different algorithms based on the French medical administrative data and examine the prevalence and characteristics of this population in 2014. The health insurance system covers the entire population living in France and all reimbursements of ambulatory care in private practice are included in a national health insurance claim database, which can be linked with the national hospital discharge databases. Three algorithms were used to select most appropriately persons with psychotic disorders through data from hospital discharge databases, reimbursements for psychotropic medication and full insurance coverage for chronic and costly conditions. In France in 2014, estimates of the number of individuals with psychotic disorders were 469,587 (54.6% males) including 237,808 with schizophrenia (63.6% males). Of those, 77.0% with psychotic disorders and 70.8% with schizophrenia received exclusively ambulatory care. Prevalence rates of psychotic disorders were 7.4 per 1000 inhabitants (8.3 in males and 6.4 in females) and 3.8 per 1000 inhabitants (4.9 in males and 2.6 in females) for schizophrenia. Prevalence of psychotic disorders reached a maximum of 14 per 1000 in males between 35 and 49 years old then decreased with age while in females, the highest rate of 10 per 1000 was reached at age 50 without decrease with advancing age. No such plateau was observed in schizophrenia. This study is the first in France using an exhaustive sample of medical administrative data to derive prevalence rates for psychotic disorders. Although only individuals in contact with healthcare services were included, the rates were congruent with reported estimates from systematic reviews. The feasibility of this study will allow the implementation of a national surveillance of psychotic disorders essential for healthcare management and policy planning.

Decline in syphilis seroprevalence among females of reproductive age in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, 2003-2012: utility of laboratory-based information.

PubMed

Ballah, Ngormbu J; Kuonza, Lazarus R; De Gita, Gloria; Musekiwa, Alfred; Williams, Seymour; Takuva, Simbarashe

2017-05-01

Strengthening current surveillance systems for syphilis is important to track and monitor disease burden. We used routinely collected laboratory information to generate surveillance estimates for syphilis trends among women of reproductive age (12-49 years) in the Northern Cape Province, a high syphilis burden region (2003 [8.6%] to 2011 [3.8%]) in South Africa. We extracted records meeting inclusion criteria from the National Health Laboratory Service electronic database for the period 2003-2012. A total of 286,024 women were included in the analysis. Syphilis seropositivity decreased between 2003 (5.7%) and 2012 (1.8%); p trend = 0.001, which was largely consistent with findings reported in the annual national syphilis and HIV survey from 2003 (8.6%) to 2011 (3.8%). Annually for the period from 2003 to 2012 there was an approximate 14% reduction in the prevalence ratio of syphilis seroprevalence (PR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.85-0.87, p < 0.001). Three of five districts had significant decreases in syphilis seropositivity over this period. There were also declines in prevalence ratios for syphilis seropositivity for the various age groups for the period. This study shows that the national laboratory database in South Africa can be used as a complimentary surveillance tool to describe and understand trends in syphilis seroprevalence in South Africa.

Decline in syphilis seroprevalence among females of reproductive age in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, 2003–2012: utility of laboratory-based information

PubMed Central

Ballah, Ngormbu J; Kuonza, Lazarus R; De Gita, Gloria; Musekiwa, Alfred; Williams, Seymour; Takuva, Simbarashe

2017-01-01

Strengthening current surveillance systems for syphilis is important to track and monitor disease burden. We used routinely collected laboratory information to generate surveillance estimates for syphilis trends among women of reproductive age (12–49 years) in the Northern Cape Province, a high syphilis burden region (2003 [8.6%] to 2011 [3.8%]) in South Africa. We extracted records meeting inclusion criteria from the National Health Laboratory Service electronic database for the period 2003–2012. A total of 286,024 women were included in the analysis. Syphilis seropositivity decreased between 2003 (5.7%) and 2012 (1.8%); p trend = 0.001, which was largely consistent with findings reported in the annual national syphilis and HIV survey from 2003 (8.6%) to 2011 (3.8%). Annually for the period from 2003 to 2012 there was an approximate 14% reduction in the prevalence ratio of syphilis seroprevalence (PR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.85–0.87, p <0.001). Three of five districts had significant decreases in syphilis seropositivity over this period. There were also declines in prevalence ratios for syphilis seropositivity for the various age groups for the period. This study shows that the national laboratory database in South Africa can be used as a complimentary surveillance tool to describe and understand trends in syphilis seroprevalence in South Africa. PMID:26924504

An automated, broad-based, near real-time public health surveillance system using presentations to hospital Emergency Departments in New South Wales, Australia.

PubMed

Muscatello, David J; Churches, Tim; Kaldor, Jill; Zheng, Wei; Chiu, Clayton; Correll, Patricia; Jorm, Louisa

2005-12-22

In a climate of concern over bioterrorism threats and emergent diseases, public health authorities are trialling more timely surveillance systems. The 2003 Rugby World Cup (RWC) provided an opportunity to test the viability of a near real-time syndromic surveillance system in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. We describe the development and early results of this largely automated system that used data routinely collected in Emergency Departments (EDs). Twelve of 49 EDs in the Sydney metropolitan area automatically transmitted surveillance data from their existing information systems to a central database in near real-time. Information captured for each ED visit included patient demographic details, presenting problem and nursing assessment entered as free-text at triage time, physician-assigned provisional diagnosis codes, and status at departure from the ED. Both diagnoses from the EDs and triage text were used to assign syndrome categories. The text information was automatically classified into one or more of 26 syndrome categories using automated "naïve Bayes" text categorisation techniques. Automated processes were used to analyse both diagnosis and free text-based syndrome data and to produce web-based statistical summaries for daily review. An adjusted cumulative sum (cusum) was used to assess the statistical significance of trends. During the RWC the system did not identify any major public health threats associated with the tournament, mass gatherings or the influx of visitors. This was consistent with evidence from other sources, although two known outbreaks were already in progress before the tournament. Limited baseline in early monitoring prevented the system from automatically identifying these ongoing outbreaks. Data capture was invisible to clinical staff in EDs and did not add to their workload. We have demonstrated the feasibility and potential utility of syndromic surveillance using routinely collected data from ED information systems. Key features of our system are its nil impact on clinical staff, and its use of statistical methods to assign syndrome categories based on clinical free text information. The system is ongoing, and has expanded to cover 30 EDs. Results of formal evaluations of both the technical efficiency and the public health impacts of the system will be described subsequently.

Ontology for Vector Surveillance and Management

PubMed Central

LOZANO-FUENTES, SAUL; BANDYOPADHYAY, ARITRA; COWELL, LINDSAY G.; GOLDFAIN, ALBERT; EISEN, LARS

2013-01-01

Ontologies, which are made up by standardized and defined controlled vocabulary terms and their interrelationships, are comprehensive and readily searchable repositories for knowledge in a given domain. The Open Biomedical Ontologies (OBO) Foundry was initiated in 2001 with the aims of becoming an “umbrella” for life-science ontologies and promoting the use of ontology development best practices. A software application (OBO-Edit; *.obo file format) was developed to facilitate ontology development and editing. The OBO Foundry now comprises over 100 ontologies and candidate ontologies, including the NCBI organismal classification ontology (NCBITaxon), the Mosquito Insecticide Resistance Ontology (MIRO), the Infectious Disease Ontology (IDO), the IDOMAL malaria ontology, and ontologies for mosquito gross anatomy and tick gross anatomy. We previously developed a disease data management system for dengue and malaria control programs, which incorporated a set of information trees built upon ontological principles, including a “term tree” to promote the use of standardized terms. In the course of doing so, we realized that there were substantial gaps in existing ontologies with regards to concepts, processes, and, especially, physical entities (e.g., vector species, pathogen species, and vector surveillance and management equipment) in the domain of surveillance and management of vectors and vector-borne pathogens. We therefore produced an ontology for vector surveillance and management, focusing on arthropod vectors and vector-borne pathogens with relevance to humans or domestic animals, and with special emphasis on content to support operational activities through inclusion in databases, data management systems, or decision support systems. The Vector Surveillance and Management Ontology (VSMO) includes >2,200 unique terms, of which the vast majority (>80%) were newly generated during the development of this ontology. One core feature of the VSMO is the linkage, through the has_vector relation, of arthropod species to the pathogenic microorganisms for which they serve as biological vectors. We also recognized and addressed a potential roadblock for use of the VSMO by the vector-borne disease community: the difficulty in extracting information from OBO-Edit ontology files (*.obo files) and exporting the information to other file formats. A novel ontology explorer tool was developed to facilitate extraction and export of information from the VSMO *.obo file into lists of terms and their associated unique IDs in *.txt or *.csv file formats. These lists can then be imported into a database or data management system for use as select lists with predefined terms. This is an important step to ensure that the knowledge contained in our ontology can be put into practical use. PMID:23427646

Ontology for vector surveillance and management.

PubMed

Lozano-Fuentes, Saul; Bandyopadhyay, Aritra; Cowell, Lindsay G; Goldfain, Albert; Eisen, Lars

2013-01-01

Ontologies, which are made up by standardized and defined controlled vocabulary terms and their interrelationships, are comprehensive and readily searchable repositories for knowledge in a given domain. The Open Biomedical Ontologies (OBO) Foundry was initiated in 2001 with the aims of becoming an "umbrella" for life-science ontologies and promoting the use of ontology development best practices. A software application (OBO-Edit; *.obo file format) was developed to facilitate ontology development and editing. The OBO Foundry now comprises over 100 ontologies and candidate ontologies, including the NCBI organismal classification ontology (NCBITaxon), the Mosquito Insecticide Resistance Ontology (MIRO), the Infectious Disease Ontology (IDO), the IDOMAL malaria ontology, and ontologies for mosquito gross anatomy and tick gross anatomy. We previously developed a disease data management system for dengue and malaria control programs, which incorporated a set of information trees built upon ontological principles, including a "term tree" to promote the use of standardized terms. In the course of doing so, we realized that there were substantial gaps in existing ontologies with regards to concepts, processes, and, especially, physical entities (e.g., vector species, pathogen species, and vector surveillance and management equipment) in the domain of surveillance and management of vectors and vector-borne pathogens. We therefore produced an ontology for vector surveillance and management, focusing on arthropod vectors and vector-borne pathogens with relevance to humans or domestic animals, and with special emphasis on content to support operational activities through inclusion in databases, data management systems, or decision support systems. The Vector Surveillance and Management Ontology (VSMO) includes >2,200 unique terms, of which the vast majority (>80%) were newly generated during the development of this ontology. One core feature of the VSMO is the linkage, through the has vector relation, of arthropod species to the pathogenic microorganisms for which they serve as biological vectors. We also recognized and addressed a potential roadblock for use of the VSMO by the vector-borne disease community: the difficulty in extracting information from OBO-Edit ontology files (*.obo files) and exporting the information to other file formats. A novel ontology explorer tool was developed to facilitate extraction and export of information from the VSMO*.obo file into lists of terms and their associated unique IDs in *.txt or *.csv file formats. These lists can then be imported into a database or data management system for use as select lists with predefined terms. This is an important step to ensure that the knowledge contained in our ontology can be put into practical use.

Security and privacy qualities of medical devices: an analysis of FDA postmarket surveillance.

PubMed

Kramer, Daniel B; Baker, Matthew; Ransford, Benjamin; Molina-Markham, Andres; Stewart, Quinn; Fu, Kevin; Reynolds, Matthew R

2012-01-01

Medical devices increasingly depend on computing functions such as wireless communication and Internet connectivity for software-based control of therapies and network-based transmission of patients' stored medical information. These computing capabilities introduce security and privacy risks, yet little is known about the prevalence of such risks within the clinical setting. We used three comprehensive, publicly available databases maintained by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate recalls and adverse events related to security and privacy risks of medical devices. Review of weekly enforcement reports identified 1,845 recalls; 605 (32.8%) of these included computers, 35 (1.9%) stored patient data, and 31 (1.7%) were capable of wireless communication. Searches of databases specific to recalls and adverse events identified only one event with a specific connection to security or privacy. Software-related recalls were relatively common, and most (81.8%) mentioned the possibility of upgrades, though only half of these provided specific instructions for the update mechanism. Our review of recalls and adverse events from federal government databases reveals sharp inconsistencies with databases at individual providers with respect to security and privacy risks. Recalls related to software may increase security risks because of unprotected update and correction mechanisms. To detect signals of security and privacy problems that adversely affect public health, federal postmarket surveillance strategies should rethink how to effectively and efficiently collect data on security and privacy problems in devices that increasingly depend on computing systems susceptible to malware.

Security and Privacy Qualities of Medical Devices: An Analysis of FDA Postmarket Surveillance

PubMed Central

Kramer, Daniel B.; Baker, Matthew; Ransford, Benjamin; Molina-Markham, Andres; Stewart, Quinn; Fu, Kevin; Reynolds, Matthew R.

2012-01-01

Background Medical devices increasingly depend on computing functions such as wireless communication and Internet connectivity for software-based control of therapies and network-based transmission of patients’ stored medical information. These computing capabilities introduce security and privacy risks, yet little is known about the prevalence of such risks within the clinical setting. Methods We used three comprehensive, publicly available databases maintained by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate recalls and adverse events related to security and privacy risks of medical devices. Results Review of weekly enforcement reports identified 1,845 recalls; 605 (32.8%) of these included computers, 35 (1.9%) stored patient data, and 31 (1.7%) were capable of wireless communication. Searches of databases specific to recalls and adverse events identified only one event with a specific connection to security or privacy. Software-related recalls were relatively common, and most (81.8%) mentioned the possibility of upgrades, though only half of these provided specific instructions for the update mechanism. Conclusions Our review of recalls and adverse events from federal government databases reveals sharp inconsistencies with databases at individual providers with respect to security and privacy risks. Recalls related to software may increase security risks because of unprotected update and correction mechanisms. To detect signals of security and privacy problems that adversely affect public health, federal postmarket surveillance strategies should rethink how to effectively and efficiently collect data on security and privacy problems in devices that increasingly depend on computing systems susceptible to malware. PMID:22829874

Information systems in food safety management.

PubMed

McMeekin, T A; Baranyi, J; Bowman, J; Dalgaard, P; Kirk, M; Ross, T; Schmid, S; Zwietering, M H

2006-12-01

Information systems are concerned with data capture, storage, analysis and retrieval. In the context of food safety management they are vital to assist decision making in a short time frame, potentially allowing decisions to be made and practices to be actioned in real time. Databases with information on microorganisms pertinent to the identification of foodborne pathogens, response of microbial populations to the environment and characteristics of foods and processing conditions are the cornerstone of food safety management systems. Such databases find application in: Identifying pathogens in food at the genus or species level using applied systematics in automated ways. Identifying pathogens below the species level by molecular subtyping, an approach successfully applied in epidemiological investigations of foodborne disease and the basis for national surveillance programs. Predictive modelling software, such as the Pathogen Modeling Program and Growth Predictor (that took over the main functions of Food Micromodel) the raw data of which were combined as the genesis of an international web based searchable database (ComBase). Expert systems combining databases on microbial characteristics, food composition and processing information with the resulting "pattern match" indicating problems that may arise from changes in product formulation or processing conditions. Computer software packages to aid the practical application of HACCP and risk assessment and decision trees to bring logical sequences to establishing and modifying food safety management practices. In addition there are many other uses of information systems that benefit food safety more globally, including: Rapid dissemination of information on foodborne disease outbreaks via websites or list servers carrying commentary from many sources, including the press and interest groups, on the reasons for and consequences of foodborne disease incidents. Active surveillance networks allowing rapid dissemination of molecular subtyping information between public health agencies to detect foodborne outbreaks and limit the spread of human disease. Traceability of individual animals or crops from (or before) conception or germination to the consumer as an integral part of food supply chain management. Provision of high quality, online educational packages to food industry personnel otherwise precluded from access to such courses.

Development of an electronic emergency department-based geo-information injury surveillance system in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Chow, C B; Leung, M; Lai, Adela; Chow, Y H; Chung, Joanne; Tong, K M; Lit, Albert

2012-06-01

To describe the experience in the development of an electronic emergency department (ED)-based injury surveillance (IS) system in Hong Kong using data-mining and geo-spatial information technology (IT) for a Safe Community setup. This paper described the phased development of an emergency department-based IS system based on World Health Organization (WHO) injury surveillance Guideline to support safety promotion and injury prevention in a Safe Community in Hong Kong starting 2002. The initial ED data-based only collected data on name, sex, age, address, eight general categories of injury types (traffic, domestic, common assault, indecent assault, batter, industrial, self-harm and sports) and disposal from ED. Phase 1--manual data collection on International Classification of External Causes of Injury pre-event data; Phase 2--manual form was converted to electronic format using web-based data mining technology with built in data quality monitoring mechanism; Phase 3--integration of injury surveillance-data with in-patient hospital information; and Phase 4--geo-spatial information and body mapping were introduced to geo-code exact place of injury in an electronic map and site of injury on body map. It was feasible to develop a geo-spatial IS system at busy ED to collect valuable information for safety promotion and injury prevention at Safe Community setting. The keys for successful development and implementation involves engagement of all stakeholders at design and implementation of the system with injury prevention as ultimate goal, detail workflow planning at front end, support from the management, building on exiting system and appropriate utilisation of modern technology. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The pervasive crisis of diminishing radiation therapy access for vulnerable populations in the United States-part 3: Hispanic-American patients.

PubMed

McClelland, Shearwood; Perez, Carmen A

2018-01-01

Health disparities have profoundly affected underrepresented minorities throughout the United States, particularly with regard to access to evidence-based interventions such as surgery or medication. The degree of disparity in access to radiation therapy (RT) for Hispanic-American patients with cancer has not been previously examined in an extensive manner. An extensive literature search was performed using the PubMed database to examine studies investigating disparities in RT access for Hispanic-Americans. A total of 34 studies were found, spanning 10 organ systems. Disparities in access to RT for Hispanic-Americans were most prominently studied in cancers of the breast (15 studies), prostate (4 studies), head and neck (4 studies), and gynecologic system (3 studies). Disparities in RT access for Hispanic-Americans were prevalent regardless of the organ system studied and were compounded by limited English proficiency and/or birth outside of the United States. A total of 26 of 34 studies (77%) involved analysis of a population-based database, such as Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result (15 studies); Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result-Medicare (4 studies); National Cancer Database (3 studies); or a state tumor registry (4 studies). Hispanic-Americans in the United States have diminished RT access compared with Caucasian patients but are less likely to experience concomitant disparities in mortality than other underrepresented minorities that experience similar disparities (ie, African-Americans). Hispanic-Americans who are born outside of the United States and/or have limited English proficiency may be more likely to experience substandard RT access. These results underscore the importance of finding nationwide solutions to address such inequalities that hinder Hispanic-Americans and other underrepresented minorities throughout the United States.

From habits of attrition to modes of inclusion: enhancing the role of private practitioners in routine disease surveillance.

PubMed

Phalkey, Revati K; Butsch, Carsten; Belesova, Kristine; Kroll, Marieke; Kraas, Frauke

2017-08-25

Private practitioners are the preferred first point of care in a majority of low and middle-income countries and in this position, best placed for the surveillance of diseases. However their contribution to routine surveillance data is marginal. This systematic review aims to explore evidence with regards to the role, contribution, and involvement of private practitioners in routine disease data notification. We examined the factors that determine the inclusion of, and the participation thereof of private practitioners in disease surveillance activities. Literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Knowledge, WHOLIS, and WHO-IRIS databases to identify peer-reviewed and gray full-text documents in English with no limits for year of publication or study design. Forty manuscripts were reviewed. The current participation of private practitioners in disease surveillance efforts is appalling. The main barriers to their participation are inadequate knowledge leading to unsatisfactory attitudes and misperceptions that influence their practices. Complicated reporting mechanisms with unclear guidelines, along with unsatisfactory attitudes on behalf of the government and surveillance program managers also contribute to the underreporting of cases. Infrastructural barriers especially the availability of computers and skilled human resources are critical to improving private sector participation in routine disease surveillance. The issues identified are similar to those for underreporting within the Integrated infectious Disease Surveillance and Response systems (IDSR) which collects data mainly from public healthcare facilities. We recommend that surveillance program officers should provide periodic training, supportive supervision and offer regular feedback to the practitioners from both public as well as private sectors in order to improve case notification. Governments need to take leadership and foster collaborative partnerships between the public and private sectors and most importantly exercise regulatory authority where needed.

INTERPOL's Surveillance Network in Curbing Transnational Terrorism

PubMed Central

Gardeazabal, Javier; Sandler, Todd

2015-01-01

Abstract This paper investigates the role that International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) surveillance—the Mobile INTERPOL Network Database (MIND) and the Fixed INTERPOL Network Database (FIND)—played in the War on Terror since its inception in 2005. MIND/FIND surveillance allows countries to screen people and documents systematically at border crossings against INTERPOL databases on terrorists, fugitives, and stolen and lost travel documents. Such documents have been used in the past by terrorists to transit borders. By applying methods developed in the treatment‐effects literature, this paper establishes that countries adopting MIND/FIND experienced fewer transnational terrorist attacks than they would have had they not adopted MIND/FIND. Our estimates indicate that, on average, from 2008 to 2011, adopting and using MIND/FIND results in 0.5 fewer transnational terrorist incidents each year per 100 million people. Thus, a country like France with a population just above 64 million people in 2008 would have 0.32 fewer transnational terrorist incidents per year owing to its use of INTERPOL surveillance. This amounts to a sizeable average proportional reduction of about 30 percent.

Active and passive surveillance of yellow fever vaccine 17D or 17DD-associated serious adverse events: systematic review.

PubMed

Thomas, Roger E; Lorenzetti, Diane L; Spragins, Wendy; Jackson, Dave; Williamson, Tyler

2011-06-20

To identify the rate of serious adverse events attributable to yellow fever vaccination with 17D and 17DD strains reported in active and passive surveillance data. We conducted a systematic review of published literature on adverse events associated with yellow fever. We searched 9 electronic databases for peer reviewed and grey literature in all languages. There were no restrictions on date of publication. Reference lists of key studies were also reviewed to identify additional studies. We identified 66 relevant studies: 24 used active, 17 a combination of passive and active (15 of which were pharmacovigilance databases), and 25 passive surveillance. ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE: A total of 2,660,929 patients in general populations were followed for adverse events after vaccination, heavily weighted (97.7%) by one large Brazilian study. There were no observed cases of viscerotropic or neurotropic disease, one of anaphylaxis and 26 cases of urticaria (hypersensitivity). We also identified four studies of infants and children (n=2199), four studies of women (n=1334), and one study of 174 HIV+, and no serious adverse events were observed. PHARMACOVIGILANCE DATABASES: 10 of the 15 databases contributed data to this review, with 107,621,154 patients, heavily weighted (94%) by the Brazilian database. The estimates for Australia were low at 0/210,656 for "severe neurological disease" and 1/210,656 for YEL-AVD, and also low for Brazil with 9 hypersensitivity events, 0.23 anaphylactic shock events, 0.84 neurologic syndrome events and 0.19 viscerotropic events cases/million doses. The five analyses of partly overlapping periods for the US VAERS database provided an estimate of 6.6 YEL-AVD and YEL-AND cases per million, and estimates between 11.1 and 15.6 of overall "serious adverse events" per million. The estimates for the UK were higher at 34 "serious adverse events" and also for Switzerland with 14.6 "neurologic events" and 40 "serious events not neurological"/million doses. PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE: Six studies of campaigns in general populations included 94,500,528 individuals, very heavily weighted (99%) by the Brazilian data, and providing an estimate of 0.51 serious AEFIs/million doses. Five retrospective reviews of hospital or clinic records included 60,698 individuals, and no serious AEFIs were proven. The data are heavily weighted (96%) by the data from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London. Two studies included 35,723 children, four studies included 138 pregnant women, six studies included 191 HIV+ patients, and there was one review of patients who were HIV+, and no serious AEFIs were proven. The databases in each country used different definitions, protocols, surveillance mechanisms for the initial identification and reporting of cases, and strategies for the clinical and laboratory follow up of cases. The pharmacovigilance databases provide three sets of estimates: a low estimate from the Brazilian and Australian data, a medium estimate from the US VAERS data, and a higher estimate from the UK and Swiss data. The estimates from the active surveillance data are lower (and strongly influenced by the Brazilian data) and the estimates from the passive surveillance studies are also lower (strongly influenced by the London Hospital for Tropical Diseases data from the early 1950s). Sophisticated pathology, histopathology and tests such as PCR amplicon sequencing are needed to prove that serious adverse events were actually caused by the yellow fever vaccine, and the availability of such diagnostic capability is strongly biased towards recent reports from developed countries. Despite these variations in the estimation of serious harm, overall the 17D and 17DD yellow fever vaccine has proven to be a very safe vaccine and is highly effective against an illness with high potential mortality rates. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Bibliometric Analysis of U.S.-Based Research on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

PubMed Central

Khalil, George M.; Gotway Crawford, Carol A.

2017-01-01

Background Since Alan Pritchard defined bibliometrics as “the application of statistical methods to media of communication” in 1969, bibliometric analyses have become widespread. To date, however, bibliometrics has not been used to analyze publications related to the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Purpose To determine the most frequently cited BRFSS-related topical areas, institutions, and journals. Methods A search of the Web of Knowledge database in 2013 identified U.S.-published studies related to BRFSS, from its start in 1984 through 2012. Search terms were BRFSS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, or Behavioral Risk Survey. The resulting 1,387 articles were analyzed descriptively and produced data for VOSviewer, a computer program that plotted a relevance distance–based map and clustered keywords from text in titles and abstracts. Results Topics, journals, and publishing institutions ranged widely. Most research was clustered by content area, such as cancer screening, access to care, heart health, and quality of life. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine and American Journal of Public Health published the most BRFSS-related papers (95 and 70, respectively). Conclusions Bibliometrics can help identify the most frequently published BRFSS-related topics, publishing journals, and publishing institutions. BRFSS data are widely used, particularly by CDC and academic institutions such as the University of Washington and other universities hosting top-ranked schools of public health. Bibliometric analysis and mapping provides an innovative way of quantifying and visualizing the plethora of research conducted using BRFSS data and summarizing the contribution of this surveillance system to public health. PMID:25442231

Development of the Lymphoma Enterprise Architecture Database: a caBIG Silver level compliant system.

PubMed

Huang, Taoying; Shenoy, Pareen J; Sinha, Rajni; Graiser, Michael; Bumpers, Kevin W; Flowers, Christopher R

2009-04-03

Lymphomas are the fifth most common cancer in United States with numerous histological subtypes. Integrating existing clinical information on lymphoma patients provides a platform for understanding biological variability in presentation and treatment response and aids development of novel therapies. We developed a cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) Silver level compliant lymphoma database, called the Lymphoma Enterprise Architecture Data-system (LEAD), which integrates the pathology, pharmacy, laboratory, cancer registry, clinical trials, and clinical data from institutional databases. We utilized the Cancer Common Ontological Representation Environment Software Development Kit (caCORE SDK) provided by National Cancer Institute's Center for Bioinformatics to establish the LEAD platform for data management. The caCORE SDK generated system utilizes an n-tier architecture with open Application Programming Interfaces, controlled vocabularies, and registered metadata to achieve semantic integration across multiple cancer databases. We demonstrated that the data elements and structures within LEAD could be used to manage clinical research data from phase 1 clinical trials, cohort studies, and registry data from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. This work provides a clear example of how semantic technologies from caBIG can be applied to support a wide range of clinical and research tasks, and integrate data from disparate systems into a single architecture. This illustrates the central importance of caBIG to the management of clinical and biological data.

COM1/348: Design and Implementation of a Portal for the Market of the Medical Equipment (MEDICOM)

PubMed Central

Palamas, S; Vlachos, I; Panou-Diamandi, O; Marinos, G; Kalivas, D; Zeelenberg, C; Nimwegen, C; Koutsouris, D

1999-01-01

Introduction The MEDICOM system provides the electronic means for medical equipment manufacturers to communicate online with their customers supporting the Purchasing Process and the Post Market Surveillance. The MEDICOM service will be provided over the Internet by the MEDICOM Portal, and by a set of distributed subsystems dedicated to handle structured information related to medical devices. There are three kinds of these subsystems, the Hypermedia Medical Catalogue (HMC), Virtual Medical Exhibition (VME), which contains information in a form of Virtual Models, and the Post Market Surveillance system (PMS). The Universal Medical Devices Nomenclature System (UMDNS) is used to register all products. This work was partially funded by the ESPRIT Project 25289 (MEDICOM). Methods The Portal provides the end user interface operating as the MEDICOM Portal, acts as the yellow pages for finding both products and providers, providing links to the providers servers, implements the system management and supports the subsystem database compatibility. The Portal hosts a database system composed of two parts: (a) the Common Database, which describes a set of encoded parameters (like Supported Languages, Geographic Regions, UMDNS Codes, etc) common to all subsystems and (b) the Short Description Database, which contains summarised descriptions of medical devices, including a text description, the codes of the manufacturer, UMDNS code, attribute values and links to the corresponding HTML pages of the HMC, VME and PMS servers. The Portal provides the MEDICOM user interface including services like end user profiling and registration, end user query forms, creation and hosting of newsgroups, links to online libraries, end user subscription to manufacturers' mailing lists, online information for the MEDICOM system and special messages or advertisements from manufacturers. Results Platform independence and interoperability characterise the system design. A general purpose RDBMS is used for the implementation of the databases. The end user interface is implemented using HTML and Java applets, while the subsystem administration applications are developed using Java. The JDBC interface is used in order to provide database access to these applications. The communication between subsystems is implemented using CORBA objects and Java servlets are used in subsystem servers for the activation of remote operations. Discussion In the second half of 1999, the MEDICOM Project will enter the phase of evaluation and pilot operation. The benefits of the MEDICOM system are expected to be the establishment of a world wide accessible marketplace between providers and health care professionals. The latter will achieve the provision of up-to-date and high quality products information in an easy and friendly way, and the enhancement of the marketing procedures and after sales support efficiency.

A Web Geographic Information System to share data and explorative analysis tools: The application to West Nile disease in the Mediterranean basin.

PubMed

Savini, Lara; Tora, Susanna; Di Lorenzo, Alessio; Cioci, Daniela; Monaco, Federica; Polci, Andrea; Orsini, Massimiliano; Calistri, Paolo; Conte, Annamaria

2018-01-01

In the last decades an increasing number of West Nile Disease cases was observed in equines and humans in the Mediterranean basin and surveillance systems are set up in numerous countries to manage and control the disease. The collection, storage and distribution of information on the spread of the disease becomes important for a shared intervention and control strategy. To this end, a Web Geographic Information System has been developed and disease data, climatic and environmental remote sensed data, full genome sequences of selected isolated strains are made available. This paper describes the Disease Monitoring Dashboard (DMD) web system application, the tools available for the preliminary analysis on climatic and environmental factors and the other interactive tools for epidemiological analysis. WNV occurrence data are collected from multiple official and unofficial sources. Whole genome sequences and metadata of WNV strains are retrieved from public databases or generated in the framework of the Italian surveillance activities. Climatic and environmental data are provided by NASA website. The Geographical Information System is composed by Oracle 10g Database and ESRI ArcGIS Server 10.03; the web mapping client application is developed with the ArcGIS API for Javascript and Phylocanvas library to facilitate and optimize the mash-up approach. ESRI ArcSDE 10.1 has been used to store spatial data. The DMD application is accessible through a generic web browser at https://netmed.izs.it/networkMediterraneo/. The system collects data through on-line forms and automated procedures and visualizes data as interactive graphs, maps and tables. The spatial and temporal dynamic visualization of disease events is managed by a time slider that returns results on both map and epidemiological curve. Climatic and environmental data can be associated to cases through python procedures and downloaded as Excel files. The system compiles multiple datasets through user-friendly web tools; it integrates entomological, veterinary and human surveillance, molecular information on pathogens and environmental and climatic data. The principal result of the DMD development is the transfer and dissemination of knowledge and technologies to develop strategies for integrated prevention and control measures of animal and human diseases.

Toward an Open-Access Global Database for Mapping, Control, and Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases

PubMed Central

Hürlimann, Eveline; Schur, Nadine; Boutsika, Konstantina; Stensgaard, Anna-Sofie; Laserna de Himpsl, Maiti; Ziegelbauer, Kathrin; Laizer, Nassor; Camenzind, Lukas; Di Pasquale, Aurelio; Ekpo, Uwem F.; Simoonga, Christopher; Mushinge, Gabriel; Saarnak, Christopher F. L.; Utzinger, Jürg; Kristensen, Thomas K.; Vounatsou, Penelope

2011-01-01

Background After many years of general neglect, interest has grown and efforts came under way for the mapping, control, surveillance, and eventual elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Disease risk estimates are a key feature to target control interventions, and serve as a benchmark for monitoring and evaluation. What is currently missing is a georeferenced global database for NTDs providing open-access to the available survey data that is constantly updated and can be utilized by researchers and disease control managers to support other relevant stakeholders. We describe the steps taken toward the development of such a database that can be employed for spatial disease risk modeling and control of NTDs. Methodology With an emphasis on schistosomiasis in Africa, we systematically searched the literature (peer-reviewed journals and ‘grey literature’), contacted Ministries of Health and research institutions in schistosomiasis-endemic countries for location-specific prevalence data and survey details (e.g., study population, year of survey and diagnostic techniques). The data were extracted, georeferenced, and stored in a MySQL database with a web interface allowing free database access and data management. Principal Findings At the beginning of 2011, our database contained more than 12,000 georeferenced schistosomiasis survey locations from 35 African countries available under http://www.gntd.org. Currently, the database is expanded to a global repository, including a host of other NTDs, e.g. soil-transmitted helminthiasis and leishmaniasis. Conclusions An open-access, spatially explicit NTD database offers unique opportunities for disease risk modeling, targeting control interventions, disease monitoring, and surveillance. Moreover, it allows for detailed geostatistical analyses of disease distribution in space and time. With an initial focus on schistosomiasis in Africa, we demonstrate the proof-of-concept that the establishment and running of a global NTD database is feasible and should be expanded without delay. PMID:22180793

Challenges with the implementation of an Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system: systematic review of the lessons learned.

PubMed

Phalkey, Revati K; Yamamoto, Shelby; Awate, Pradip; Marx, Michael

2015-02-01

Despite a realistic strategy and availability of resources, multiple challenges still overwhelm countries grappling with the challenges of communicable disease surveillance. The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy is by far the most pragmatic strategy in resource-poor settings. The objective of this study was to systematically review and document the lessons learned and the challenges identified with the implementation of the IDSR in low- and middle-income countries and to identify the main barriers that contribute to its sub-optimal functioning. A systematic review of literature published in English using Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and databases of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) between 1998 and 2012 was undertaken. Additionally, manual reference and grey literature searches were conducted. Citations describing core and support functions or the quality attributes of the IDSR as described by WHO and CDC were included in the review. Thirty-three assessment studies met the inclusion criteria. IDSR strategy has been best adopted and implemented in the WHO-AFRO region. Although significant progress is made in overcoming the challenges identified with vertical disease surveillance strategies, gaps still exist. Mixed challenges with core and support IDSR functions were observed across countries. Main issues identified include non-sustainable financial resources, lack of co-ordination, inadequate training and turnover of peripheral staff, erratic feedback, inadequate supervision from the next level, weak laboratory capacities coupled with unavailability of job aids (case definitions/reporting formats), and poor availability of communication and transport systems particularly at the periphery. Best outcomes in core functions and system attributes were reported when support surveillance functions performed optimally. Apart from technical and technological issues, human resources and the health care system structures that receive the IDSR determine its output. The challenges identified with IDSR implementation are largely 'systemic'. IDSR will best benefit from skill-based training of personnel and strengthening of the support surveillance functions alongside health care infrastructures at the district level. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Early detection for cases of enterovirus- and influenza-like illness through a newly established school-based syndromic surveillance system in Taipei, January 2010 ~ August 2011.

PubMed

Weng, Ting Chia; Chan, Ta Chien; Lin, Hsien Tang; Chang, Chia Kun Jasper; Wang, Wen Wen; Li, Zheng Rong Tiger; Cheng, Hao-Yuan; Chu, Yu-Roo; Chiu, Allen Wen-Hsiang; Yen, Muh-Yong; King, Chwan-Chuen

2015-01-01

School children may transmit pathogens with cluster cases occurring on campuses and in families. In response to the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, Taipei City Government officials developed a School-based Infectious Disease Syndromic Surveillance System (SID-SSS). Teachers and nurses from preschools to universities in all 12 districts within Taipei are required to daily report cases of symptomatic children or sick leave requests through the SID-SSS. The pre-diagnosis at schools is submitted firstly as common pediatric disease syndrome-groups and re-submitted after confirmation by physicians. We retrieved these data from January 2010 to August 2011 for spatio-temporal analysis and evaluated the temporal trends with cases obtained from both the Emergency Department-based Syndromic Surveillance System (ED-SSS) and the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005). Through the SID-SSS, enterovirus-like illness (EVI) and influenza-like illness (ILI) were the two most reported syndrome groups (77.6% and 15.8% among a total of 19,334 cases, respectively). The pre-diagnosis judgments made by school teachers and nurses showed high consistency with physicians' clinical diagnoses for EVI (97.8%) and ILI (98.9%). Most importantly, the SID-SSS had better timeliness with earlier peaks of EVI and ILI than those in the ED-SSS. Furthermore, both of the syndrome groups in these two surveillance systems had the best correlation reaching 0.98 and 0.95, respectively (p<0.01). Spatio-temporal analysis observed the patterns of EVI and ILI both diffuse from the northern suburban districts to central Taipei, with ILI spreading faster. This novel system can identify early suspected cases of two important pediatric infections occurring at schools, and clusters from schools/families. It was also cost-effective (95.5% of the operation cost reduced and 59.7% processing time saved). The timely surveillance of mild EVI and ILI cases integrated with spatial analysis may help public health decision-makers with where to target for enhancing surveillance and prevention measures to minimize severe cases.

Early Detection for Cases of Enterovirus- and Influenza-Like Illness through a Newly Established School-Based Syndromic Surveillance System in Taipei, January 2010 ~ August 2011

PubMed Central

Weng, Ting Chia; Chan, Ta Chien; Li, Zheng Rong Tiger; Cheng, Hao-Yuan; Chu, Yu-Roo; Chiu, Allen Wen-Hsiang; Yen, Muh-Yong; King, Chwan-Chuen

2015-01-01

School children may transmit pathogens with cluster cases occurring on campuses and in families. In response to the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, Taipei City Government officials developed a School-based Infectious Disease Syndromic Surveillance System (SID-SSS). Teachers and nurses from preschools to universities in all 12 districts within Taipei are required to daily report cases of symptomatic children or sick leave requests through the SID-SSS. The pre-diagnosis at schools is submitted firstly as common pediatric disease syndrome-groups and re-submitted after confirmation by physicians. We retrieved these data from January 2010 to August 2011 for spatio-temporal analysis and evaluated the temporal trends with cases obtained from both the Emergency Department-based Syndromic Surveillance System (ED-SSS) and the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005). Through the SID-SSS, enterovirus-like illness (EVI) and influenza-like illness (ILI) were the two most reported syndrome groups (77.6% and 15.8% among a total of 19,334 cases, respectively). The pre-diagnosis judgments made by school teachers and nurses showed high consistency with physicians’ clinical diagnoses for EVI (97.8%) and ILI (98.9%). Most importantly, the SID-SSS had better timeliness with earlier peaks of EVI and ILI than those in the ED-SSS. Furthermore, both of the syndrome groups in these two surveillance systems had the best correlation reaching 0.98 and 0.95, respectively (p<0.01). Spatio-temporal analysis observed the patterns of EVI and ILI both diffuse from the northern suburban districts to central Taipei, with ILI spreading faster. This novel system can identify early suspected cases of two important pediatric infections occurring at schools, and clusters from schools/families. It was also cost-effective (95.5% of the operation cost reduced and 59.7% processing time saved). The timely surveillance of mild EVI and ILI cases integrated with spatial analysis may help public health decision-makers with where to target for enhancing surveillance and prevention measures to minimize severe cases. PMID:25875080

[The running status of Chinese Measles Laboratory Network in 2008].

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Xu, Song-Tao; Jiang, Xiao-Hong

2009-04-01

To evaluate the running status of Measles laboratory network of China (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan were excluded) in 2008. To analyze the database of Measles laboratory network surveillance of the year 2008, and the database of serologic and virologic surveillance of National laboratory for Measles in Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CCDC), then the indicators of the running of Measles laboratory network of China were analyzed. 1, serologic surveillance: 107,160 Measles sera samples were collected between Feburary and September of 2008, and the collection rate was 77.93%; 53 778 samples were qualified and positive for IgM, the positive percentage was 50.2%. 2, Virologic surveillance: 287 Measles viral isolates were isolated by 18 provincial Measles laboratories in 2008, all were certified as H1a genotype, H1a genotype was still the predominant genotype circulating in China; 29 Rubella viral isolates were isolated by 4 provincial Measles laboratories in 2008, all belonged to 1E genotype. 3, Laboratory quality control: National laboratory for Measles passed the proficiency test and on-site review in 2008; all provincial Measles laboratories passed the sera samples recheck and proficiency test hold by National laboratory for Measles in 2008; Tianjin, Shanxi, Shandong, Zhejiang, Jilin, Hubei, provincial Measles laboratory passed the on-site review by WHO. The running status of Chinese Measles laboratory network was good in 2008, and good laboratory quality control system was also set up, methods such as specimens collection, serologic detection, cell culture and viral isolation, etc, were standardized, and applied to Chinese Measles laboratory network, and it provided important scientific basis for eradication Measles in the year of 2012.

Exploring data sources for road traffic injury in Cameroon: Collection and completeness of police records, newspaper reports, and a hospital trauma registry.

PubMed

Juillard, Catherine; Kouo Ngamby, Marquise; Ekeke Monono, Martin; Etoundi Mballa, Georges Alain; Dicker, Rochelle A; Stevens, Kent A; Hyder, Adnan A

2017-12-01

Road traffic injury surveillance systems are a cornerstone of organized efforts at injury control. Although high-income countries rely on established trauma registries and police databases, in low- and middle-income countries, the data source that provides the best collection of road traffic injury events in specific low- and middle-income country contexts without mature surveillance systems is unclear. The objective of this study was to compare the information available on road traffic injuries in 3 data sources used for surveillance in the sub-Saharan African country of Cameroon, providing potential insight on data sources for road traffic injury surveillance in low- and middle-income countries. We assessed the number of events captured and the information available in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 3 separate sources of data on road traffic injuries: trauma registry, police records, and newspapers. Data were collected from a single-hospital trauma registry, police records, and the 6 most widely circulated newspapers in Yaoundé during a 6-month period in 2009. The number of road traffic injury events, mortality, and other variables included commonly in injury surveillance systems were recorded. We compared these sources using descriptive analysis. Hospital, police, and newspaper sources recorded 1,686, 273, and 480 road traffic injuries, respectively. The trauma registry provided the most complete data for the majority of variables explored; however, the newspaper data source captured 2, mass casualty, train crash events unrecorded in the other sources. Police data provided the most complete information on first responders to the scene, missing in only 7%. Investing in the hospital-based trauma registry may yield the best surveillance for road traffic injuries in some low- and middle-income countries, such as Yaoundé, Cameroon; however, police and newspaper reports may serve as alternative data sources when specific information is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of benzonatate overdoses among adults and children from 1969-2010 by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

PubMed

McLawhorn, Melinda W; Goulding, Margie R; Gill, Rajdeep K; Michele, Theresa M

2013-01-01

To augment the December 2010 United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Drug Safety Communication on accidental ingestion of benzonatate in children less than 10 years old by summarizing data on emergency department visits, benzonatate exposure, and reports of benzonatate overdoses from several data sources. Retrospective review of adverse-event reports and drug utilization data of benzonatate. The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database (1969-2010), the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance Project (NEISS-CADES, 2004-2009), and the IMS commercial data vendor (2004-2009). Any patient who reported an adverse event with benzonatate captured in the AERS or NEISS-CADES database or received a prescription for benzonatate according to the IMS commercial data vendor. Postmarketing adverse events with benzonatate were collected from the AERS database, emergency department visits due to adverse events with benzonatate were collected from the NEISS-CADES database, and outpatient drug utilization data were collected from the IMS commercial data vendor. Of 31 overdose cases involving benzonatate reported in the AERS database, 20 had a fatal outcome, and five of these fatalities occurred from accidental ingestions in children 2 years of age and younger. The NEISS-CADES database captured emergency department visits involving 12 cases of overdose from accidental benzonatate ingestions in children aged 1-3 years. Signs and symptoms of overdose included seizures, cardiac arrest, coma, brain edema or anoxic encephalopathy, apnea, tachycardia, and respiratory arrest and occurred in some patients within 15 minutes of ingestion. Dispensed benzonatate prescriptions increased by approximately 52% from 2004 to 2009. Although benzonatate has a long history of safe use, accumulating cases of fatal overdose, especially in children, prompted the FDA to notify health care professionals about the risks of benzonatate overdose. Pharmacists may have a role in preventing benzonatate overdoses by counseling patients on signs and symptoms of benzonatate overdose, the need for immediate medical care, and safe storage and disposal of benzonatate. © 2013 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

AmWeb: a novel interactive web tool for antimicrobial resistance surveillance, applicable to both community and hospital patients.

PubMed

Ironmonger, Dean; Edeghere, Obaghe; Gossain, Savita; Bains, Amardeep; Hawkey, Peter M

2013-10-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as one of the most significant threats to human health. Local and regional AMR surveillance enables the monitoring of temporal changes in susceptibility to antibiotics and can provide prescribing guidance to healthcare providers to improve patient management and help slow the spread of antibiotic resistance in the community. There is currently a paucity of routine community-level AMR surveillance information. The HPA in England sponsored the development of an AMR surveillance system (AmSurv) to collate local laboratory reports. In the West Midlands region of England, routine reporting of AMR data has been established via the AmSurv system from all diagnostic microbiology laboratories. The HPA Regional Epidemiology Unit developed a web-enabled database application (AmWeb) to provide microbiologists, pharmacists and other stakeholders with timely access to AMR data using user-configurable reporting tools. AmWeb was launched in the West Midlands in January 2012 and is used by microbiologists and pharmacists to monitor resistance profiles, perform local benchmarking and compile data for infection control reports. AmWeb is now being rolled out to all English regions. It is expected that AmWeb will become a valuable tool for monitoring the threat from newly emerging or currently circulating resistant organisms and helping antibiotic prescribers to select the best treatment options for their patients.

Feasibility of creating a National ALS Registry using administrative data in the United States

PubMed Central

KAYE, WENDY E.; SANCHEZ, MARCHELLE; WU, JENNIFER

2015-01-01

Uncertainty about the incidence and prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as the role of the environment in the etiology of ALS, supports the need for a surveillance system/registry for this disease. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of using existing administrative data to identify cases of ALS. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) funded four pilot projects at tertiary care facilities for ALS, HMOs, and state based organizations. Data from Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Health Administration, and Veterans Benefits Administration were matched to data available from site-specific administrative and clinical databases for a five-year time-period (1 January 2001–31 December 2005). Review of information in the medical records by a neurologist was considered the gold standard for determining an ALS case. We developed an algorithm using variables from the administrative data that identified true cases of ALS (verified by a neurologist). Individuals could be categorized into ALS, possible ALS, and not ALS. The best algorithm had sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 85%. We concluded that administrative data can be used to develop a surveillance system/ registry for ALS. These methods can be explored for creating surveillance systems for other neurodegenerative diseases. PMID:24597459

Active and passive surveillance of enoxaparin generics: a case study relevant to biosimilars.

PubMed

Grampp, Gustavo; Bonafede, Machaon; Felix, Thomas; Li, Edward; Malecki, Michael; Sprafka, J Michael

2015-03-01

This retrospective analysis assessed the capability of active and passive safety surveillance systems to track product-specific safety events in the USA for branded and generic enoxaparin, a complex injectable subject to immune-related and other adverse events (AEs). Analysis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) incidence was performed on benefit claims for commercial and Medicare supplemental-insured individuals newly treated with enoxaparin under pharmacy benefit (1 January 2009 - 30 June 2012). Additionally, spontaneous reports from the FDA AE Reporting System were reviewed to identify incidence and attribution of enoxaparin-related reports to specific manufacturers. Specific, dispensed products were identifiable from National Drug Codes only in pharmacy-benefit databases, permitting sensitive comparison of HIT incidence in nearly a third of patients treated with brand or generic enoxaparin. After originator medicine's loss of exclusivity, only 5% of spontaneous reports were processed by generic manufacturers; reports attributable to specific generics were approximately ninefold lower than expected based on market share. Claims data were useful for active surveillance of enoxaparin generics dispensed under pharmacy benefits but not for products administered under medical benefits. These findings suggest that the current spontaneous reporting system will not distinguish product-specific safety signals for products distributed by multiple manufacturers, including biosimilars.

Quality assurance for respiratory care services: a computer-assisted program.

PubMed

Elliott, C G

1993-01-01

At present, the principal advantage of computer-assisted quality assurance is the acquisition of quality assurance date without resource-consuming chart reviews. A surveillance program like the medical director's alert may reduce morbidity and mortality. Previous research suggests that inadequate oxygen therapy or failures in airway management are important causes of preventable deaths in hospitals. Furthermore, preventable deaths tend to occur among patients who have lower severity-of-illness scores and who are not in ICUs. Thus, surveillance of the entire hospital, as performed by the HIS medical director's alert, may significantly impact hospital mortality related to respiratory care. Future research should critically examine the potential of such computerized systems to favorably change the morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients. The departments of respiratory care and medical informatics at LDS Hospital have developed a computer-assisted approach to quality assurance monitoring of respiratory care services. This system provides frequent and consistent samples of a variety of respiratory care data. The immediate needs of patients are addressed through a daily surveillance system (medical director's alert). The departmental quality assurance program utilizes a separate program that monitors clinical indicators of staff performance in terms of stated departmental policies and procedures (rate-based clinical indicators). The availability of an integrated patient database allows these functions to be performed without labor-intensive chart audits.

Whole-genome-based Mycobacterium tuberculosis surveillance: a standardized, portable, and expandable approach.

PubMed

Kohl, Thomas A; Diel, Roland; Harmsen, Dag; Rothgänger, Jörg; Walter, Karen Meywald; Merker, Matthias; Weniger, Thomas; Niemann, Stefan

2014-07-01

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) allows for effective tracing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) (tuberculosis pathogens) transmission. However, it is difficult to standardize and, therefore, is not yet employed for interlaboratory prospective surveillance. To allow its widespread application, solutions for data standardization and storage in an easily expandable database are urgently needed. To address this question, we developed a core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme for clinical MTBC isolates using the Ridom SeqSphere(+) software, which transfers the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity into an allele numbering system that is standardized, portable, and not computationally intensive. To test its performance, we performed WGS analysis of 26 isolates with identical IS6110 DNA fingerprints and spoligotyping patterns from a longitudinal outbreak in the federal state of Hamburg, Germany (notified between 2001 and 2010). The cgMLST approach (3,041 genes) discriminated the 26 strains with a resolution comparable to that of SNP-based WGS typing (one major cluster of 22 identical or closely related and four outlier isolates with at least 97 distinct SNPs or 63 allelic variants). Resulting tree topologies are highly congruent and grouped the isolates in both cases analogously. Our data show that SNP- and cgMLST-based WGS analyses facilitate high-resolution discrimination of longitudinal MTBC outbreaks. cgMLST allows for a meaningful epidemiological interpretation of the WGS genotyping data. It enables standardized WGS genotyping for epidemiological investigations, e.g., on the regional public health office level, and the creation of web-accessible databases for global TB surveillance with an integrated early warning system. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

[Evaluation on running status of Chinese Polio Laboratories Network in 2008].

PubMed

Zhu, Shuang-li; Yan, Dong-mei; Zhu, Hui

2010-04-01

In order to evaluate the running status and provide the laboratory data for maintaining polio-free status in China, the virology surveillance database of Chinese Polio Laboratories Network (not include Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan)in 2008 were analyzed. The case investigation data of Acute Flaccid Paralysis(AFP)cases reported by 31 provinces (municipal, autonomous regions) through EPI surveillance information management system and the database of National Polio Laboratory (NPL) were analyzed, and the indicators of running status of Chinese Polio Laboratories Network were evaluated. 10,116 stool samples were collected from 5116 AFP cases by Chinese Polio Laboratories Network in 2008, and viral isolation and identification of all stool samples were done according to 4th World Health Organization (WHO) Polio Laboratory Manual. The rate of viral isolation and identification performed within 28d was 94.9%. 189 polioviruses (PV) and 597 of non-polio enteroviruses (NPEV) were isolated from AFP cases, the isolatien rates were 3.72% and 11.74% respectively. 251 polio positive isolates were sent to NPL from 31 provincial polio laboratories. There were 318 single serotype PVs were performed VPI sequencing. And no wild polioviruses and Vaccine-derived Polioviruses (VDPVs) were found in 2008. NPL passed the proficiency test and got full accreditation for on-site review by WHO experts in 2008. All 31 provincial Polio laboratories passed the proficiency test with the same panel as NPL, and 13 provincial Polio laboratories joined and passed the on-site review by WHO experts. The running status of Chinese Polio Laboratories Network was good, polio-free status was maintained in China in 2008. The Chinese polio laboratories network running is normaly, the laboratory surveillance system was sensitive and laboratory data were provided for maintaining the polio-free status in China.

Bias in benefit-risk appraisal in older products: the case of buflomedil for intermittent claudication.

PubMed

De Backer, Tine L M; Vander Stichele, Robert H; Van Bortel, Luc M

2009-01-01

Benefit-risk assessment should be ongoing during the life cycle of a pharmaceutical agent. New products are subjected to rigorous registration laws and rules, which attempt to assure the availability and validity of evidence. For older products, bias in benefit-risk assessment is more likely, as a number of safeguards were not in place at the time these products were registered. This issue of bias in benefit-risk assessment of older products is illustrated here with an example: buflomedil in intermittent claudication. Data on efficacy were retrieved from a Cochrane systematic review. Data on safety were obtained by comparing the number of reports of serious adverse events and fatalities published in the literature with those reported in postmarketing surveillance databases. In the case of efficacy, the slim basis of evidence for the benefit of buflomedil is undermined by documented publication bias. In the case of safety, bias in reporting to international safety databases is illustrated by the discrepancy between the number of drug-related deaths published in the literature (20), the potentially drug-related deaths in the WHO database (20) and deaths attributed to buflomedil in the database of the international marketing authorization holder (11). In older products, efficacy cannot be evaluated without a thorough search for publication bias. For safety, case reporting of drug-related serious events and deaths in the literature remains a necessary instrument for risk appraisal of older medicines, despite the existence of postmarketing safety databases. The enforcement of efficient communication between healthcare workers, drug companies, national centres of pharmacovigilance, national poison centers and the WHO is necessary to ensure the validity of postmarketing surveillance reporting systems. Drugs considered obsolete because of unfavourable benefit-risk assessment should not be allowed to stay on the market.

AquaPathogen X--A template database for tracking field isolates of aquatic pathogens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Emmenegger, Evi; Kurath, Gael

2012-01-01

AquaPathogen X is a template database for recording information on individual isolates of aquatic pathogens and is available for download from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) website (http://wfrc.usgs.gov). This template database can accommodate the nucleotide sequence data generated in molecular epidemiological studies along with the myriad of abiotic and biotic traits associated with isolates of various pathogens (for example, viruses, parasites, or bacteria) from multiple aquatic animal host species (for example, fish, shellfish, or shrimp). The simultaneous cataloging of isolates from different aquatic pathogens is a unique feature to the AquaPathogen X database, which can be used in surveillance of emerging aquatic animal diseases and clarification of main risk factors associated with pathogen incursions into new water systems. As a template database, the data fields are empty upon download and can be modified to user specifications. For example, an application of the template database that stores the epidemiological profiles of fish virus isolates, called Fish ViroTrak (fig. 1), was also developed (Emmenegger and others, 2011).

Space Surveillance Catalog growth during SBIRS low deployment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoult, C. P.; Wright, R. P.

The Space Surveillance Catalog is a database of all Resident Space Objects (RSOs) on Earth orbit. It is expected to grow in the future as more RSOs accumulate on orbit. Potentially still more dramatic growth could follow the deployment of the Space Based Infrared System Low Earth Orbit Component (SBTRS Low). SBIRS Low, currently about to enter development, offers the potential to detect and acquire much smaller debris RSOs than can be seen by the current ground-based Space Surveillance Network (SSN). SBIRS Low will host multicolor infrared/visible sensors on each satellite in a proliferated constellation on low Earth orbit, and if appropriately tasked, these sensors could provide significant space surveillance capability. Catalog growth during SBIRS Low deployment was analyzed using a highly aggregated code that numerically integrates the Markov equations governing the state transitions of RSOs from uncataloged to cataloged, and back again. It was assumed that all newly observed debris RSOs will be detected as by-products of routine Catalog maintenance, not including any post breakup searches, and if sufficient sensor resources are available, be acquired into the Catalog. Debris over the entire low to high altitude regime were considered.

Annual Surveillance Summary: Bacterial Infections in the Military Health System (MHS), 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. The views expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect... account for low incidence rates. Data Source: NMCPHC HL7-formatted CHCS microbiology and M2 databases. Prepared by the EpiData Center Department, Navy...and Marine Corps Public Health Center, on 24 March 2017. Bacterial Infections in the MHS, 2015 Prepared March 2017 EpiData Center Department

Defining Care Patterns and Outcomes Among Persons Living with HIV in Washington, DC: Linkage of Clinical Cohort and Surveillance Data

PubMed Central

Terzian, Arpi; Opoku, Jenevieve; Happ, Lindsey Powers; Younes, Naji; Kharfen, Michael; Greenberg, Alan

2018-01-01

Background Triangulation of data from multiple sources such as clinical cohort and surveillance data can help improve our ability to describe care patterns, service utilization, comorbidities, and ultimately measure and monitor clinical outcomes among persons living with HIV infection. Objectives The objective of this study was to determine whether linkage of clinical cohort data and routinely collected HIV surveillance data would enhance the completeness and accuracy of each database and improve the understanding of care patterns and clinical outcomes. Methods We linked data from the District of Columbia (DC) Cohort, a large HIV observational clinical cohort, with Washington, DC, Department of Health (DOH) surveillance data between January 2011 and June 2015. We determined percent concordance between select variables in the pre- and postlinked databases using kappa test statistics. We compared retention in care (RIC), viral suppression (VS), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and non-HIV comorbid conditions (eg, hypertension) and compared HIV clinic visit patterns determined using the prelinked database (DC Cohort) versus the postlinked database (DC Cohort + DOH) using chi-square testing. Additionally, we compared sociodemographic characteristics, RIC, and VS among participants receiving HIV care at ≥3 sites versus <3 sites using chi-square testing. Results Of the 6054 DC Cohort participants, 5521 (91.19%) were included in the postlinked database and enrolled at a single DC Cohort site. The majority of the participants was male, black, and had men who have sex with men (MSM) as their HIV risk factor. In the postlinked database, 619 STD diagnoses previously unknown to the DC Cohort were identified. Additionally, the proportion of participants with RIC was higher compared with the prelinked database (59.83%, 2678/4476 vs 64.95%, 2907/4476; P<.001) and the proportion with VS was lower (87.85%, 2277/2592 vs 85.15%, 2391/2808; P<.001). Almost a quarter of participants (23.06%, 1279/5521) were identified as receiving HIV care at ≥2 sites (postlinked database). The participants using ≥3 care sites were more likely to achieve RIC (80.7%, 234/290 vs 62.61%, 2197/3509) but less likely to achieve VS (72.3%, 154/213 vs 89.51%, 1869/2088). The participants using ≥3 care sites were more likely to have unstable housing (15.1%, 64/424 vs 8.96%, 380/4242), public insurance (86.1%, 365/424 vs 57.57%, 2442/4242), comorbid conditions (eg, hypertension) (37.7%, 160/424 vs 22.98%, 975/4242), and have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (77.8%, 330/424 vs 61.20%, 2596/4242) (all P<.001). Conclusions Linking surveillance and clinical data resulted in the improved completeness of each database and a larger volume of available data to evaluate HIV outcomes, allowing for refinement of HIV care continuum estimates. The postlinked database also highlighted important differences between participants who sought HIV care at multiple clinical sites. Our findings suggest that combined datasets can enhance evaluation of HIV-related outcomes across an entire metropolitan area. Future research will evaluate how to best utilize this information to improve outcomes in addition to monitoring them. PMID:29549065

Sources of Safety Data and Statistical Strategies for Design and Analysis: Postmarket Surveillance.

PubMed

Izem, Rima; Sanchez-Kam, Matilde; Ma, Haijun; Zink, Richard; Zhao, Yueqin

2018-03-01

Safety data are continuously evaluated throughout the life cycle of a medical product to accurately assess and characterize the risks associated with the product. The knowledge about a medical product's safety profile continually evolves as safety data accumulate. This paper discusses data sources and analysis considerations for safety signal detection after a medical product is approved for marketing. This manuscript is the second in a series of papers from the American Statistical Association Biopharmaceutical Section Safety Working Group. We share our recommendations for the statistical and graphical methodologies necessary to appropriately analyze, report, and interpret safety outcomes, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of safety data obtained from passive postmarketing surveillance systems compared to other sources. Signal detection has traditionally relied on spontaneous reporting databases that have been available worldwide for decades. However, current regulatory guidelines and ease of reporting have increased the size of these databases exponentially over the last few years. With such large databases, data-mining tools using disproportionality analysis and helpful graphics are often used to detect potential signals. Although the data sources have many limitations, analyses of these data have been successful at identifying safety signals postmarketing. Experience analyzing these dynamic data is useful in understanding the potential and limitations of analyses with new data sources such as social media, claims, or electronic medical records data.

Safety of Gadobutrol

PubMed Central

Endrikat, Jan; Vogtlaender, Kai; Dohanish, Susan; Balzer, Thomas; Breuer, Josy

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to provide a systematic safety analysis of gadobutrol after more than 29 million applications in clinical routine. Materials and Methods Forty-two clinical development phase II to IV studies on gadobutrol or comparator and the postmarketing safety surveillance database for gadobutrol (1998–2015) were analyzed. Adverse events (AEs) and drug-related AEs were evaluated in the clinical development database and spontaneous adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the postmarketing database. Subgroup analyses were run on patients with special medical history and on patients of different age groups. Results In the clinical development studies, 6809 and 2184 patients received gadobutrol or comparators, respectively. The incidence of drug-related AEs was 3.5% for both groups. With the exception of nausea (0.7% related cases in both groups), all other drug-related AEs were 0.3% or less in both groups. Hypersensitivity reactions were sporadic (<0.1%). Patients with history of allergies to contrast agents experienced slightly more drug-related AEs. No differences were seen between age groups. The overall reporting rate of ADRs from postmarketing surveillance was 0.05%. The most frequent ADRs were anaphylactoid/hypersensitivity reactions, nausea, vomiting, and dyspnea. For 3 single-agent reports of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, using a conservative approach, association with gadobutrol could not be excluded. Conclusions Gadobutrol is well tolerated and has a favorable safety profile for patients of all age groups. PMID:26964075

A Climatological Study of Cloud to Ground Lightning Strikes in the Vicinity of the Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, Lee; Decker, Ryan

2004-01-01

Lightning strike location and peak current are monitored operationally in the Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) area by the Cloud to Ground Lightning Surveillance System (CGLSS). The present study compiles ten years of CGLSS data into a climatological database of all strikes recorded within a 20-mile radius of space shuttle launch platform LP39A, which serves as a convenient central point. The period of record (POR) for the database runs from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 2002. Histograms and cumulative probability curves are produced to determine the distribution of occurrence rates for the spectrum of strike intensities (given in kA). Further analysis of the database provides a description of both seasonal and interannual variations in the lightning distribution.

Acceptance of the Use of HIV Surveillance Data for Care Engagement: National and Local Community Perspectives

PubMed Central

Evans, David; Van Gorder, Dana; Morin, Stephen F.; Steward, Wayne T.; Gaffney, Stuart; Charlebois, Edwin D.

2015-01-01

Background Use of surveillance data including laboratory results (e.g. CD4 and HIV RNA) by public health departments to facilitate linkage, retention, and re-engagement of HIV-infected individuals in health care is on the rise. This is part of the goal of increasing the proportion of infected persons achieving virologic suppression. However, this use of surveillance data is not without controversy, particularly among some providers and people living with HIV. Methods We conducted informal discussions with key stakeholders and a literature search, and held a national think tank in November 2012, bringing together 31 representatives of the federal government, county and state officials, health care providers, and community-based organizations. A follow-up community consultation specific to San Francisco was held January 24, 2014, with 10 participants. Notes from these activities were used as data for this analysis. Results The think tank identified three strategies utilizing HIV surveillance data to aid in care engagement: 1) provider-mediated – where health department staff work with the provider of record on re-engagement, 2) electronic linkages between surveillance databases and medical records databases, and 3) direct outreach – where trained health department staff reach out to persons out of care. Participants also developed recommendations for minimizing harm, guidance on meaningful stakeholder involvement, and a consensus statement in support of the use of HIV surveillance data in care engagement. Conclusions Acceptance of the use of surveillance data for HIV care linkage, retention, and re-engagement is achievable, particularly if stakeholders have been engaged in the design, conduct, and evaluation of programs. PMID:25867776

The spectrosome of occupational health problems

PubMed Central

de Gaudemaris, Régis; Bicout, Dominique J.

2018-01-01

Given the increased prevalence of cancer, respiratory diseases, and reproductive disorders, for which multifactorial origins are strongly suspected, the impact of the environment on the population represents a substantial public health challenge. Surveillance systems have become an essential public health decision-making tool. Networks have been constructed to facilitate the development of analyses of the multifactorial aspects of the relationships between occupational contexts and health. The aim of this study is to develop and present an approach for the optimal exploitation of observational databases to describe and improve the understanding of the (occupational) environment–health relationships, taking into account key multifactorial aspects. We have developed a spectral analysis (SA) approach that takes into account both the multi-exposure and dynamic natures of occupational health problems (OHPs) and related associations. The main results of this paper are to present the construction method of the “spectrum” and “spectrosome” of OHPs (range and structured list of occupational exposures) and describe the information contained therein with an illustrative example. The approach is illustrated using the case of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from the French National Occupational Diseases Surveillance and Prevention Network database as a working example of an occupational disease. We found that the NHL spectrum includes 40 sets of occupational exposures characterized by important multi-exposures, especially solvent combinations or pesticide combinations, but also specific exposures such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, formaldehyde and ionizing radiation. These findings may be useful for surveillance and the assessment of occupational exposure related to health risks. PMID:29304043

Active drug safety surveillance: a tool to improve public health.

PubMed

Platt, Richard; Madre, Leanne; Reynolds, Robert; Tilson, Hugh

2008-12-01

Ensuring that drugs have an acceptable safety profile and are used safely is a major public health priority. The Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) convened experts from academia, government, and industry to assess strategies to increase the speed and predictive value of generating and evaluating safety signals, and to identify next steps to improve the US system for identifying and evaluating potential safety signals. The CERTs convened a think tank comprising representatives of the groups noted above to address these goals. Participants observed that, with the increasing availability of electronic health data, opportunities have emerged to more accurately characterize and confirm potential safety issues. The gain for public health from a highly coordinated network of population-based databases for active surveillance is great and within reach, although operational questions remain. A collaborative network must create a working definition of a safety signal, screening algorithms, and criteria and strategies to confirm or refute a signal once identified through screening. Guidelines are needed for when and how to communicate a signal exists and is being evaluated, as well as the outcome of that evaluation. A public-private partnership to create a network of government and private databases to routinely evaluate and prioritize safety questions is in the public interest. Better methods are needed, and a knowledgeable workforce is required to conduct the surveillance and understand how to interpret the results. The international community will benefit from the availability of better methods and more experts. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How Intrusion Detection Can Improve Software Decoy Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 41 V. DISCUSSION Military history suggests it is best to employ a layered, defense-in...database: alert, postgresql , user=snort dbname=snort # output database: log, unixodbc, user=snort dbname=snort # output database: log, mssql, dbname...Threat Monitoring and Surveillance, James P. Anderson Co., Fort Washington. PA, April 1980. URL http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/ history /ande80

A clinical data repository enhances hospital infection control.

PubMed Central

Samore, M.; Lichtenberg, D.; Saubermann, L.; Kawachi, C.; Carmeli, Y.

1997-01-01

We describe the benefits of a relational database of hospital clinical data (Clinical Data Repository; CDR) for an infection control program. The CDR consists of > 40 Sybase tables, and is directly accessible for ad hoc queries by members of the infection control unit who have been granted privileges for access by the Information Systems Department. The data elements and functional requirements most useful for surveillance of nosocomial infections, antibiotic use, and resistant organisms are characterized. Specific applications of the CDR are presented, including the use of automated definitions of nosocomial infection, graphical monitoring of resistant organisms with quality control limits, and prospective detection of inappropriate antibiotic use. Hospital surveillance and quality improvement activities are significantly benefited by the availability of a querable set of tables containing diverse clinical data. PMID:9357588

Development of the Lymphoma Enterprise Architecture Database: A caBIG(tm) Silver level compliant System

PubMed Central

Huang, Taoying; Shenoy, Pareen J.; Sinha, Rajni; Graiser, Michael; Bumpers, Kevin W.; Flowers, Christopher R.

2009-01-01

Lymphomas are the fifth most common cancer in United States with numerous histological subtypes. Integrating existing clinical information on lymphoma patients provides a platform for understanding biological variability in presentation and treatment response and aids development of novel therapies. We developed a cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid™ (caBIG™) Silver level compliant lymphoma database, called the Lymphoma Enterprise Architecture Data-system™ (LEAD™), which integrates the pathology, pharmacy, laboratory, cancer registry, clinical trials, and clinical data from institutional databases. We utilized the Cancer Common Ontological Representation Environment Software Development Kit (caCORE SDK) provided by National Cancer Institute’s Center for Bioinformatics to establish the LEAD™ platform for data management. The caCORE SDK generated system utilizes an n-tier architecture with open Application Programming Interfaces, controlled vocabularies, and registered metadata to achieve semantic integration across multiple cancer databases. We demonstrated that the data elements and structures within LEAD™ could be used to manage clinical research data from phase 1 clinical trials, cohort studies, and registry data from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. This work provides a clear example of how semantic technologies from caBIG™ can be applied to support a wide range of clinical and research tasks, and integrate data from disparate systems into a single architecture. This illustrates the central importance of caBIG™ to the management of clinical and biological data. PMID:19492074

A comparison of smartphones to paper-based questionnaires for routine influenza sentinel surveillance, Kenya, 2011-2012.

PubMed

Njuguna, Henry N; Caselton, Deborah L; Arunga, Geoffrey O; Emukule, Gideon O; Kinyanjui, Dennis K; Kalani, Rosalia M; Kinkade, Carl; Muthoka, Phillip M; Katz, Mark A; Mott, Joshua A

2014-12-24

For disease surveillance, manual data collection using paper-based questionnaires can be time consuming and prone to errors. We introduced smartphone data collection to replace paper-based data collection for an influenza sentinel surveillance system in four hospitals in Kenya. We compared the quality, cost and timeliness of data collection between the smartphone data collection system and the paper-based system. Since 2006, the Kenya Ministry of Health (MoH) with technical support from the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KEMRI/CDC) conducted hospital-based sentinel surveillance for influenza in Kenya. In May 2011, the MOH replaced paper-based collection with an electronic data collection system using Field Adapted Survey Toolkit (FAST) on HTC Touch Pro2 smartphones at four sentinel sites. We compared 880 paper-based questionnaires dated Jan 2010-Jun 2011 and 880 smartphone questionnaires dated May 2011-Jun 2012 from the four surveillance sites. For each site, we compared the quality, cost and timeliness of each data collection system. Incomplete records were more likely seen in data collected using pen-and-paper compared to data collected using smartphones (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 7, 95% CI: 4.4-10.3). Errors and inconsistent answers were also more likely to be seen in data collected using pen-and-paper compared to data collected using smartphones (aIRR: 25, 95% CI: 12.5-51.8). Smartphone data was uploaded into the database in a median time of 7 days while paper-based data took a median of 21 days to be entered (p < 0.01). It cost USD 1,501 (9.4%) more to establish the smartphone data collection system ($17,500) than the pen-and-paper system (USD $15,999). During two years, however, the smartphone data collection system was $3,801 (7%) less expensive to operate ($50,200) when compared to pen-and-paper system ($54,001). Compared to paper-based data collection, an electronic data collection system produced fewer incomplete data, fewer errors and inconsistent responses and delivered data faster. Although start-up costs were higher, the overall costs of establishing and running the electronic data collection system were lower compared to paper-based data collection system. Electronic data collection using smartphones has potential to improve timeliness, data integrity and reduce costs.

Integration of Surveillance for STDs, HIV, Hepatitis, and TB: A Survey of U.S. STD Control Programs.

PubMed

Dowell, Deborah; Gaffga, Nicholas H; Weinstock, Hillard; Peterman, Thomas A

2009-01-01

Integration of surveillance for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, and tuberculosis (TB) may improve disease prevention and control. We determined the extent of surveillance integration in these programs, the benefits of integration, and barriers to increased integration. We e-mailed a survey to the 58 federally funded local and state STD control programs and followed up with phone interviews of nine program representatives. The response rate was 81%. Many had compared infections by population subgroup for STDs and HIV (89%), STDs and hepatitis (53%), or STDs and TB (28%). Most (74%) had examined co-infections with HIV and STDs at the individual level and entered STD and HIV surveillance data into the same database (54%). All respondents thought some integration would be useful. Many (72%) used integrated data to disseminate information or change program strategies. The most commonly reported barriers to integration were policies preventing work with HIV data (85%) and incompatible databases (59%). Most STD control programs in the United States have some experience integrating surveillance data, but the degree of integration varies widely. Specific barriers to further integration were identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help address these barriers by facilitating access to information and sharing technical solutions. Local and state programs can continue advancing surveillance integration by improving understanding of where integrated data are needed, increasing the use of available data, and pressing for appropriate and secure data sharing.

An automated, broad-based, near real-time public health surveillance system using presentations to hospital Emergency Departments in New South Wales, Australia

PubMed Central

Muscatello, David J; Churches, Tim; Kaldor, Jill; Zheng, Wei; Chiu, Clayton; Correll, Patricia; Jorm, Louisa

2005-01-01

Background In a climate of concern over bioterrorism threats and emergent diseases, public health authorities are trialling more timely surveillance systems. The 2003 Rugby World Cup (RWC) provided an opportunity to test the viability of a near real-time syndromic surveillance system in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. We describe the development and early results of this largely automated system that used data routinely collected in Emergency Departments (EDs). Methods Twelve of 49 EDs in the Sydney metropolitan area automatically transmitted surveillance data from their existing information systems to a central database in near real-time. Information captured for each ED visit included patient demographic details, presenting problem and nursing assessment entered as free-text at triage time, physician-assigned provisional diagnosis codes, and status at departure from the ED. Both diagnoses from the EDs and triage text were used to assign syndrome categories. The text information was automatically classified into one or more of 26 syndrome categories using automated "naïve Bayes" text categorisation techniques. Automated processes were used to analyse both diagnosis and free text-based syndrome data and to produce web-based statistical summaries for daily review. An adjusted cumulative sum (cusum) was used to assess the statistical significance of trends. Results During the RWC the system did not identify any major public health threats associated with the tournament, mass gatherings or the influx of visitors. This was consistent with evidence from other sources, although two known outbreaks were already in progress before the tournament. Limited baseline in early monitoring prevented the system from automatically identifying these ongoing outbreaks. Data capture was invisible to clinical staff in EDs and did not add to their workload. Conclusion We have demonstrated the feasibility and potential utility of syndromic surveillance using routinely collected data from ED information systems. Key features of our system are its nil impact on clinical staff, and its use of statistical methods to assign syndrome categories based on clinical free text information. The system is ongoing, and has expanded to cover 30 EDs. Results of formal evaluations of both the technical efficiency and the public health impacts of the system will be described subsequently. PMID:16372902

Annual Surveillance Summary: Bacterial Infections in the Military Health System (MHS), 2016

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. The views expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect...historic IR to the IR of the current analysis year. c Results are presented by two decimal places to account for low incidence rates. Data Source...NMCPHC HL7-formatted CHCS microbiology and M2 databases. Prepared by the EpiData Center Department, Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, on 21

Online Spatial Database of US Army Public Health Command Region-West Mosquito Surveillance Records: 1947-2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

National Park system. Britch et al2 explored relationships between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index* and 2003- 2005 APHCR-W mosquito...outside all polygons and points that did not match relations for the country and state names. Data were imported into ARCVIEW GIS 3.3...data points, especially for rare species. Compared with the arthropod , vertebrate, and plant species analyzed in Heyer et at,’ 5 the mosquito curves

A new data management system for the French National Registry of human alveolar echinococcosis cases.

PubMed

Charbonnier, Amandine; Knapp, Jenny; Demonmerot, Florent; Bresson-Hadni, Solange; Raoul, Francis; Grenouillet, Frédéric; Millon, Laurence; Vuitton, Dominique Angèle; Damy, Sylvie

2014-01-01

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is an endemic zoonosis in France due to the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis. The French National Reference Centre for Alveolar Echinococcosis (CNR-EA), connected to the FrancEchino network, is responsible for recording all AE cases diagnosed in France. Administrative, epidemiological and medical information on the French AE cases may currently be considered exhaustive only on the diagnosis time. To constitute a reference data set, an information system (IS) was developed thanks to a relational database management system (MySQL language). The current data set will evolve towards a dynamic surveillance system, including follow-up data (e.g. imaging, serology) and will be connected to environmental and parasitological data relative to E. multilocularis to better understand the pathogen transmission pathway. A particularly important goal is the possible interoperability of the IS with similar European and other databases abroad; this new IS could play a supporting role in the creation of new AE registries. © A. Charbonnier et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2014.

A new data management system for the French National Registry of human alveolar echinococcosis cases

PubMed Central

Charbonnier, Amandine; Knapp, Jenny; Demonmerot, Florent; Bresson-Hadni, Solange; Raoul, Francis; Grenouillet, Frédéric; Millon, Laurence; Vuitton, Dominique Angèle; Damy, Sylvie

2014-01-01

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is an endemic zoonosis in France due to the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis. The French National Reference Centre for Alveolar Echinococcosis (CNR-EA), connected to the FrancEchino network, is responsible for recording all AE cases diagnosed in France. Administrative, epidemiological and medical information on the French AE cases may currently be considered exhaustive only on the diagnosis time. To constitute a reference data set, an information system (IS) was developed thanks to a relational database management system (MySQL language). The current data set will evolve towards a dynamic surveillance system, including follow-up data (e.g. imaging, serology) and will be connected to environmental and parasitological data relative to E. multilocularis to better understand the pathogen transmission pathway. A particularly important goal is the possible interoperability of the IS with similar European and other databases abroad; this new IS could play a supporting role in the creation of new AE registries. PMID:25526544

[Informatics support for risk assessment and identification of preventive measures in small and micro-enterprises: occupational hazard datasheets].

PubMed

de Merich, D; Forte, Giulia

2011-01-01

Risk assessment is the fundamental process of an enterprise's prevention system and is the principal mandatory provision contained in the Health and Safety Law (Legislative Decree 81/2008) amended by Legislative Decree 106/2009. In order to properly comply with this obligation also in small-sized enterprises, the appropriate regulatory bodies should provide the enterprises with standardized tools and methods for identifying, assessing and managing risks. To assist in particular small and micro-enterprises (SMEs) with risk assessment, by providing a flexible tool that can also be standardized in the form of a datasheet, that can be updated with more detailed information on the various work contexts in Italy. Official efforts to provide Italian SMEs with information may initially make use of the findings of research conducted by ISPESL over the past 20 years, thanks in part to cooperation with other institutions (Regions, INAIL-National Insurance Institute for Occupational Accidents and Diseases), which have led to the creation of an information system on prevention consisting of numerous databases, both statistical and documental ("National System of Surveillance on fatal and serious accidents", "National System of Surveillance on work-related diseases", "Sector hazard profiles" database, "Solutions and Best Practices" database, "Technical Guidelines" database, "Training packages for prevention professionals in enterprises" database). With regard to evaluation criteria applicable within the enterprise, the possibility of combining traditional and uniform areas of assessment (by sector or by risk factor) with assessments by job/occupation has become possible thanks to the cooperation agreement made in 2009 by ISPESL, the ILO (International Labour Organisation) of Geneva and IIOSH (Israel Institute for Occupational Health and Hygiene) regarding the creation of an international Database (HDODB) based on risk datasheets per occupation. The project sets out to assist in particular small and micro-enterprises with risk assessment, providing a flexible and standardized tool in the form of a datasheet, that can be updated with more detailed information on the various work contexts in Italy. The model proposed by ISPESL selected the ILO's "Hazard Datasheet on Occupation" as an initial information tool to steer efforts to assess and manage hazards in small and micro-enterprises. In addition to being an internationally validated tool, the occupation datasheet has a very simple structure that is very effective in communicating and updating information in relation to the local context. According to the logic based on the providing support to enterprises by means of a collaborative network among institutions, local supervisory services and social partners, standardised hazard assessment procedures should be, irrespective of any legal obligations, the preferred tools of an "updatable information system" capable of providing support for the need to improve the process of assessing and managing hazards in enterprises.

Development of a pseudo/anonymised primary care research database: Proof-of-concept study.

PubMed

MacRury, Sandra; Finlayson, Jim; Hussey-Wilson, Susan; Holden, Samantha

2016-06-01

General practice records present a comprehensive source of data that could form a variety of anonymised or pseudonymised research databases to aid identification of potential research participants regardless of location. A proof-of-concept study was undertaken to extract data from general practice systems in 15 practices across the region to form pseudo and anonymised research data sets. Two feasibility studies and a disease surveillance study compared numbers of potential study participants and accuracy of disease prevalence, respectively. There was a marked reduction in screening time and increase in numbers of potential study participants identified with the research repository compared with conventional methods. Accurate disease prevalence was established and enhanced with the addition of selective text mining. This study confirms the potential for development of national anonymised research database from general practice records in addition to improving data collection for local or national audits and epidemiological projects. © The Author(s) 2014.

Data linkage between existing healthcare databases to support hospital epidemiology.

PubMed

García Álvarez, L; Aylin, P; Tian, J; King, C; Catchpole, M; Hassall, S; Whittaker-Axon, K; Holmes, A

2011-11-01

Enhancing the use of existing datasets within acute hospitals will greatly facilitate hospital epidemiology, surveillance, the monitoring of a variety of processes, outcomes and risk factors, and the provision of alert systems. Multiple overlapping data systems exist within National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the UK, and many duplicate data recordings take place because of the lack of linkage and interfaces. This results in hospital-collected data not being used efficiently. The objective was to create an inventory of all existing systems, including administrative, management, human resources, microbiology, patient care and other platforms, to describe the data architecture that could contribute valuable information for a hospital epidemiology unit. These datasets were investigated as to how they could be used to generate surveillance data, key performance indicators and risk information that could be shared at board, clinical programme group, specialty and ward level. An example of an output of this integrated data platform and its application in influenza resilience planning and responsiveness is described. The development of metrics for staff absence and staffing levels may also be used as key indicators for risk-monitoring for infection prevention. This work demonstrates the value of such a data inventory and linkage and the importance of more sophisticated uses of existing NHS data, and innovative collaborative approaches to support clinical care, quality improvement, surveillance, emergency planning and research. Copyright © 2011 The Healthcare Infection Society. All rights reserved.

A meta-analysis of patient outcomes with subcentimeter disease after chemotherapy for metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell tumor

PubMed Central

Ravi, P.; Gray, K. P.; O'Donnell, E. K.; Sweeney, C. J.

2014-01-01

Background Approximately a quarter of men with metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) have a residual mass, typically in the retroperitoneum, after chemotherapy. The management of small residual masses (≤1 cm) is controversial, with good outcomes seen with either post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) or surveillance. We sought to review our experience of surveillance and synthesize the cumulative findings with the current literature in the form of a meta-analysis. Patients and methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE and abstracts from ASCO and AUA to identify relevant, English-language studies for the meta-analysis. The DFCI (Dana Farber Cancer Institute) database was constructed from a database of men undergoing cisplatin-based chemotherapy for metastatic NSGCT. The outcomes of interest were the proportion with necrosis, teratoma or active cancer on histology at PC-RPLND (literature) and the total number of relapses, RP-only relapses and overall survival in men undergoing surveillance (literature and DFCI cohort). Results Three of 47 men undergoing post-chemotherapy surveillance at our institution relapsed over a median follow-up of 5.4 years. All three were alive at a median of 4.2 years after relapse. On meta-analysis, the pooled estimates of necrosis, teratoma and active cancer in the 588 men who underwent PC-RPLND were 71, 24 and 4%, respectively. Of the combined 455 men who underwent surveillance, the pooled estimate of the relapse rate was 5%, with an RP-only relapse rate of 3%. Of the 15 men who suffered an RP-only relapse on surveillance, two died of disease. Conclusion Surveillance is a reasonable strategy for men with minimal residual RP disease after chemotherapy and avoids an RPLND in ∼97% of men who are cured with chemotherapy alone. PMID:24276027

Bistatic and Multistatic Radar: Surveillance, Countermeasures, and Radar Cross Sections. (Latest citations from the Aerospace Database)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning the design, development, testing, and evaluation of bistatic and multistatic radar used in surveillance and countermeasure technology. Citations discuss radar cross sections, target recognition and characteristics, ghost recognition, motion image compensation, and wavelet analysis. Stealth aircraft design, stealth target tracking, synthetic aperture radar, and space applications are examined.

Bistatic and Multistatic Radar: Surveillance, Countermeasures, and Radar Cross Sections. (Latest Citations from the Aerospace Database)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning the design, development, testing, and evaluation of bistatic and multistatic radar used in surveillance and countermeasure technology. Citations discuss radar cross sections, target recognition and characteristics, ghost recognition, motion image compensation, and wavelet analysis. Stealth aircraft design, stealth target tracking, synthetic aperture radar, and space applications are examined.

Development of an aquatic pathogen database (AquaPathogen X) and its utilization in tracking emerging fish virus pathogens in North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Emmenegger, E.J.; Kentop, E.; Thompson, T.M.; Pittam, S.; Ryan, A.; Keon, D.; Carlino, J.A.; Ranson, J.; Life, R.B.; Troyer, R.M.; Garver, K.A.; Kurath, G.

2011-01-01

The AquaPathogen X database is a template for recording information on individual isolates of aquatic pathogens and is freely available for download (http://wfrc.usgs.gov). This database can accommodate the nucleotide sequence data generated in molecular epidemiological studies along with the myriad of abiotic and biotic traits associated with isolates of various pathogens (e.g. viruses, parasites and bacteria) from multiple aquatic animal host species (e.g. fish, shellfish and shrimp). The cataloguing of isolates from different aquatic pathogens simultaneously is a unique feature to the AquaPathogen X database, which can be used in surveillance of emerging aquatic animal diseases and elucidation of key risk factors associated with pathogen incursions into new water systems. An application of the template database that stores the epidemiological profiles of fish virus isolates, called Fish ViroTrak, was also developed. Exported records for two aquatic rhabdovirus species emerging in North America were used in the implementation of two separate web-accessible databases: the Molecular Epidemiology of Aquatic Pathogens infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (MEAP-IHNV) database (http://gis.nacse.org/ihnv/) released in 2006 and the MEAP- viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (http://gis.nacse.org/vhsv/) database released in 2010.

Tuberculosis genotyping information management system: enhancing tuberculosis surveillance in the United States.

PubMed

Ghosh, Smita; Moonan, Patrick K; Cowan, Lauren; Grant, Juliana; Kammerer, Steve; Navin, Thomas R

2012-06-01

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates (genotyping) can be used by public health programs to more readily identify tuberculosis (TB) transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Tuberculosis Genotyping Service has offered M. tuberculosis genotyping for every culture-confirmed case in the United States since 2004. The TB Genotyping Information Management System (TB GIMS), launched in March 2010, is a secure online database containing genotype results linked with case characteristics from the national TB registry for state and local TB programs to access, manage and analyze these data. As of September 2011, TB GIMS contains genotype results for 89% of all culture-positive TB cases for 2010. Over 400 users can generate local and national reports and maps using TB GIMS. Automated alerts on geospatially concentrated cases with matching genotypes that may represent outbreaks are also generated by TB GIMS. TB genotyping results are available to enhance national TB surveillance and apply genotyping results to conduct TB control activities in the United States. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Development of a microbiology data warehouse (Akita-ReNICS) for networking hospitals in a medical region].

PubMed

Ueki, Shigeharu; Kayaba, Hiroyuki; Tomita, Noriko; Kobayashi, Noriko; Takahashi, Tomoe; Obara, Toshikage; Takeda, Masahide; Moritoki, Yuki; Itoga, Masamichi; Ito, Wataru; Ohsaga, Atsushi; Kondoh, Katsuyuki; Chihara, Junichi

2011-04-01

The active involvement of hospital laboratory in surveillance is crucial to the success of nosocomial infection control. The recent dramatic increase of antimicrobial-resistant organisms and their spread into the community suggest that the infection control strategy of independent medical institutions is insufficient. To share the clinical data and surveillance in our local medical region, we developed a microbiology data warehouse for networking hospital laboratories in Akita prefecture. This system, named Akita-ReNICS, is an easy-to-use information management system designed to compare, track, and report the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. Participating laboratories routinely transfer their coded and formatted microbiology data to ReNICS server located at Akita University Hospital from their health care system's clinical computer applications over the internet. We established the system to automate the statistical processes, so that the participants can access the server to monitor graphical data in the manner they prefer, using their own computer's browser. Furthermore, our system also provides the documents server, microbiology and antimicrobiotic database, and space for long-term storage of microbiological samples. Akita-ReNICS could be a next generation network for quality improvement of infection control.

National dengue surveillance in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, 2006–2012: epidemiological and laboratory findings

PubMed Central

Khampapongpane, Bouaphanh; Ketmayoon, Pakapak; Phonekeo, Darouny; Somoulay, Virasack; Khamsing, Amphai; Phengxay, Manilay; Sisouk, Thongchanh; Vongphrachanh, Phengta; Bryant, Juliet E

2014-01-01

Although dengue has been a public health problem for several decades in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the magnitude of the disease burden and epidemiological trends remain poorly understood. We analysed national dengue surveillance and laboratory data from 2006 to 2012 by person, place and time. Between 2006 and 2012, the annual dengue notification rate ranged between 62 and 367 cases per 100 000 population with an apparent geographical expansion of transmission throughout the country in recent years and concurrent co-circulation of all four dengue virus subtypes. An electronic database, called Lao People's Democratic Republic Early Warning Alert and Response Network, was introduced in 2008 to provide automated early warning for outbreaks and epidemics. Village outbreaks continue to be notified primarily through event-based surveillance, whereas the weekly indicator-based system provides systematic assessment of annual epidemic cycles. The dengue case data indicate a high and increasing burden of disease. Efforts now need to focus on using available data to prompt more effective outbreak response and to guide the design and implementation of intervention strategies. PMID:24734212

Databases as policy instruments. About extending networks as evidence-based policy.

PubMed

de Bont, Antoinette; Stoevelaar, Herman; Bal, Roland

2007-12-07

This article seeks to identify the role of databases in health policy. Access to information and communication technologies has changed traditional relationships between the state and professionals, creating new systems of surveillance and control. As a result, databases may have a profound effect on controlling clinical practice. We conducted three case studies to reconstruct the development and use of databases as policy instruments. Each database was intended to be employed to control the use of one particular pharmaceutical in the Netherlands (growth hormone, antiretroviral drugs for HIV and Taxol, respectively). We studied the archives of the Dutch Health Insurance Board, conducted in-depth interviews with key informants and organized two focus groups, all focused on the use of databases both in policy circles and in clinical practice. Our results demonstrate that policy makers hardly used the databases, neither for cost control nor for quality assurance. Further analysis revealed that these databases facilitated self-regulation and quality assurance by (national) bodies of professionals, resulting in restrictive prescription behavior amongst physicians. The databases fulfill control functions that were formerly located within the policy realm. The databases facilitate collaboration between policy makers and physicians, since they enable quality assurance by professionals. Delegating regulatory authority downwards into a network of physicians who control the use of pharmaceuticals seems to be a good alternative for centralized control on the basis of monitoring data.

History and Medicine: ex voto as a tool for health and epidemiological surveillance.

PubMed

Nante, N; Azzolini, E; Troiano, G; Serafini, A; Gentile, A; Messina, G

2016-01-01

Ex voto is a donation for a divinity, a Saint or to Virgin Mary for a received mercy. From the analysis of an ex voto it's possible to obtain lots of information and therefore it can be used as a tool for health and epidemiological surveillance, to study morbidity in the past. The aim of this study was the creation of a database to rebuild epidemiological events and diseases, using ex voto as a source of health surveillance. We chose to study votive pictures using three types of sources: photographed alive, on-line archives, books and photographic collections. Ex voto have been saved in an Hard Disk, numbered and inserted in a database, then analyzed using Stata®. total of 6231 ex voto were collected and catalogued in our database. Ex voto referring to diseases are the most represented (41%), but they have decreased with the time. Road accidents (21.4%) have a constant increase, especially with the appearance of cars and motorcycles. Aggressions (5.45%) decrease constantly; warlike accidents (4.44%) had a peak in the period including both world wars; non professional accidents (10.60%) and accidents at work (3.79%) increase without peaks; maritime accidents (8.88%) have not uniform ups and downs during the time. The database let us rebuild epidemiological events of the past, which are not deductible from other sources. Our purpose is to expand in the space-time our source data in order to perform an interesting comparison between past and present.

Factors that influence the recognition, reporting and resolution of incidents related to medical devices and other healthcare technologies: a systematic review.

PubMed

Polisena, Julie; Gagliardi, Anna; Urbach, David; Clifford, Tammy; Fiander, Michelle

2015-03-29

Medical devices have improved the treatment of many medical conditions. Despite their benefit, the use of devices can lead to unintended incidents, potentially resulting in unnecessary harm, injury or complications to the patient, a complaint, loss or damage. Devices are used in hospitals on a routine basis. Research to date, however, has been primarily limited to describing incidents rates, so the optimal design of a hospital-based surveillance system remains unclear. Our research objectives were twofold: i) to explore factors that influence device-related incident recognition, reporting and resolution and ii) to investigate interventions or strategies to improve the recognition, reporting and resolution of medical device-related incidents. We searched the bibliographic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PsycINFO database. Grey literature (literature that is not commercially available) was searched for studies on factors that influence incident recognition, reporting and resolution published and interventions or strategies for their improvement from 2003 to 2014. Although we focused on medical devices, other health technologies were eligible for inclusion. Thirty studies were included in our systematic review, but most studies were concentrated on other health technologies. The study findings indicate that fear of punishment, uncertainty of what should be reported and how incident reports will be used and time constraints to incident reporting are common barriers to incident recognition and reporting. Relevant studies on the resolution of medical errors were not found. Strategies to improve error reporting include the use of an electronic error reporting system, increased training and feedback to frontline clinicians about the reported error. The available evidence on factors influencing medical device-related incident recognition, reporting and resolution by healthcare professionals can inform data collection and analysis in future studies. Since evidence gaps on medical device-related incidents exist, telephone interviews with frontline clinicians will be conducted to solicit information about their experiences with medical devices and suggested strategies for device surveillance improvement in a hospital context. Further research also should investigate the impact of human, system, organizational and education factors on the development and implementation of local medical device surveillance systems.

Different perspectives: a comparison of newspaper articles to medical examiner data in the reporting of violent deaths.

PubMed

Genovesi, Andrea L; Donaldson, Amy E; Morrison, Brynna L; Olson, Lenora M

2010-03-01

This study compared violent death information reported in state-wide newspaper articles to the medical examiner reports collected for a state public health surveillance system-the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). While suicides accounted for 83% of deaths in the NVDRS database, more than three-quarters (79%) of violent deaths reported in newspaper articles were homicides. The majority of the suicide incidents were reported in 1-2 newspaper articles whereas the majority of homicide incidents were reported in 11-34 articles. For suicide incidents, the NVDRS reported more circumstances related to mental health problems while newspaper articles reported recent crisis more often. Results show that there is a mismatch in both frequency and type of information reported between a public health surveillance system (NVDRS) and newspaper reporting of violent deaths. As a result of these findings, scientists and other public health professionals may want to engage in media advocacy to provide newspaper reporters with timely and important health information related to the prevention and intervention of violent deaths in their community. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current applications of big data in obstetric anesthesiology.

PubMed

Klumpner, Thomas T; Bauer, Melissa E; Kheterpal, Sachin

2017-06-01

The narrative review aims to highlight several recently published 'big data' studies pertinent to the field of obstetric anesthesiology. Big data has been used to study rare outcomes, to identify trends within the healthcare system, to identify variations in practice patterns, and to highlight potential inequalities in obstetric anesthesia care. Big data studies have helped define the risk of rare complications of obstetric anesthesia, such as the risk of neuraxial hematoma in thrombocytopenic parturients. Also, large national databases have been used to better understand trends in anesthesia-related adverse events during cesarean delivery as well as outline potential racial/ethnic disparities in obstetric anesthesia care. Finally, real-time analysis of patient data across a number of disparate health information systems through the use of sophisticated clinical decision support and surveillance systems is one promising application of big data technology on the labor and delivery unit. 'Big data' research has important implications for obstetric anesthesia care and warrants continued study. Real-time electronic surveillance is a potentially useful application of big data technology on the labor and delivery unit.

An analysis of occupational blood lead trends in Manitoba, 1979 through 1987

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yassi, A.; Cheang, M.; Tenenbein, M.

1991-06-01

While regulations for workplace lead exposure become more strict, their effectiveness in decreasing blood lead concentrations and the method by which this is attained have not been evaluated. METHODS: An analysis was conducted of 10,190 blood lead samples from employees of 10 high-risk workplaces collected in Manitoba, 1979-87, as part of regulated occupational surveillance. A significant decrease in blood lead concentrations was observed overall as well as for each individual company. A 1979 government regulation to reduce blood lead to below 3.38 mumol/L (70 micrograms/dl) was followed by a drop in blood lead concentrations; a 1983 order to reduce bloodmore » leads to below 2.90 mumol/L (60 micrograms/dl) was not followed by such a drop. Longitudinal analysis by individual workers suggested that companies were complying by use of administrative control, i.e., removing workers to lower lead areas until blood lead levels had fallen, then returning them to high lead areas. Focusing upon blood lead as the sole criterion for compliance is not effective; regulations must specifically require environmental monitoring and controls. Biological surveillance serves as 'back-up' to environmental surveillance and this database illustrates the usefulness of a comprehensive centralized surveillance system.« less

Underreporting of congenital rubella in Italy, 2010-2014.

PubMed

Giambi, Cristina; Bella, Antonino; Filia, Antonietta; Del Manso, Martina; Nacca, Gloria; Declich, Silvia; Rota, Maria Cristina

2017-07-01

In accordance with the goals of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Europe, the Italian national Measles and Rubella Elimination Plan 2010-2015 aimed to reduce the incidence of congenital rubella cases to <1 case/100,000 live births by 2015. In Italy, a passive national surveillance system for congenital rubella and rubella in pregnancy is active since 2005. We estimated the degree of underreporting of congenital rubella, performing a capture-recapture analysis of cases detected through two independent sources: the national surveillance system and the national hospital discharge database, in the years 2010-2014. We found that 6 out of 11 cases tracked in the retrospective case-finding from hospital registries had not been notified to the surveillance system, and we estimated a degree of underreporting of 53% for the period 2010-2014. This approach showed to be simple to perform, repeatable, and effective. In order to reduce underreporting, some actions aimed at strengthening surveillance procedures are needed. The adoption on a routine basis of the review of hospital discharge registries for case-finding, monthly zero-reporting, and actions to train and sensitize all the specialists involved in the care of pregnant women and the newborns to notification procedures are recommended. What is Known • In Italy, the incidence of congenital rubella was below the WHO target of 1/100,000 live births in 2005-2015, except for two peaks in 2008 and 2012 (5 and 4/100,000, respectively). • Further efforts are required to improve congenital rubella surveillance so that it is more sensitive and specific. The WHO proposes retrospective case-finding from hospital records as an alternative approach to detect infants with congenital rubella. What is New • Underreporting of congenital rubella in Italy was 53% in 2010-2014. • Hospital discharge registries resulted to be an appropriate source to detect congenital rubella cases.

Public Health Climate Change Adaptation Planning Using Stakeholder Feedback.

PubMed

Eidson, Millicent; Clancy, Kathleen A; Birkhead, Guthrie S

2016-01-01

Public health climate change adaptation planning is an urgent priority requiring stakeholder feedback. The 10 Essential Public Health Services can be applied to adaptation activities. To develop a state health department climate and health adaptation plan as informed by stakeholder feedback. With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) implemented a 2010-2013 climate and health planning process, including 7 surveys on perceptions and adaptation priorities. New York State Department of Health program managers participated in initial (n = 41, denominator unknown) and follow-up (72.2%) needs assessments. Surveillance system information was collected from 98.1% of surveillance system managers. For adaptation prioritization surveys, participants included 75.4% of NYSDOH leaders; 60.3% of local health departments (LHDs); and 53.7% of other stakeholders representing environmental, governmental, health, community, policy, academic, and business organizations. Interviews were also completed with 38.9% of other stakeholders. In 2011 surveys, 34.1% of state health program directors believed that climate change would impact their program priorities. However, 84.6% of state health surveillance system managers provided ideas for using databases for climate and health monitoring/surveillance. In 2012 surveys, 46.5% of state health leaders agreed they had sufficient information about climate and health compared to 17.1% of LHDs (P = .0046) and 40.9% of other stakeholders (nonsignificant difference). Significantly fewer (P < .0001) LHDs (22.9%) were incorporating or considering incorporating climate and health into planning compared to state health leaders (55.8%) and other stakeholders (68.2%). Stakeholder groups agreed on the 4 highest priority adaptation categories including core public health activities such as surveillance, coordination/collaboration, education, and policy development. Feedback from diverse stakeholders was utilized by NYSDOH to develop its Climate and Health Strategic Map in 2013. The CDC Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework and funding provides a collaborative model for state climate and health adaptation planning.

Incidence and fatality of serious suicide attempts in a predominantly rural population in Shandong, China: a public health surveillance study

PubMed Central

Sun, Jiandong; Guo, Xiaolei; Zhang, Jiyu; Wang, Mei; Jia, Cunxian; Xu, Aiqiang

2015-01-01

Objectives To estimate the incidence of serious suicide attempts (SSAs, defined as suicide attempts resulting in either death or hospitalisation) and to examine factors associated with fatality among these attempters. Design A surveillance study of incidence and mortality. Linked data from two public health surveillance systems were analysed. Setting Three selected counties in Shandong, China. Participants All residents in the three selected counties. Outcome measures Incidence rate (per 100 000 person-years) and case fatality rate (%). Methods Records of suicide deaths and hospitalisations that occurred among residents in selected counties during 2009–2011 (5 623 323 person-years) were extracted from electronic databases of the Disease Surveillance Points (DSP) system and the Injury Surveillance System (ISS) and were linked by name, sex, residence and time of suicide attempt. A multiple logistic regression model was developed to examine the factors associated with a higher or lower fatality rate. Results The incidence of SSAs was estimated to be 46 (95% CI 44 to 48) per 100 000 person-years, which was 1.5 times higher in rural versus urban areas, slightly higher among females, and increased with age. Among all SSAs, 51% were hospitalised and survived, 9% were hospitalised but later died and 40% died with no hospitalisation. Most suicide deaths (81%) were not hospitalised and most hospitalised SSAs (85%) survived. The fatality rate was 49% overall, but was significantly higher among attempters living in rural areas, who were male, older, with lower education or with a farming occupation. With regard to the method of suicide, fatality was lowest for non-pesticide poisons (7%) and highest for hanging (97%). Conclusions The incidence of serious suicide attempts is substantially higher in rural areas than in urban areas of China. The risk of death is influenced by the attempter's sex, age, education level, occupation, method used and season of year. PMID:25673439

Epidemiology of healthcare associated infections in Germany: Nearly 20 years of surveillance.

PubMed

Schröder, C; Schwab, F; Behnke, M; Breier, A-C; Maechler, F; Piening, B; Dettenkofer, M; Geffers, C; Gastmeier, P

2015-10-01

To describe the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in hospitals participating in the German national nosocomial infections surveillance system (KISS). The epidemiology of HAI was described for the surveillance components for intensive care units (ITS-KISS), non-ICUs (STATIONS-KISS), very low birth weight infants (NEO-KISS) and surgical site infections (OP-KISS) in the period from 2006 to 2013. In addition, risk factor analyses were performed for the most important infections of ICU-KISS, NEO-KISS and OP-KISS. Data from a total of 3,454,778 ICU patients from 913 ICUs, 618,816 non-ICU patients from 142 non-ICU wards, 53,676 VLBW from 241 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and 1,005,064 surgical patients from operative departments from 550 hospitals were used for analysis. Compared with baseline data, a significant reduction of primary bloodstream infections (PBSI) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) was observed in ICUs with the maximum effect in year 5 (or longer participation) (incidence rate ratio 0.60 (CI95 0.50-0.72) and 0.61 (CI95 0.52-0.71) respectively). A significant reduction of PBSI and LRTI was also observed in NEO-KISS when comparing the baseline situation with the 5th year of participation (hazard ratio 0.70 (CI95 0.64-0.76) and 0.43 (CI95 0.35-0.52)). The effect was smaller in operative departments after the introduction of OP-KISS (OR 0.80; CI95 0.64-1.02 in year 5 or later for all procedure types combined). Due to the large database, it has not only been possible to confirm well-known risk factors for HAI, but also to identify some new interesting risk factors like seasonal and volume effects. Participating in a national surveillance system and using surveillance data for internal quality management leads to substantial reduction of HAI. In addition, a surveillance system can identify otherwise not recognized risk factors which should - if possible - be considered for infection control management and for risk adjustment in the benchmarking process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Identifying Unmet Treatment Needs for Patients With Osteoporotic Fracture: Feasibility Study for an Electronic Clinical Surveillance System

PubMed Central

Shang, Rung Ji; Hsiao, Fei-Yuan; Lin, Mei-Shu; Hung, Kuan-Yu; Wang, Jui; Lin, Zhen-Fang; Lai, Feipei; Shen, Li-Jiuan

2018-01-01

Background Traditional clinical surveillance relied on the results from clinical trials and observational studies of administrative databases. However, these studies not only required many valuable resources but also faced a very long time lag. Objective This study aimed to illustrate a practical application of the National Taiwan University Hospital Clinical Surveillance System (NCSS) in the identification of patients with an osteoporotic fracture and to provide a high reusability infrastructure for longitudinal clinical data. Methods The NCSS integrates electronic medical records in the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) with a data warehouse and is equipped with a user-friendly interface. The NCSS was developed using professional insight from multidisciplinary experts, including clinical practitioners, epidemiologists, and biomedical engineers. The practical example identifying the unmet treatment needs for patients encountering major osteoporotic fractures described herein was mainly achieved by adopting the computerized workflow in the NCSS. Results We developed the infrastructure of the NCSS, including an integrated data warehouse and an automatic surveillance workflow. By applying the NCSS, we efficiently identified 2193 patients who were newly diagnosed with a hip or vertebral fracture between 2010 and 2014 at NTUH. By adopting the filter function, we identified 1808 (1808/2193, 82.44%) patients who continued their follow-up at NTUH, and 464 (464/2193, 21.16%) patients who were prescribed anti-osteoporosis medications, within 3 and 12 months post the index date of their fracture, respectively. Conclusions The NCSS systems can integrate the workflow of cohort identification to accelerate the survey process of clinically relevant problems and provide decision support in the daily practice of clinical physicians, thereby making the benefit of evidence-based medicine a reality. PMID:29691201

A systematic review of community-based interventions for emerging zoonotic infectious diseases in Southeast Asia

PubMed Central

Halton, Kate; Sarna, Mohinder; Barnett, Adrian; Leonardo, Lydia; Graves, Nicholas

2013-01-01

Executive Summary Background Southeast Asia has been at the epicentre of recent epidemics of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. Community-based surveillance and control interventions have been heavily promoted but the most effective interventions have not been identified. Objectives This review evaluated evidence for the effectiveness of community-based surveillance interventions at monitoring and identifying emerging infectious disease; the effectiveness of community-based control interventions at reducing rates of emerging infectious disease; and contextual factors that influence intervention effectiveness. Inclusion criteria Participants Communities in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. Types of intervention(s) Non-pharmaceutical, non-vaccine, and community-based surveillance or prevention and control interventions targeting rabies, Nipah virus, dengue, SARS or avian influenza. Types of outcomes Primary outcomes: measures: of infection or disease; secondary outcomes: measures of intervention function. Types of studies Original quantitative studies published in English. Search strategy Databases searched (1980 to 2011): PubMed, CINAHL, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, WHOLIS, British Development Library, LILACS, World Bank (East Asia), Asian Development Bank. Methodological quality Two independent reviewers critically appraised studies using standard Joanna Briggs Institute instruments. Disagreements were resolved through discussion. Data extraction A customised tool was used to extract quantitative data on intervention(s), populations, study methods, and primary and secondary outcomes; and qualitative contextual information or narrative evidence about interventions. Data synthesis Data was synthesised in a narrative summary with the aid of tables. Meta-analysis was used to statistically pool quantitative results. Results Fifty-seven studies were included. Vector control interventions using copepods, environmental cleanup and education are effective and sustainable at reducing dengue in rural and urban communities, whilst insecticide spraying is effective in urban outbreak situations. Community-based surveillance interventions can effectively identify avian influenza in backyard flocks, but have not been broadly applied. Outbreak control interventions for Nipah virus and SARS are effective but may not be suitable for ongoing control. Canine vaccination and education is more acceptable than culling, but still fails to reach coverage levels required to effectively control rabies. Contextual factors were identified that influence community engagement with, and ultimately effectiveness of, interventions. Conclusion Despite investment in community-based disease control and surveillance in Southeast Asia, published evidence evaluating interventions is limited in quantity and quality. Nonetheless this review identified a number of effective interventions, and several contextual factors influencing effectiveness. Identification of the best programs will require comparative evidence of effectiveness acceptability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Implications for practice Interventions are more effective if there are high levels of community ownership and engagement. Linkages between veterinary and public health surveillance systems are essential. Interventions are not well accepted when they fail to acknowledge the importance of animals for economic activity in communities. Implications for research Evidence is needed on functioning and outcomes of current surveillance systems and novel low-cost methods of surveillance. Evaluations of control interventions should control for confounding and report measures of disease, cost and sustainability. Translational research is needed to assess generalisability and evaluate roll-out of effective interventions as regional or national programs.

Evaluation of the national surveillance system for point-prevalence of healthcare-associated infections in hospitals and in long-term care facilities for elderly in Norway, 2002-2008

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Since 2002, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has invited all hospitals and long-term care facilities for elderly (LTCFs) to participate in two annual point-prevalence surveys covering the most frequent types of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). In a comprehensive evaluation we assessed how well the system operates to meet its objectives. Methods Surveillance protocols and the national database were reviewed. Data managers at national level, infection control practitioners and ward personnel in hospitals as well as contact persons in LTCFs involved in prevalence data collection were surveyed. Results The evaluation showed that the system was structurally simple, flexible and accepted by the key partners. On average 87% of hospitals and 32% of LTCFs participated in 2004-2008; high level of data completeness was achieved. The data collected described trends in the prevalence of reportable HAIs in Norway and informed policy makers. Local results were used in hospitals to implement targeted infection control measures and to argue for more resources to a greater extent than in LTCFs. Both the use of simplified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definitions and validity of data seemed problematic as compliance with the standard methodology were reportedly low. Conclusions The surveillance system provides important information on selected HAIs in Norway. The system is overall functional and well-established in hospitals, however, requires active promotion in LTCFs. Validity of data needs to be controlled in the participating institutions before reporting to the national level. PMID:22165849

The temporal relationship between drug supply indicators: an audit of international government surveillance systems.

PubMed

Werb, Dan; Kerr, Thomas; Nosyk, Bohdan; Strathdee, Steffanie; Montaner, Julio; Wood, Evan

2013-09-30

Illegal drug use continues to be a major threat to community health and safety. We used international drug surveillance databases to assess the relationship between multiple long-term estimates of illegal drug price and purity. We systematically searched for longitudinal measures of illegal drug supply indicators to assess the long-term impact of enforcement-based supply reduction interventions. Data from identified illegal drug surveillance systems were analysed using an a priori defined protocol in which we sought to present annual estimates beginning in 1990. Data were then subjected to trend analyses. Data were obtained from government surveillance systems assessing price, purity and/or seizure quantities of illegal drugs; systems with at least 10 years of longitudinal data assessing price, purity/potency or seizures were included. We identified seven regional/international metasurveillance systems with longitudinal measures of price or purity/potency that met eligibility criteria. In the USA, the average inflation-adjusted and purity-adjusted prices of heroin, cocaine and cannabis decreased by 81%, 80% and 86%, respectively, between 1990 and 2007, whereas average purity increased by 60%, 11% and 161%, respectively. Similar trends were observed in Europe, where during the same period the average inflation-adjusted price of opiates and cocaine decreased by 74% and 51%, respectively. In Australia, the average inflation-adjusted price of cocaine decreased 14%, while the inflation-adjusted price of heroin and cannabis both decreased 49% between 2000 and 2010. During this time, seizures of these drugs in major production regions and major domestic markets generally increased. With few exceptions and despite increasing investments in enforcement-based supply reduction efforts aimed at disrupting global drug supply, illegal drug prices have generally decreased while drug purity has generally increased since 1990. These findings suggest that expanding efforts at controlling the global illegal drug market through law enforcement are failing.

Integrating malaria surveillance with climate data for outbreak detection and forecasting: the EPIDEMIA system.

PubMed

Merkord, Christopher L; Liu, Yi; Mihretie, Abere; Gebrehiwot, Teklehaymanot; Awoke, Worku; Bayabil, Estifanos; Henebry, Geoffrey M; Kassa, Gebeyaw T; Lake, Mastewal; Wimberly, Michael C

2017-02-23

Early indication of an emerging malaria epidemic can provide an opportunity for proactive interventions. Challenges to the identification of nascent malaria epidemics include obtaining recent epidemiological surveillance data, spatially and temporally harmonizing this information with timely data on environmental precursors, applying models for early detection and early warning, and communicating results to public health officials. Automated web-based informatics systems can provide a solution to these problems, but their implementation in real-world settings has been limited. The Epidemic Prognosis Incorporating Disease and Environmental Monitoring for Integrated Assessment (EPIDEMIA) computer system was designed and implemented to integrate disease surveillance with environmental monitoring in support of operational malaria forecasting in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. A co-design workshop was held with computer scientists, epidemiological modelers, and public health partners to develop an initial list of system requirements. Subsequent updates to the system were based on feedback obtained from system evaluation workshops and assessments conducted by a steering committee of users in the public health sector. The system integrated epidemiological data uploaded weekly by the Amhara Regional Health Bureau with remotely-sensed environmental data freely available from online archives. Environmental data were acquired and processed automatically by the EASTWeb software program. Additional software was developed to implement a public health interface for data upload and download, harmonize the epidemiological and environmental data into a unified database, automatically update time series forecasting models, and generate formatted reports. Reporting features included district-level control charts and maps summarizing epidemiological indicators of emerging malaria outbreaks, environmental risk factors, and forecasts of future malaria risk. Successful implementation and use of EPIDEMIA is an important step forward in the use of epidemiological and environmental informatics systems for malaria surveillance. Developing software to automate the workflow steps while remaining robust to continual changes in the input data streams was a key technical challenge. Continual stakeholder involvement throughout design, implementation, and operation has created a strong enabling environment that will facilitate the ongoing development, application, and testing of the system.

Comparison of Analysis Results Between 2D/1D Synthesis and RAPTOR-M3G in the Korea Standard Nuclear Plant (KSNP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joung Lim, Mi; Maeng, Young Jae; Fero, Arnold H.; Anderson, Stanwood L.

2016-02-01

The 2D/1D synthesis methodology has been used to calculate the fast neutron (E > 1.0 MeV) exposure to the beltline region of the reactor pressure vessel. This method uses the DORT 3.1 discrete ordinates code and the BUGLE-96 cross-section library based on ENDF/B-VI. RAPTOR-M3G (RApid Parallel Transport Of Radiation-Multiple 3D Geometries) which performs full 3D calculations was developed and is based on domain decomposition algorithms, where the spatial and angular domains are allocated and processed on multi-processor computer architecture. As compared to traditional single-processor applications, this approach reduces the computational load as well as the memory requirement per processor. Both methods are applied to surveillance test results for the Korea Standard Nuclear Plant (KSNP)-OPR (Optimized Power Reactor) 1000 MW. The objective of this paper is to compare the results of the KSNP surveillance program between 2D/1D synthesis and RAPTOR-M3G. Each operating KSNP has a reactor vessel surveillance program consisting of six surveillance capsules located between the core and the reactor vessel in the downcomer region near the reactor vessel wall. In addition to the In-Vessel surveillance program, an Ex-Vessel Neutron Dosimetry (EVND) program has been implemented. In order to estimate surveillance test results, cycle-specific forward transport calculations were performed by 2D/1D synthesis and by RAPTOR-M3G. The ratio between measured and calculated (M/C) reaction rates will be discussed. The current plan is to install an EVND system in all of the Korea PWRs including the new reactor type, APR (Advanced Power Reactor) 1400 MW. This work will play an important role in establishing a KSNP-specific database of surveillance test results and will employ RAPTOR-M3G for surveillance dosimetry location as well as positions in the KSNP reactor vessel.

GIS Database and Google Map of the Population at Risk of Cholangiocarcinoma in Mueang Yang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand.

PubMed

Kaewpitoon, Soraya J; Rujirakul, Ratana; Joosiri, Apinya; Jantakate, Sirinun; Sangkudloa, Amnat; Kaewthani, Sarochinee; Chimplee, Kanokporn; Khemplila, Kritsakorn; Kaewpitoon, Natthawut

2016-01-01

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a serious problem in Thailand, particularly in the northeastern and northern regions. Database of population at risk are need required for monitoring, surveillance, home health care, and home visit. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a geographic information system (GIS) database and Google map of the population at risk of CCA in Mueang Yang district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand during June to October 2015. Populations at risk were screened using the Korat CCA verbal screening test (KCVST). Software included Microsoft Excel, ArcGIS, and Google Maps. The secondary data included the point of villages, sub-district boundaries, district boundaries, point of hospital in Mueang Yang district, used for created the spatial databese. The populations at risk for CCA and opisthorchiasis were used to create an arttribute database. Data were tranfered to WGS84 UTM ZONE 48. After the conversion, all of the data were imported into Google Earth using online web pages www.earthpoint.us. Some 222 from a 4,800 population at risk for CCA constituted a high risk group. Geo-visual display available at following www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/ edit?mid=zPxtcHv_iDLo.kvPpxl5mAs90 and hl=th. Geo-visual display 5 layers including: layer 1, village location and number of the population at risk for CCA; layer 2, sub-district health promotion hospital in Mueang Yang district and number of opisthorchiasis; layer 3, sub-district district and the number of population at risk for CCA; layer 4, district hospital and the number of population at risk for CCA and number of opisthorchiasis; and layer 5, district and the number of population at risk for CCA and number of opisthorchiasis. This GIS database and Google map production process is suitable for further monitoring, surveillance, and home health care for CCA sufferers.

Use of Bibliometric Analysis to Assess the Scientific Productivity and Impact of the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System Program, 2006-2012.

PubMed

Reaves, Erik J; Valle, Ruben; Chandrasekera, Ruvani M; Soto, Giselle; Burke, Ronald L; Cummings, James F; Bausch, Daniel G; Kasper, Matthew R

2017-05-01

Scientific publication in academic literature is a key venue in which the U.S. Department of Defense's Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS) program disseminates infectious disease surveillance data. Bibliometric analyses are tools to evaluate scientific productivity and impact of published research, yet are not routinely used for disease surveillance. Our objective was to incorporate bibliometric indicators to measure scientific productivity and impact of GEIS-funded infectious disease surveillance, and assess their utility in the management of the GEIS surveillance program. Metrics on GEIS program scientific publications, project funding, and countries of collaborating institutions from project years 2006 to 2012 were abstracted from annual reports and program databases and organized by the six surveillance priority focus areas: respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, febrile and vector-borne infections, antimicrobial resistance, sexually transmitted infections, and capacity building and outbreak response. Scientific productivity was defined as the number of scientific publications in peer-reviewed literature derived from GEIS-funded projects. Impact was defined as the number of citations of a GEIS-funded publication by other peer-reviewed publications, and the Thomson Reuters 2-year journal impact factor. Indicators were retrieved from the Web of Science and Journal Citation Report. To determine the global network of international collaborations between GEIS partners, countries were organized by the locations of collaborating institutions. Between 2006 and 2012, GEIS distributed approximately US $330 million to support 921 total projects. On average, GEIS funded 132 projects (range 96-160) with $47 million (range $43 million-$53 million), annually. The predominant surveillance focus areas were respiratory infections with 317 (34.4%) projects and $225 million, and febrile and vector-borne infections with 274 (29.8%) projects and $45 million. The number of annual respiratory infections-related projects peaked in 2006 and 2009. The number of febrile and vector-borne infections projects increased from 29 projects in 2006 to 58 in 2012. There were 651 articles published in 147 different peer-reviewed journals, with an average Thomson Reuters 2-year journal impact factor of 4.2 (range 0.3-53.5). On average, 93 articles were published per year (range 67-117) with $510,000 per publication. Febrile and vector-borne, respiratory, and gastrointestinal infections had 287, 167, and 73 articles published, respectively. Of the 651 articles published, 585 (89.9%) articles were cited at least once (range 1-1,045). Institutions from 90 countries located in all six World Health Organization regions collaborated with surveillance projects. These findings summarize the GEIS-funded surveillance portfolio between 2006 and 2012, and demonstrate the scientific productivity and impact of the program in each of the six disease surveillance priority focus areas. GEIS might benefit from further financial investment in both the febrile and vector-borne and sexually transmitted infections surveillance priority focus areas and increasing peer-reviewed publications of surveillance data derived from respiratory infections projects. Bibliometric indicators are useful to measure scientific productivity and impact in surveillance systems; and this methodology can be utilized as a management tool to assess future changes to GEIS surveillance priorities. Additional metrics should be developed when peer-reviewed literature is not used to disseminate noteworthy accomplishments. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Implementation of a sentinel surveillance system for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in the country of Georgia, 2015-2016.

PubMed

Chakhunashvili, Giorgi; Wagner, Abram L; Machablishvili, Ann; Karseladze, Irakli; Tarkhan-Mouravi, Olgha; Zakhashvili, Khatuna; Imnadze, Paata; Boulton, Matthew L

2017-12-01

Due to reports of substandard influenza preparedness, the country of Georgia developed two influenza surveillance systems. This paper describes these surveillance systems in their capacity to detect influenza. Two surveillance systems for influenza operate in Georgia: an influenza-like illness (ILI) sentinel surveillance system for out-patient cases, based in the capital, Tbilisi, and a severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) sentinel surveillance system for in-patient cases with five sentinel sites - one in Tbilisi, and four in Kutaisi. Patients in these surveillance systems provide samples for laboratory testing, including influenza confirmation. From 2015-2016, 825 cases were surveilled in the ILI surveillance system and 1367 cases were surveilled in the SARI surveillance system, with 222 (26.9%) and 451 (33.0%) positive for influenza, respectively. Influenza positivity varied by age with adults 30-64 years having highest proportion of influenza-positive cases at 42.2%. The sensitivity of the surveillance systems to influenza was relatively high compared to neighboring countries. These findings show the importance of influenza surveillance in the country of Georgia. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

How Quickly Do Asymptomatic Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Grow and What Factors Affect Aneurysm Growth Rates? Analysis of a Single Centre Surveillance Cohort Database.

PubMed

Ahmad, Mehtab; Mistry, Rakesh; Hodson, James; Bradbury, Andrew W

2017-11-01

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) maximum antero-posterior diameter (MAPD) is the parameter most commonly used to inform the timing of surgical intervention. However, other factors, such as growth rates and patient comorbidities are likely to be important considerations as they may influence AAA related complications including rupture, operative outcomes, and the clinical and cost effectiveness of continued surveillance. This was a retrospective analysis of a 20 year period of a single centre AAA surveillance database. In total, 5363 AAA measurements in 692 patients were analysed for patient demographics, including comorbidity and drug history, growth and rupture rates, and cause of death. A significant proportion of patients (n = 73; 11%) were kept under surveillance despite having a MAPD < 30 mm. Overall, mean aneurysm growth rate was 2.3 mm/year. Elective repair was undertaken in 20.1% and those who required surgical intervention had significantly faster growth rates. Only 3.9% of patients in surveillance ruptured, 40.7% of whom had a MAPD <55 mm at their last scan. Of the 214 deaths recorded, only 11.7% were related to AAA. The majority of patients who died in surveillance did so from malignancy. Patients with larger AAA (MAPD > 40 mm) on entry into surveillance were significantly more likely to receive surgical intervention, as were those whose AAA expanded >4 mm/year. Females had significantly higher growth rates, and those with diabetes had significantly smaller growth rates. Other comorbidities and drug history were not associated with AAA growth, or 5 and 10 year surgery free survival. The results highlight several areas for service improvement. Specifically, it is important not to maintain surveillance in patients who are very unlikely to ever grow to a point where AAA surgery would be contemplated on grounds or age and/or comorbidity. Similarly, patients should be discharged from surveillance when this likelihood becomes apparent. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-treatment surveillance testing of patients with colorectal cancer and the association with survival: protocol for a retrospective cohort study of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database.

PubMed

Hines, Robert B; Jiban, Md Jibanul Haque; Choudhury, Kanak; Loerzel, Victoria; Specogna, Adrian V; Troy, Steven P; Zhang, Shunpu

2018-04-28

Although the colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rate has significantly improved over the past several decades, many patients will have a recurrence following curative treatment. Despite this high risk of recurrence, adherence to CRC surveillance testing guidelines is poor which increases cancer-related morbidity and potentially, mortality. Several randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with varying surveillance strategies have yielded conflicting evidence regarding the survival benefit associated with surveillance testing. However, due to differences in study protocols and limitations of sample size and length of follow-up, the RCT may not be the best study design to evaluate this relationship. An observational comparative effectiveness research study can overcome the sample size/follow-up limitations of RCT designs while assessing real-world variability in receipt of surveillance testing to provide much needed evidence on this important clinical issue. The gap in knowledge that this study will address concerns whether adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network CRC surveillance guidelines improves survival. Patients with colon and rectal cancer aged 66-84 years, who have been diagnosed between 2002 and 2008 and have been included in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database, are eligible for this retrospective cohort study. To minimise bias, patients had to survive at least 12 months following the completion of treatment. Adherence to surveillance testing up to 5 years post-treatment will be assessed in each year of follow-up and overall. Binomial regression will be used to assess the association between patients' characteristics and adherence. Survival analysis will be conducted to assess the association between adherence and 5-year survival. This study was approved by the National Cancer Institute and the Institutional Review Board of the University of Central Florida. The results of this study will be disseminated by publishing in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, presentation at national/international scientific conferences and posting through social media. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A modified TNM staging system for non-metastatic colorectal cancer based on nomogram analysis of SEER database.

PubMed

Kong, Xiangxing; Li, Jun; Cai, Yibo; Tian, Yu; Chi, Shengqiang; Tong, Danyang; Hu, Yeting; Yang, Qi; Li, Jingsong; Poston, Graeme; Yuan, Ying; Ding, Kefeng

2018-01-08

To revise the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system for colorectal cancer (CRC) based on a nomogram analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, and to prove the rationality of enhancing T stage's weighting in our previously proposed T-plus staging system. Total 115,377 non-metastatic CRC patients from SEER were randomly grouped as training and testing set by ratio 1:1. The Nomo-staging system was established via three nomograms based on 1-year, 2-year and 3-year disease specific survival (DSS) Logistic regression analysis of the training set. The predictive value of Nomo-staging system for the testing set was evaluated by concordance index (c-index), likelihood ratio (L.R.) and Akaike information criteria (AIC) for 1-year, 2-year, 3-year overall survival (OS) and DSS. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to valuate discrimination and gradient monotonicity. And an external validation was performed on database from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (SAHZU). Patients with T1-2 N1 and T1N2a were classified into stage II while T4 N0 patients were classified into stage III in Nomo-staging system. Kaplan-Meier survival curves of OS and DSS in testing set showed Nomo-staging system performed better in discrimination and gradient monotonicity, and the external validation in SAHZU database also showed distinctly better discrimination. The Nomo-staging system showed higher value in L.R. and c-index, and lower value in AIC when predicting OS and DSS in testing set. The Nomo-staging system showed better performance in prognosis prediction and the weight of lymph nodes status in prognosis prediction should be cautiously reconsidered.

Systematic Review of Cerebral Palsy Registries/Surveillance Groups: Relationships between Registry Characteristics and Knowledge Dissemination

PubMed Central

Hurley, Donna S; Sukal-Moulton, Theresa; Gaebler-Spira, Deborah; Krosschell, Kristin J; Pavone, Larissa; Mutlu, Akmer; Dewald, Julius PA; Msall, Michael E

2016-01-01

The aims of this study were to provide a comprehensive summary of the body of research disseminated by Cerebral Palsy (CP) registries and surveillance programs from January 2009 through May 2014 in order to describe the influence their results have on our overall understanding of CP. Secondly, registries/surveillance programs and the work they produced were evaluated and grouped using standardized definitions and classification systems. Method A systematic review search in PubMed, CINAH and Embase for original articles published from 1 January 2009 to 20 May 2014 originating from or supported by population based CP registries and surveillance programs or population based national registries including CP were included. Articles were grouped by 2009 World CP Registry Congress aim, registry/surveillance program classification, geographical region, and the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF) domain. Registry variables were assessed using the ICF-CY classification. Results Literature searches returned 177 articles meeting inclusion criteria. The majority (69%) of registry/surveillance program productivity was related to contributions as a Resource for CP Research. Prevention (23%) and Surveillance (22%) articles were other areas of achievement, but fewer articles were published in the areas of Planning (17%) and Raising the Profile of CP (2%). There was a range of registry/surveillance program classifications contributing to this productivity, and representation from multiple areas of the globe, although most of the articles originated in Europe, Australia, and Canada. The domains of the ICF that were primarily covered included body structures and function at the early stages of life. Encouragingly, a variety of CP registry/surveillance program initiatives included additional ICF domains of participation and environmental and personal factors. Interpretation CP registries and surveillance programs, including novel non-traditional ones, have significantly contributed to the understanding of how CP affects individuals, families and society. Moving forward, the global CP registry/surveillance program community should continue to strive for uniformity in CP definitions, variables collected and consistency with international initiatives like the ICF so that databases can be consolidated for research use. Adaptation to new technologies can improve access, reduce cost and facilitate information transfer between registrants, researchers and registries/surveillance programs. Finally, increased efforts in documenting variables of individuals with CP into adulthood should be made in order to expand our understanding of CP across the lifespan. PMID:27790626

The Danish Microbiology Database (MiBa) 2010 to 2013.

PubMed

Voldstedlund, M; Haarh, M; Mølbak, K

2014-01-09

The Danish Microbiology Database (MiBa) is a national database that receives copies of reports from all Danish departments of clinical microbiology. The database was launched in order to provide healthcare personnel with nationwide access to microbiology reports and to enable real-time surveillance of communicable diseases and microorganisms. The establishment and management of MiBa has been a collaborative process among stakeholders, and the present paper summarises lessons learned from this nationwide endeavour which may be relevant to similar projects in the rapidly changing landscape of health informatics.

A CCTV system with SMS alert (CMDSA): An implementation of pixel processing algorithm for motion detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Nurul Hidayah Ab; Abdullah, Nurul Azma; Hamid, Isredza Rahmi A.; Wen, Chuah Chai; Jelani, Mohamad Shafiqur Rahman Mohd

2017-10-01

Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) system is one of the technologies in surveillance field to solve the problem of detection and monitoring by providing extra features such as email alert or motion detection. However, detecting and alerting the admin on CCTV system may complicate due to the complexity to integrate the main program with an external Application Programming Interface (API). In this study, pixel processing algorithm is applied due to its efficiency and SMS alert is added as an alternative solution for users who opted out email alert system or have no Internet connection. A CCTV system with SMS alert (CMDSA) was developed using evolutionary prototyping methodology. The system interface was implemented using Microsoft Visual Studio while the backend components, which are database and coding, were implemented on SQLite database and C# programming language, respectively. The main modules of CMDSA are motion detection, capturing and saving video, image processing and Short Message Service (SMS) alert functions. Subsequently, the system is able to reduce the processing time making the detection process become faster, reduce the space and memory used to run the program and alerting the system admin instantly.

Building a transnational biosurveillance network using semantic web technologies: requirements, design, and preliminary evaluation.

PubMed

Teodoro, Douglas; Pasche, Emilie; Gobeill, Julien; Emonet, Stéphane; Ruch, Patrick; Lovis, Christian

2012-05-29

Antimicrobial resistance has reached globally alarming levels and is becoming a major public health threat. Lack of efficacious antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems was identified as one of the causes of increasing resistance, due to the lag time between new resistances and alerts to care providers. Several initiatives to track drug resistance evolution have been developed. However, no effective real-time and source-independent antimicrobial resistance monitoring system is available publicly. To design and implement an architecture that can provide real-time and source-independent antimicrobial resistance monitoring to support transnational resistance surveillance. In particular, we investigated the use of a Semantic Web-based model to foster integration and interoperability of interinstitutional and cross-border microbiology laboratory databases. Following the agile software development methodology, we derived the main requirements needed for effective antimicrobial resistance monitoring, from which we proposed a decentralized monitoring architecture based on the Semantic Web stack. The architecture uses an ontology-driven approach to promote the integration of a network of sentinel hospitals or laboratories. Local databases are wrapped into semantic data repositories that automatically expose local computing-formalized laboratory information in the Web. A central source mediator, based on local reasoning, coordinates the access to the semantic end points. On the user side, a user-friendly Web interface provides access and graphical visualization to the integrated views. We designed and implemented the online Antimicrobial Resistance Trend Monitoring System (ARTEMIS) in a pilot network of seven European health care institutions sharing 70+ million triples of information about drug resistance and consumption. Evaluation of the computing performance of the mediator demonstrated that, on average, query response time was a few seconds (mean 4.3, SD 0.1 × 10(2) seconds). Clinical pertinence assessment showed that resistance trends automatically calculated by ARTEMIS had a strong positive correlation with the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) (ρ = .86, P < .001) and the Sentinel Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance in Switzerland (SEARCH) (ρ = .84, P < .001) systems. Furthermore, mean resistance rates extracted by ARTEMIS were not significantly different from those of either EARS-Net (∆ = ±0.130; 95% confidence interval -0 to 0.030; P < .001) or SEARCH (∆ = ±0.042; 95% confidence interval -0.004 to 0.028; P = .004). We introduce a distributed monitoring architecture that can be used to build transnational antimicrobial resistance surveillance networks. Results indicated that the Semantic Web-based approach provided an efficient and reliable solution for development of eHealth architectures that enable online antimicrobial resistance monitoring from heterogeneous data sources. In future, we expect that more health care institutions can join the ARTEMIS network so that it can provide a large European and wider biosurveillance network that can be used to detect emerging bacterial resistance in a multinational context and support public health actions.

Building a Transnational Biosurveillance Network Using Semantic Web Technologies: Requirements, Design, and Preliminary Evaluation

PubMed Central

Pasche, Emilie; Gobeill, Julien; Emonet, Stéphane; Ruch, Patrick; Lovis, Christian

2012-01-01

Background Antimicrobial resistance has reached globally alarming levels and is becoming a major public health threat. Lack of efficacious antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems was identified as one of the causes of increasing resistance, due to the lag time between new resistances and alerts to care providers. Several initiatives to track drug resistance evolution have been developed. However, no effective real-time and source-independent antimicrobial resistance monitoring system is available publicly. Objective To design and implement an architecture that can provide real-time and source-independent antimicrobial resistance monitoring to support transnational resistance surveillance. In particular, we investigated the use of a Semantic Web-based model to foster integration and interoperability of interinstitutional and cross-border microbiology laboratory databases. Methods Following the agile software development methodology, we derived the main requirements needed for effective antimicrobial resistance monitoring, from which we proposed a decentralized monitoring architecture based on the Semantic Web stack. The architecture uses an ontology-driven approach to promote the integration of a network of sentinel hospitals or laboratories. Local databases are wrapped into semantic data repositories that automatically expose local computing-formalized laboratory information in the Web. A central source mediator, based on local reasoning, coordinates the access to the semantic end points. On the user side, a user-friendly Web interface provides access and graphical visualization to the integrated views. Results We designed and implemented the online Antimicrobial Resistance Trend Monitoring System (ARTEMIS) in a pilot network of seven European health care institutions sharing 70+ million triples of information about drug resistance and consumption. Evaluation of the computing performance of the mediator demonstrated that, on average, query response time was a few seconds (mean 4.3, SD 0.1×102 seconds). Clinical pertinence assessment showed that resistance trends automatically calculated by ARTEMIS had a strong positive correlation with the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) (ρ = .86, P < .001) and the Sentinel Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance in Switzerland (SEARCH) (ρ = .84, P < .001) systems. Furthermore, mean resistance rates extracted by ARTEMIS were not significantly different from those of either EARS-Net (∆ = ±0.130; 95% confidence interval –0 to 0.030; P < .001) or SEARCH (∆ = ±0.042; 95% confidence interval –0.004 to 0.028; P = .004). Conclusions We introduce a distributed monitoring architecture that can be used to build transnational antimicrobial resistance surveillance networks. Results indicated that the Semantic Web-based approach provided an efficient and reliable solution for development of eHealth architectures that enable online antimicrobial resistance monitoring from heterogeneous data sources. In future, we expect that more health care institutions can join the ARTEMIS network so that it can provide a large European and wider biosurveillance network that can be used to detect emerging bacterial resistance in a multinational context and support public health actions. PMID:22642960

CRISPR Typing and Subtyping for Improved Laboratory Surveillance of Salmonella Infections

PubMed Central

Fabre, Laëtitia; Zhang, Jian; Guigon, Ghislaine; Le Hello, Simon; Guibert, Véronique; Accou-Demartin, Marie; de Romans, Saïana; Lim, Catherine; Roux, Chrystelle; Passet, Virginie; Diancourt, Laure; Guibourdenche, Martine; Issenhuth-Jeanjean, Sylvie; Achtman, Mark; Brisse, Sylvain; Sola, Christophe; Weill, François-Xavier

2012-01-01

Laboratory surveillance systems for salmonellosis should ideally be based on the rapid serotyping and subtyping of isolates. However, current typing methods are limited in both speed and precision. Using 783 strains and isolates belonging to 130 serotypes, we show here that a new family of DNA repeats named CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is highly polymorphic in Salmonella. We found that CRISPR polymorphism was strongly correlated with both serotype and multilocus sequence type. Furthermore, spacer microevolution discriminated between subtypes within prevalent serotypes, making it possible to carry out typing and subtyping in a single step. We developed a high-throughput subtyping assay for the most prevalent serotype, Typhimurium. An open web-accessible database was set up, providing a serotype/spacer dictionary and an international tool for strain tracking based on this innovative, powerful typing and subtyping tool. PMID:22623967

Selection tool for foodborne norovirus outbreaks.

PubMed

Verhoef, Linda P B; Kroneman, Annelies; van Duynhoven, Yvonne; Boshuizen, Hendriek; van Pelt, Wilfrid; Koopmans, Marion

2009-01-01

Detection of pathogens in the food chain is limited mainly to bacteria, and the globalization of the food industry enables international viral foodborne outbreaks to occur. Outbreaks from 2002 through 2006 recorded in a European norovirus surveillance database were investigated for virologic and epidemiologic indicators of food relatedness. The resulting validated multivariate logistic regression model comparing foodborne (n = 224) and person-to-person (n = 654) outbreaks was used to create a practical web-based tool that can be limited to epidemiologic parameters for nongenotyping countries. Non-genogroup-II.4 outbreaks, higher numbers of cases, and outbreaks in restaurants or households characterized (sensitivity = 0.80, specificity = 0.86) foodborne outbreaks and reduced the percentage of outbreaks requiring source-tracing to 31%. The selection tool enabled prospectively focused follow-up. Use of this tool is likely to improve data quality and strain typing in current surveillance systems, which is necessary for identification of potential international foodborne outbreaks.

Use of employer administrative databases to identify systematic causes of injury in aluminum manufacturing.

PubMed

Pollack, Keshia M; Agnew, Jacqueline; Slade, Martin D; Cantley, Linda; Taiwo, Oyebode; Vegso, Sally; Sircar, Kanta; Cullen, Mark R

2007-09-01

Employer administrative files are an underutilized source of data in epidemiologic studies of occupational injuries. Personnel files, occupational health surveillance data, industrial hygiene data, and a real-time incident and injury management system from a large multi-site aluminum manufacturer were linked deterministically. An ecological-level measure of physical job demand was also linked. This method successfully created a database containing over 100 variables for 9,101 hourly employees from eight geographically dispersed U.S. plants. Between 2002 and 2004, there were 3,563 traumatic injuries to 2,495 employees. The most common injuries were sprain/strains (32%), contusions (24%), and lacerations (14%). A multivariable logistic regression model revealed that physical job demand was the strongest predictor of injury risk, in a dose dependent fashion. Other strong predictors of injury included female gender, young age, short company tenure and short time on current job. Employer administrative files are a useful source of data, as they permit the exploration of risk factors and potential confounders that are not included in many population-based surveys. The ability to link employer administrative files with injury surveillance data is a valuable analysis strategy for comprehensively studying workplace injuries, identifying salient risk factors, and targeting workforce populations disproportionately affected. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometric methods for the surveillance monitoring of cyanotoxins in freshwaters.

PubMed

Bogialli, Sara; Bortolini, Claudio; Di Gangi, Iole Maria; Di Gregorio, Federica Nigro; Lucentini, Luca; Favaro, Gabriella; Pastore, Paolo

2017-08-01

A comprehensive risk management on human exposure to cyanotoxins, whose production is actually unpredictable, is limited by reliable analytical tools for monitoring as many toxic algal metabolites as possible. Two analytical approaches based on a LC-QTOF system for target analysis and suspect screening of cyanotoxins in freshwater were presented. A database with 369 compounds belonging to cyanobacterial metabolites was developed and used for a retrospective data analysis based on high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). HRMS fragmentation of the suspect cyanotoxin precursor ions was subsequently performed for correctly identifying the specific variants. Alternatively, an automatic tandem HRMS analysis tailored for cyanotoxins was performed in a single chromatographic run, using the developed database as a preferred precursor ions list. Twenty-five extracts of surface and drinking waters contaminated by cyanobacteria were processed. The identification of seven uncommon microcystins (M(O)R, MC-FR, MSer 7 -YR, D-Asp 3 MSer 7 -LR, MSer 7 -LR, dmAdda-LR and dmAdda-YR) and 6 anabaenopeptins (A, B, F, MM850, MM864, oscyllamide Y) was reported. Several isobaric variants, fully separated by chromatography, were pointed out. The developed methods are proposed to be used by environmental and health agencies for strengthening the surveillance monitoring of cyanotoxins in water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of Upscale-Crop and Partial Manipulation in Surveillance Video Based on Sensor Pattern Noise

PubMed Central

Hyun, Dai-Kyung; Ryu, Seung-Jin; Lee, Hae-Yeoun; Lee, Heung-Kyu

2013-01-01

In many court cases, surveillance videos are used as significant court evidence. As these surveillance videos can easily be forged, it may cause serious social issues, such as convicting an innocent person. Nevertheless, there is little research being done on forgery of surveillance videos. This paper proposes a forensic technique to detect forgeries of surveillance video based on sensor pattern noise (SPN). We exploit the scaling invariance of the minimum average correlation energy Mellin radial harmonic (MACE-MRH) correlation filter to reliably unveil traces of upscaling in videos. By excluding the high-frequency components of the investigated video and adaptively choosing the size of the local search window, the proposed method effectively localizes partially manipulated regions. Empirical evidence from a large database of test videos, including RGB (Red, Green, Blue)/infrared video, dynamic-/static-scene video and compressed video, indicates the superior performance of the proposed method. PMID:24051524

High definition versus standard definition white light endoscopy for detecting dysplasia in patients with Barrett's esophagus.

PubMed

Sami, S S; Subramanian, V; Butt, W M; Bejkar, G; Coleman, J; Mannath, J; Ragunath, K

2015-01-01

High-definition endoscopy systems provide superior image resolution. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of high definition compared with standard definition endoscopy system for detecting dysplastic lesions in patients with Barrett's esophagus. A retrospective cohort study of patients with non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus undergoing routine surveillance was performed. Data were retrieved from the central hospital electronic database. Procedures performed for non-surveillance indications, Barrett's esophagus Prague C0M1 classification with no specialized intestinal metaplasia on histology, patients diagnosed with any dysplasia or cancer on index endoscopy, and procedures using advanced imaging techniques were excluded. Logistic regression models were constructed to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals comparing outcomes with standard definition and high-definition systems. The high definition was superior to standard definition system in targeted detection of all dysplastic lesions (odds ratio 3.27, 95% confidence interval 1.27-8.40) as well as overall dysplasia detected on both random and target biopsies (odds ratio 2.36, 95% confidence interval 1.50-3.72). More non-dysplastic lesions were detected with the high-definition system (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.33). There was no difference between high definition and standard definition endoscopy in the overall (random and target) high-grade dysplasia or cancers detected (odds ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.83-1.04). Trainee endoscopists, number of biopsies taken, and male sex were all significantly associated with a higher yield for dysplastic lesions. The use of the high-definition endoscopy system is associated with better targeted detection of any dysplasia during routine Barrett's esophagus surveillance. However, high-definition endoscopy cannot replace random biopsies at present time. © 2014 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Molecular surveillance of measles and rubella in the WHO European Region: new challenges in the elimination phase.

PubMed

Santibanez, S; Hübschen, J M; Ben Mamou, M C; Muscat, M; Brown, K E; Myers, R; Donoso Mantke, O; Zeichhardt, H; Brockmann, D; Shulga, S V; Muller, C P; O'Connor, P M; Mulders, M N; Mankertz, A

2017-08-01

The WHO European Region (EUR) has adopted the goal of eliminating measles and rubella but individual countries perform differently in achieving this goal. Measles virus spread across the EUR by mobile groups has recently led to large outbreaks in the insufficiently vaccinated resident population. As an instrument for monitoring the elimination process and verifying the interruption of endemic virus transmission, molecular surveillance has to provide valid and representative data. Irrespective of the country's specific situation, it is required to ensure the functionality of the laboratory surveillance that is supported by the WHO Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network. To investigate whether the molecular surveillance in the EUR is adequate for the challenges in the elimination phase, we addressed the quality assurance of molecular data, the continuity and intensity of molecular monitoring, and the analysis of transmission chains. Published articles, the molecular External Quality Assessment Programme of the WHO, the Centralized Information System for Infectious Diseases of the WHO EUR and the WHO Measles and Rubella Nucleotide Surveillance databases served as information sources. Molecular proficiency testing conducted by the WHO in 2016 has shown that the expertise for measles and rubella virus genotyping exists in all parts of the EUR. The analysis of surveillance data reported nationally to the WHO in 2013-2016 has revealed some countries with outbreaks but not sufficiently representative molecular data. Long-lasting supranational MV transmission chains were identified. A more systematic molecular monitoring and recording of the transmission pattern for the whole EUR could help to create a meaningful picture of the elimination process. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. All rights reserved.

Possibility of Database Research as a Means of Pharmacovigilance in Japan Based on a Comparison with Sertraline Postmarketing Surveillance.

PubMed

Hirano, Yoko; Asami, Yuko; Kuribayashi, Kazuhiko; Kitazaki, Shigeru; Yamamoto, Yuji; Fujimoto, Yoko

2018-05-01

Many pharmacoepidemiologic studies using large-scale databases have recently been utilized to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of drugs in Western countries. In Japan, however, conventional methodology has been applied to postmarketing surveillance (PMS) to collect safety and effectiveness information on new drugs to meet regulatory requirements. Conventional PMS entails enormous costs and resources despite being an uncontrolled observational study method. This study is aimed at examining the possibility of database research as a more efficient pharmacovigilance approach by comparing a health care claims database and PMS with regard to the characteristics and safety profiles of sertraline-prescribed patients. The characteristics of sertraline-prescribed patients recorded in a large-scale Japanese health insurance claims database developed by MinaCare Co. Ltd. were scanned and compared with the PMS results. We also explored the possibility of detecting signals indicative of adverse reactions based on the claims database by using sequence symmetry analysis. Diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hyperthyroidism served as exploratory events, and their detection criteria for the claims database were reported by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in Japan. Most of the characteristics of sertraline-prescribed patients in the claims database did not differ markedly from those in the PMS. There was no tendency for higher risks of the exploratory events after exposure to sertraline, and this was consistent with sertraline's known safety profile. Our results support the concept of using database research as a cost-effective pharmacovigilance tool that is free of selection bias . Further investigation using database research is required to confirm our preliminary observations. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Colonoscopic surveillance improves survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis in inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Lutgens, M W M D; Oldenburg, B; Siersema, P D; van Bodegraven, A A; Dijkstra, G; Hommes, D W; de Jong, D J; Stokkers, P C F; van der Woude, C J; Vleggaar, F P

2009-11-17

Colonoscopic surveillance provides the best practical means for preventing colorectal cancer (CRC) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Strong evidence for improved survival from surveillance programmes is sparse. The aim of this study was to compare tumour stage and survival of IBD patients with CRC who were a part of a surveillance programme with those who were not. A nationwide pathology database (PALGA (pathologisch anatomisch landelijk geautomatiseerd archief)) was consulted to identify IBD patients with CRC treated in all eight university hospitals in The Netherlands over a period of 15 years. Patients were assigned to the surveillance group when they had undergone one or more surveillance colonoscopies before a diagnosis of CRC. Patients who had not undergone surveillance served as controls. Tumour stage and survival were compared between the two groups. A total of 149 patients with IBD-associated CRC were identified. Twenty-three had had colonoscopic surveillance before CRC was discovered. The 5-year CRC-related survival rate of patients in the surveillance group was 100% compared with 74% in the non-surveillance group (P=0.042). In the surveillance group, only one patient died as a consequence of CRC compared with 29 patients in the control group (P=0.047). In addition, more early tumour stages were found in the surveillance group (P=0.004). These results provide evidence for improved survival from colonoscopic surveillance in IBD patients by detecting CRC at a more favourable tumour stage.

SEER Bibliography

Cancer.gov

Search this database of articles and other publications produced by cancer registry staff and Surveillance Research Program staff. Search by author, title, date, and organization. Provides links to PubMed and abstracts.

Methodological aspects of a GIS-based environmental health inspection program used in the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

PubMed

Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Soteriades, Elpidoforos S; Kolonia, Virginia; Falagas, Matthew E; Pantelopoulos, Efstathios; Panagakos, Georgios; Mouchtouri, Varvara; Kremastinou, Jeni

2005-09-02

The use of geographical information system (GIS) technologies in public health surveillance is gradually gaining momentum around the world and many applications have already been reported in the literature. In this study, GIS technology was used to help county departments of Public Health to implement environmental health surveillance for the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games. In order to assess the workload in each Olympic county, 19 registry forms and 17 standardized inspection forms were developed to register and inspect environmental health items requiring inspection (Hotels, restaurants, swimming pools, water supply system etc), respectively. Furthermore, related databases were created using Epi Info 2002 and a geographical information system (GIS) were used to implement an integrated Environmental Health inspection program. The project was conducted in Athens by the Olympic Planning Unit (OPU) of the National School of Public Health, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and the corresponding departments of Public Health in all municipalities that were scheduled to host events during the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic games. A total of 44,741 premises of environmental health interest were geocoded into GIS databases and several electronic maps were developed. Using such maps in association with specific criteria, we first identified the maximum workload required to execute environmental health inspections in all premises within the eleven Olympic County Departments of Public Health. Six different scenarios were created for each county, based on devised algorithms in order to design the most effective and realistic inspection program using the available inspectors from each municipality. Furthermore, GIS applications were used to organize the daily inspection program for the Olympic games, provide coloured displays of the inspection results and link those results with the public health surveillance of specific cases or outbreak investigation. Our computerised program exhibited significant efficiency in facilitating the prudent use of public health resources in implementing environmental health inspections in densely populated urban areas as well as in rural counties. Furthermore, the application of simple algorithms in integrating human and other resources provided tailored and cost-effective applications to different public health agencies.

Disproportionality analysis of buprenorphine transdermal system and cardiac arrhythmia using FDA and WHO postmarketing reporting system data.

PubMed

Sessler, Nelson E; Walker, Ekaterina; Chickballapur, Harsha; Kacholakalayil, James; Coplan, Paul M

2017-01-01

Positive-controlled clinical studies have shown a dose dependent effect of buprenorphine transdermal system on QTc interval prolongation. This study provides assessment of the buprenorphine transdermal system and cardiac arrhythmia using US FDA and WHO postmarketing reporting databases. Disproportionality analysis of spontaneously reported adverse events to assess whether the reporting rate of cardiac arrhythmia events was disproportionately elevated relative to expected rates of reporting in both FDA and WHO databases. Cardiac arrhythmia events were identified using the standardized Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities query for torsade de pointes and/or QT prolongation (TdP/QTP). The threshold for a signal of disproportionate adverse event reporting was defined as the lower 90% confidence limit ≥ 2 of the Empiric Bayes geometric mean in FDA database and as the lower 95% confidence limit of the Informational Component >0 in WHO database. There were 124 (<1%) and 77 (2%) cardiac arrhythmia event cases associated with buprenorphine transdermal as compared to 3206 (12%) and 2913 (14%) involving methadone in the FDA and WHO databases, respectively. In the FDA database methadone was associated with a signal of disproportionate reporting for TdP/QTP (EB05 3.26); however, buprenorphine transdermal was not (EB05 0.33). In the WHO database methadone was associated with a signal of disproportionate reporting for TdP/QTP (IC025 2.66); however, buprenorphine transdermal was not (IC025 -0.88). Similar trends were observed in sensitivity analyses by age, gender, and specific terms related to ventricular arrhythmia. The signal identified in the transdermal buprenorphine thorough QTc study, which led to a dose limitation in its US label, does not translate into a signal of increased risk for cardiac arrhythmia in real world use, as assessed by this method of analyzing post-market surveillance data.

Application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health system to symptoms of the Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies.

PubMed

Conway, Kristin M; Ciafaloni, Emma; Matthews, Dennis; Westfield, Chris; James, Kathy; Paramsothy, Pangaja; Romitti, Paul A

2018-07-01

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies, collectively referred to as dystrophinopathies, are X-linked recessive diseases that affect dystrophin production resulting in compromised muscle function across multiple systems. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health provides a systematic classification scheme from which body functions affected by a dystrophinopathy can be identified and used to examine functional health. The infrastructure of the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network was used to identify commonly affected body functions and link selected functions to clinical surveillance data collected through medical record abstraction. Seventy-one (24 second-, 41 third- and 7 fourth-level) body function categories were selected via clinician review and consensus. Of these, 15 of 24 retained second-level categories were linked to data elements from the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network surveillance database. Our findings support continued development of a core set of body functions from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health system that are representative of disease progression in dystrophinopathies and the incorporation of these functions in standardized evaluations of functional health and implementation of individualized rehabilitation care plans. Implications for Rehabilitation Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies, collectively referred to as dystrophinopathies, are X-linked recessive disorders that affect the production of dystrophin resulting in compromised muscle function across multiple systems. The severity and progressive nature of dystrophinopathies can have considerable impact on a patient's participation in activities across multiple life domains. Our findings support continued development of an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core set for childhood-onset dystrophinopathies. A standardized dystrophinopathy International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health documentation form can be used as a screening tool by rehabilitation professionals and for patient goal setting when developing rehabilitation plans. Patient reports of perceived functional health should be incorporated into the rehabilitation plan and therapeutic progress monitored by a standardized form.

Evidence in Practice - A Pilot Study Leveraging Companion Animal and Equine Health Data from Primary Care Veterinary Clinics in New Zealand.

PubMed

Muellner, Petra; Muellner, Ulrich; Gates, M Carolyn; Pearce, Trish; Ahlstrom, Christina; O'Neill, Dan; Brodbelt, Dave; Cave, Nick John

2016-01-01

Veterinary practitioners have extensive knowledge of animal health from their day-to-day observations of clinical patients. There have been several recent initiatives to capture these data from electronic medical records for use in national surveillance systems and clinical research. In response, an approach to surveillance has been evolving that leverages existing computerized veterinary practice management systems to capture animal health data recorded by veterinarians. Work in the United Kingdom within the VetCompass program utilizes routinely recorded clinical data with the addition of further standardized fields. The current study describes a prototype system that was developed based on this approach. In a 4-week pilot study in New Zealand, clinical data on presentation reasons and diagnoses from a total of 344 patient consults were extracted from two veterinary clinics into a dedicated database and analyzed at the population level. New Zealand companion animal and equine veterinary practitioners were engaged to test the feasibility of this national practice-based health information and data system. Strategies to ensure continued engagement and submission of quality data by participating veterinarians were identified, as were important considerations for transitioning the pilot program to a sustainable large-scale and multi-species surveillance system that has the capacity to securely manage big data. The results further emphasized the need for a high degree of usability and smart interface design to make such a system work effectively in practice. The geospatial integration of data from multiple clinical practices into a common operating picture can be used to establish the baseline incidence of disease in New Zealand companion animal and equine populations, detect unusual trends that may indicate an emerging disease threat or welfare issue, improve the management of endemic and exotic infectious diseases, and support research activities. This pilot project is an important step toward developing a national surveillance system for companion animals and equines that moves beyond emerging infectious disease detection to provide important animal health information that can be used by a wide range of stakeholder groups, including participating veterinary practices.

The FAO/NASA/NLR Artemis system - An integrated concept for environmental monitoring by satellite in support of food/feed security and desert locust surveillance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hielkema, J. U.; Howard, J. A.; Tucker, C. J.; Van Ingen Schenau, H. A.

1987-01-01

The African real time environmental monitoring using imaging satellites (Artemis) system, which should monitor precipitation and vegetation conditions on a continental scale, is presented. The hardware and software characteristics of the system are illustrated and the Artemis databases are outlined. Plans for the system include the use of hourly digital Meteosat data and daily NOAA/AVHRR data to study environmental conditions. Planned mapping activities include monthly rainfall anomaly maps, normalized difference vegetation index maps for ten day and monthly periods with a spatial resolution of 7.6 km, ten day crop/rangeland moisture availability maps, and desert locust potential breeding activity factor maps for a plague prevention program.

A geo-spatial data management system for potentially active volcanoes—GEOWARN project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogu, Radu C.; Dietrich, Volker J.; Jenny, Bernhard; Schwandner, Florian M.; Hurni, Lorenz

2006-02-01

Integrated studies of active volcanic systems for the purpose of long-term monitoring and forecast and short-term eruption prediction require large numbers of data-sets from various disciplines. A modern database concept has been developed for managing and analyzing multi-disciplinary volcanological data-sets. The GEOWARN project (choosing the "Kos-Yali-Nisyros-Tilos volcanic field, Greece" and the "Campi Flegrei, Italy" as test sites) is oriented toward potentially active volcanoes situated in regions of high geodynamic unrest. This article describes the volcanological database of the spatial and temporal data acquired within the GEOWARN project. As a first step, a spatial database embedded in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment was created. Digital data of different spatial resolution, and time-series data collected at different intervals or periods, were unified in a common, four-dimensional representation of space and time. The database scheme comprises various information layers containing geographic data (e.g. seafloor and land digital elevation model, satellite imagery, anthropogenic structures, land-use), geophysical data (e.g. from active and passive seismicity, gravity, tomography, SAR interferometry, thermal imagery, differential GPS), geological data (e.g. lithology, structural geology, oceanography), and geochemical data (e.g. from hydrothermal fluid chemistry and diffuse degassing features). As a second step based on the presented database, spatial data analysis has been performed using custom-programmed interfaces that execute query scripts resulting in a graphical visualization of data. These query tools were designed and compiled following scenarios of known "behavior" patterns of dormant volcanoes and first candidate signs of potential unrest. The spatial database and query approach is intended to facilitate scientific research on volcanic processes and phenomena, and volcanic surveillance.

Systematic review of surveillance by social media platforms for illicit drug use.

PubMed

Kazemi, Donna M; Borsari, Brian; Levine, Maureen J; Dooley, Beau

2017-12-01

The use of social media (SM) as a surveillance tool of global illicit drug use is limited. To address this limitation, a systematic review of literature focused on the ability of SM to better recognize illicit drug use trends was addressed. A search was conducted in databases: PubMed, CINAHL via Ebsco, PsychINFO via Ebsco, Medline via Ebsco, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, ABI/INFORM Complete and Communication and Mass Media Complete. Included studies were original research published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2005 and June 2015 that primarily focused on collecting data from SM platforms to track trends in illicit drug use. Excluded were studies focused on purchasing prescription drugs from illicit online pharmacies. Selected studies used a range of SM tools/applications, including message boards, Twitter and blog/forums/platform discussions. Limitations included relevance, a lack of standardized surveillance systems and a lack of efficient algorithms to isolate relevant items. Illicit drug use is a worldwide problem, and the rise of global social networking sites has led to the evolution of a readily accessible surveillance tool. Systematic approaches need to be developed to efficiently extract and analyze illicit drug content from social networks to supplement effective prevention programs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Pertussis surveillance and control: exploring variations and delays in testing, laboratory diagnostics and public health service notifications, the Netherlands, 2010 to 2013

PubMed Central

Heil, Jeanne; ter Waarbeek, Henriëtte L G; Hoebe, Christian J P A; Jacobs, Peter H A; van Dam, Dirk W; Trienekens, Thera A M; Cals, Jochen W L; van Loo, Inge H M; Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole H T M

2017-01-01

Pertussis is most severe among unvaccinated infants (< 1 year of age), and still leads to several reported deaths in the Netherlands every year. In order to avoid pertussis-related infant morbidity and mortality, pertussis surveillance data are used to guide pertussis control measures. However, more insight into the accuracy of pertussis surveillance and control, and into the range of healthcare and public health-related factors that impede this are needed. We analysed a unique combination of data sources from one Dutch region of 1.1 million residents, including data from laboratory databases and local public health notifications between 2010 and 2013. This large study (n = 12,090 pertussis tests) reveals possible misdiagnoses, substantial under-notification (18%, 412/2,301 laboratory positive episodes) and a delay between patient symptoms and notification to the local public health services (median 34 days, interquartile range (IQR): 27–54). It is likely that the misdiagnoses, under-notification and overall delay in surveillance data are not unique to this area of the Netherlands, and are generalisable to other countries in Europe. In addition to preventive measures such as maternal immunisation, based on current findings, we further recommend greater adherence to testing guidelines, standardisation of test interpretation guidelines, use of automatic notification systems and earlier preventive measures. PMID:28749331

Improving the postmarket surveillance of total joint arthroplasty devices.

PubMed

Mahomed, Nizar N; Syed, Khalid; Sledge, Clement B; Brennan, Troyen A; Liang, Matthew H

2008-01-01

To evaluate the FDA's approval process and postmarket surveillance strategies for THR devices. The FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) 510k releasable database was used to document approved THR devices. The CDRH Medical Device Reporting data files were used to study the efficiency of the FDA's post-market surveillance system. Manufacturers were contacted to supply information regarding their implants. Medline was searched between 1966-1996 to determine the percentage of THR devices with published data on clinical outcomes. Between 1976 and 1996, 701 new THR devices were approved by the Substantial Equivalent (SE) route and 34 were approved on the basis of Premarket Approval PMA. The number of approvals doubled between 1991-1995 compared to 1976-1990. Seventy-four different manufacturers obtained approval to market THR devices. Only four manufacturers obtained approval via the PMA application. Under Mandatory Device Reporting all revision arthroplasties should be reported. Using data from 2 independent services for which we had US hospital discharge data in 1993 we estimate that only 3% of all revision THR were reported to the FDA. Manufacturers of hip implants failed to provide useful information. Medline search revealed only 15% of the approved THR devices had published data on outcomes. Current FDA premarket approval and postmarket surveillance strategies fail to provide information for evidence-based selection of THR devices. Recommendations are made to avert problems with device failures.

A decade of environmental public health tracking (2002-2012): progress and challenges.

PubMed

Kearney, Gregory D; Namulanda, Gonza; Qualters, Judith R; Talbott, Evelyn O

2015-01-01

The creation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Environmental Public Health Tracking Program spawned an invigorating and challenging approach toward implementing the nation's first population-based, environmental disease tracking surveillance system. More than 10 years have passed since its creation and an abundance of peer-reviewed articles have been published spanning a broad variety of public health topics related primarily to the goal of reducing diseases of environmental origin. To evaluate peer-reviewed literature related to Environmental Public Health Tracking during 2002-2012, recognize major milestones and challenges, and offer recommendations. A narrative overview was conducted using titles and abstracts of peer-reviewed articles, key word searches, and science-based search engine databases. Eighty published articles related to "health tracking" were identified and categorized according to 4 crossed-central themes. The Science and Research theme accounted for the majority of published articles, followed by Policy and Practice, Collaborations Among Health and Environmental Programs, and Network Development. Overall, progress was reported in the areas of data linkage, data sharing, surveillance methods, and network development. Ongoing challenges included formulating better ways to establish the connections between health and the environment, such as using biomonitoring, public water systems, and private well water data. Recommendations for future efforts include use of data to inform policy and practice and use of electronic health records data for environmental health surveillance.

Disc herniations in the national football league.

PubMed

Gray, Benjamin L; Buchowski, Jacob M; Bumpass, David B; Lehman, Ronald A; Mall, Nathan A; Matava, Matthew J

2013-10-15

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. To determine the overall incidence, location, and type of disc herniations in professional football players to target treatment issues and prevention. Disc herniations represent a common and debilitating injury to the professional athlete. The NFL's (National Football League's) Sports Injury Monitoring System is a surveillance database created to monitor the league for all injuries, including injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. A retrospective analysis was performed on all disc herniations to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine during a 12-season period (2000-2012) using the NFL's surveillance database. The primary data points included the location of the injury, player position, activity at time of injury, and playing time lost due to injury. During the 12 seasons, 275 disc herniations occurred in the spine. In regard to location, 76% occurred in the lumbar spine and most frequently affected the L5-S1 disc. The offensive linemen were most frequently injured. As expected, blocking was the activity that caused most injuries. Lumbar disc herniations rose in prevalence and had a mean loss of playing time of more than half the season (11 games). Thoracic disc herniations led to the largest mean number of days lost overall, whereas players with cervical disc herniations missed the most practices. Disc herniations represent a significant cause of morbidity in the NFL. Although much attention is placed on spinal cord injuries, preventive measures targeting the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine may help to reduce the overall incidence of these debilitating injuries.Level of Evidence: N/A.

Disc herniations in the National Football League.

PubMed

Gray, Benjamin L; Buchowski, Jacob M; Bumpass, David B; Lehman, Ronald A; Mall, Nathan A; Matava, Matthew J

2013-10-15

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. To determine the overall incidence, location, and type of disc herniations in professional football players to target treatment issues and prevention. Disc herniations represent a common and debilitating injury to the professional athlete. The NFL's (National Football League's) Sports Injury Monitoring System is a surveillance database created to monitor the league for all injuries, including injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. A retrospective analysis was performed on all disc herniations to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine during a 12-season period (2000–2012) using the NFL's surveillance database. The primary data points included the location of the injury, player position, activity at time of injury, and playing time lost due to injury. During the 12 seasons, 275 disc herniations occurred in the spine. In regard to location, 76% occurred in the lumbar spine and most frequently affected the L5–S1 disc. The offensive linemen were most frequently injured. As expected, blocking was the activity that caused most injuries. Lumbar disc herniations rose in prevalence and had a mean loss of playing time of more than half the season (11 games). Thoracic disc herniations led to the largest mean number of days lost overall, whereas players with cervical disc herniations missed the most practices. Disc herniations represent a significant cause of morbidity in the NFL. Although much attention is placed on spinal cord injuries, preventive measures targeting the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine may help to reduce the overall incidence of these debilitating injuries. N/A

Prevalence and Functioning of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Four Areas of the United States in 2006: A Report from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Russell S.; Wingate, Martha S.; Van Naarden Braun, Kim; Doernberg, Nancy S.; Arneson, Carrie L.; Benedict, Ruth E.; Mulvihill, Beverly; Durkin, Maureen S.; Fitzgerald, Robert T.; Maenner, Matthew J.; Patz, Jean A.; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn

2011-01-01

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP) and the frequency of co-occurring developmental disabilities (DDs), gross motor function (GMF), and walking ability using the largest surveillance DD database in the US. Methods: We conducted population-based surveillance of 8-year-old children in 2006 (N = 142,338), in areas of Alabama,…

Surveillance for leptospirosis in the Americas, 1996–2005: a review of data from ministries of health

PubMed Central

Costa, Federico; Martinez-Silveira, Martha Silvia; Hagan, José E.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; dos Reis, Mitermayer Galvão; Ko, Albert Icksang

2014-01-01

Objective To characterize current leptospirosis reporting practices in the Americas. Methods Information was collected from the official websites of national ministries of health from the Americas region and two international organizations; personal communications; and three international morbidity databases. For all sources other than the morbidity databases, the review was limited to official reports citing clinically suspected and laboratory confirmed leptospirosis cases or deaths during the period 1996–2005. Results A total of 73 out of 1 644 reports met the selection criteria and were included in the analysis. Published leptospirosis data were available from half of the countries/sovereign territories (24 out of 48), and 18 of them had mandatory notification policies for leptospirosis. The sum of the median number of leptospirosis cases notified annually by the 24 countries/territories was 4 713.5, but just three countries (Brazil, Costa Rica, and Cuba) accounted for 83.1% (3 920 cases) of the notifications. Eight (16.7%) countries reported deaths due to leptospirosis. The sum of the median number of deaths reported annually for the eight countries was 380, but 349 (91.8%) were reported by Brazil. Conclusions Notification practices in the Americas for leptospirosis are limited. Therefore, the numbers of cases and deaths reported are not representative for the region. The lack of leptospirosis data for many countries/territories may reflect weaknesses in certain aspects of national surveillance systems, including mandatory reporting policies, clinical laboratory infrastructure for performing case confirmation, and capacity to collect reported cases. Improved surveillance of leptospirosis cases and deaths in the Americas is needed to allow monitoring of regional epidemiological patterns and to estimate the burden of this important disease. PMID:23183556

Modern information technologies in environmental health surveillance. An overview and analysis.

PubMed

Bédard, Yvan; Henriques, William D

2002-01-01

In recent years we have witnessed the massive introduction of new information technologies that are drastically changing the face of our society. These technologies are being implemented en masse in developed countries, but also in some pockets of developing nations as well. They rely on the convergence of several technologies such as powerful and affordable computers, real-time electronic measurement and monitoring devices, massive production of digital information in different formats, and faster, wireless communication media. Such technologies are having significant impacts on every domain of application, including environmental health surveillance. The current paper provides an overview of those technologies that are having or will likely have the most significant impacts on environmental health. They include World Wide Web-based systems and applications, Database Management Systems and Universal Servers, and GIS and related technologies. The usefulness of these technologies as well as the desire to use them further in the future in the context of environmental health are discussed. Expanding the development and use of these technologies to obtain support for global environmental health will require major efforts in the areas of data access, training and support.

Arizona Hospital Discharge and Emergency Department Database: Implications for Occupational Health Surveillance.

PubMed

Harber, Philip; Ha, Jennifer; Roach, Matthew

2017-04-01

The objective of the project was to identify trends in emergency department visits and inpatient admissions for occupational injury and disease frequency and describe the financial impact from specific clinical groups known to have occupational risk factors. Workers compensation cases among 19 million records in the Arizona statewide hospital discharge database (HDD) were assessed for seven clinical groups from 2008 to 2014, including back, cardiac, carpal tunnel syndrome, heat-related, psychiatric, pulmonary, and trauma. Cases with cardiac, psychiatric, and pulmonary diagnoses were both frequent and expensive. Although incidence was generally stable, charges per case rose significantly over the time period. Inpatient and emergency department records provide valuable data that complement other surveillance approaches for both occupational illnesses and injuries. Tracking charge as well as incidence data is useful.

Herpes zoster surveillance using electronic databases in the Valencian Community (Spain)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Epidemiologic data of Herpes Zoster (HZ) disease in Spain are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology of HZ in the Valencian Community (Spain), using outpatient and hospital electronic health databases. Methods Data from 2007 to 2010 was collected from computerized health databases of a population of around 5 million inhabitants. Diagnoses were recorded by physicians using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). A sample of medical records under different criteria was reviewed by a general practitioner, to assess the reliability of codification. Results The average annual incidence of HZ was 4.60 per 1000 persons-year (PY) for all ages (95% CI: 4.57-4.63), is more frequent in women [5.32/1000PY (95% CI: 5.28-5.37)] and is strongly age-related, with a peak incidence at 70-79 years. A total of 7.16/1000 cases of HZ required hospitalization. Conclusions Electronic health database used in the Valencian Community is a reliable electronic surveillance tool for HZ disease and will be useful to define trends in disease burden before and after HZ vaccine introduction. PMID:24094135

Syndrome surveillance of fentanyl-laced heroin outbreaks: Utilization of EMS, Medical Examiner and Poison Center databases.

PubMed

Moore, P Quincy; Weber, Joseph; Cina, Steven; Aks, Steven

2017-11-01

Describe surveillance data from three existing surveillance systems during an unexpected fentanyl outbreak in a large metropolitan area. We performed a retrospective analysis of three data sets: Chicago Fire Department EMS, Cook County Medical Examiner, and Illinois Poison Center. Each included data from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. EMS data included all EMS responses in Chicago, Illinois, for suspected opioid overdose in which naloxone was administered and EMS personnel documented other criteria indicative of opioid overdose. Medical Examiner data included all deaths in Cook County, Illinois, related to heroin, fentanyl or both. Illinois Poison Center data included all calls in Chicago, Illinois, related to fentanyl, heroin, and other prescription opioids. Descriptive statistics using Microsoft Excel® were used to analyze the data and create figures. We identified a spike in opioid-related EMS responses during an 11-day period from September 30-October 10, 2015. Medical Examiner data showed an increase in both fentanyl and mixed fentanyl/heroin related deaths during the months of September and October, 2015 (375% and 550% above the median, respectively.) Illinois Poison Center data showed no significant increase in heroin, fentanyl, or other opioid-related calls during September and October 2015. Our data suggests that EMS data is an effective real-time surveillance mechanism for changes in the rate of opioid overdoses. Medical Examiner's data was found to be valuable for confirmation of EMS surveillance data and identification of specific intoxicants. Poison Center data did not correlate with EMS or Medical Examiner data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Making the most of injury surveillance data: Using narrative text to identify exposure information in case-control studies

PubMed Central

Graves, Janessa M.; Whitehill, Jennifer M.; Hagel, Brent E.; Rivara, Frederick P.

2015-01-01

Introduction Free-text fields in injury surveillance databases can provide detailed information beyond routinely coded data. Additional data, such as exposures and covariates can be identified from narrative text and used to conduct case-control studies. Methods To illustrate this, we developed a text-search algorithm to identify helmet status (worn, not worn, use unknown) in the U.S. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) narratives for bicycling and other sports injuries from 2005 to 2011. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for head injury associated with helmet use, with non-head injuries representing controls. For bicycling, we validated ORs against published estimates. ORs were calculated for other sports and we examined factors associated with helmet reporting. Results Of 105,614 bicycling injury narratives reviewed, 14.1% contained sufficient helmet information for use in the case-control study. The adjusted ORs for head injuries associated with helmet-wearing were smaller than, but directionally consistent, with previously published estimates (e.g., 1999 Cochrane Review). ORs illustrated a protective effect of helmets for other sports as well (less than 1). Conclusions This exploratory analysis illustrates the potential utility of relatively simple text-search algorithms to identify additional variables in surveillance data. Limitations of this study include possible selection bias and the inability to identify individuals with multiple injuries. A similar approach can be applied to study other injuries, conditions, risks, or protective factors. This approach may serve as an efficient method to extend the utility of injury surveillance data to conduct epidemiological research. PMID:25498331

DoD Global Emerging Infections Surveillance & Response System (DoD-GEIS). Global Influenza Surveillance Efforts

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-08

DoD Global Emerging Infections Surveillance & Response System (DoD-GEIS) Global Influenza Surveillance Efforts 8 January 2007 COL (Ret.) Jose L...SUBTITLE DoD Global Emerging Infections Surveillance & Response System (DoD-GEIS) Global Influenza Surveillance Efforts 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT...PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Lab-Based Influenza Surveillance • Sentinel Surveillance • Air Force

Pediatric post-marketing safety systems in North America: assessment of the current status.

PubMed

McMahon, Ann W; Wharton, Gerold T; Bonnel, Renan; DeCelle, Mary; Swank, Kimberley; Testoni, Daniela; Cope, Judith U; Smith, Phillip Brian; Wu, Eileen; Murphy, Mary Dianne

2015-08-01

It is critical to have pediatric post-marketing safety systems that contain enough clinical and epidemiological detail to draw regulatory, public health, and clinical conclusions. The pediatric safety surveillance workshop (PSSW), coordinated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), identified these pediatric systems as of 2010. This manuscript aims to update the information from the PSSW and look critically at the systems currently in use. We reviewed North American pediatric post-marketing safety systems such as databases, networks, and research consortiums found in peer-reviewed journals and other online sources. We detail clinical examples from three systems that FDA used to assess pediatric medical product safety. Of the 59 systems reviewed for pediatric content, only nine were pediatric-focused and met the inclusion criteria. Brief descriptions are provided for these nine. The strengths and weaknesses of three systems (two of the nine pediatric-focused and one including both children and adults) are illustrated with clinical examples. Systems reviewed in this manuscript have strengths such as clinical detail, a large enough sample size to capture rare adverse events, and/or a patient denominator internal to the database. Few systems include all of these attributes. Pediatric drug safety would be better informed by utilizing multiple systems to take advantage of their individual characteristics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The integrated proactive surveillance system for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Wang, Haibin; Yatawara, Mahendra; Huang, Shao-Chi; Dudley, Kevin; Szekely, Christine; Holden, Stuart; Piantadosi, Steven

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the integrated proactive surveillance system for prostate cancer (PASS-PC). The integrated PASS-PC is a multi-institutional web-based system aimed at collecting a variety of data on prostate cancer patients in a standardized and efficient way. The integrated PASS-PC was commissioned by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and built through the joint of efforts by a group of experts in medical oncology, genetics, pathology, nutrition, and cancer research informatics. Their main goal is facilitating the efficient and uniform collection of critical demographic, lifestyle, nutritional, dietary and clinical information to be used in developing new strategies in diagnosing, preventing and treating prostate cancer.The integrated PASS-PC is designed based on common industry standards - a three tiered architecture and a Service- Oriented Architecture (SOA). It utilizes open source software and programming languages such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JQuery, Drupal and MySQL. We also use a commercial database management system - Oracle 11g. The integrated PASS-PC project uses a "confederation model" that encourages participation of any interested center, irrespective of its size or location. The integrated PASS-PC utilizes a standardized approach to data collection and reporting, and uses extensive validation procedures to prevent entering erroneous data. The integrated PASS-PC controlled vocabulary is harmonized with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus. Currently, two cancer centers in the USA are participating in the integrated PASS-PC project.THE FINAL SYSTEM HAS THREE MAIN COMPONENTS: 1. National Prostate Surveillance Network (NPSN) website; 2. NPSN myConnect portal; 3. Proactive Surveillance System for Prostate Cancer (PASS-PC). PASS-PC is a cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) compatible product. The integrated PASS-PC provides a foundation for collaborative prostate cancer research. It has been built to meet the short term goal of gathering prostate cancer related data, but also with the prerequisites in place for future evolution into a cancer research informatics platform. In the future this will be vital for successful prostate cancer studies, care and treatment.

The Integrated Proactive Surveillance System for Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

Wang, Haibin; Yatawara, Mahendra; Huang, Shao-Chi; Dudley, Kevin; Szekely, Christine; Holden, Stuart; Piantadosi, Steven

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the integrated proactive surveillance system for prostate cancer (PASS-PC). The integrated PASS-PC is a multi-institutional web-based system aimed at collecting a variety of data on prostate cancer patients in a standardized and efficient way. The integrated PASS-PC was commissioned by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and built through the joint of efforts by a group of experts in medical oncology, genetics, pathology, nutrition, and cancer research informatics. Their main goal is facilitating the efficient and uniform collection of critical demographic, lifestyle, nutritional, dietary and clinical information to be used in developing new strategies in diagnosing, preventing and treating prostate cancer. The integrated PASS-PC is designed based on common industry standards – a three tiered architecture and a Service- Oriented Architecture (SOA). It utilizes open source software and programming languages such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JQuery, Drupal and MySQL. We also use a commercial database management system – Oracle 11g. The integrated PASS-PC project uses a “confederation model” that encourages participation of any interested center, irrespective of its size or location. The integrated PASS-PC utilizes a standardized approach to data collection and reporting, and uses extensive validation procedures to prevent entering erroneous data. The integrated PASS-PC controlled vocabulary is harmonized with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus. Currently, two cancer centers in the USA are participating in the integrated PASS-PC project. The final system has three main components: 1. National Prostate Surveillance Network (NPSN) website; 2. NPSN myConnect portal; 3. Proactive Surveillance System for Prostate Cancer (PASS-PC). PASS-PC is a cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) compatible product. The integrated PASS-PC provides a foundation for collaborative prostate cancer research. It has been built to meet the short term goal of gathering prostate cancer related data, but also with the prerequisites in place for future evolution into a cancer research informatics platform. In the future this will be vital for successful prostate cancer studies, care and treatment. PMID:22505956

Multidisciplinary approach to successful implementation of production information system (PRISM)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shariff, M.R.; Gopalakrishnan, S.G.; Francis, N.

1995-12-31

A company wide corporate and regional production database supporting all production areas was envisaged critical to the current expansion within Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB). A multi disciplinary project team was thus formed to analyze the requirements prior to developing, testing, implementing and training users. PCSB has currently evolved into a mature E & P company on par with other E & P companies within the region. This expansion necessitates a common Production Information System for the efficient dissemination of vital Production Information for Production Surveillance, Reservoir Management, Reserve Assessment, Special Studies and Standardized Group-wide Reporting. This paper will discussmore » all the phases involved in the project which includes Systems Requirement Study, Data Migration, System Development, System Implementation and Post-Implementation Plan.« less

Health Information-Seeking Patterns of the General Public and Indications for Disease Surveillance: Register-Based Study Using Lyme Disease.

PubMed

Pesälä, Samuli; Virtanen, Mikko J; Sane, Jussi; Mustonen, Pekka; Kaila, Minna; Helve, Otto

2017-11-06

People using the Internet to find information on health issues, such as specific diseases, usually start their search from a general search engine, for example, Google. Internet searches such as these may yield results and data of questionable quality and reliability. Health Library is a free-of-charge medical portal on the Internet providing medical information for the general public. Physician's Databases, an Internet evidence-based medicine source, provides medical information for health care professionals (HCPs) to support their clinical practice. Both databases are available throughout Finland, but the latter is used only by health professionals and pharmacies. Little is known about how the general public seeks medical information from medical sources on the Internet, how this behavior differs from HCPs' queries, and what causes possible differences in behavior. The aim of our study was to evaluate how the general public's and HCPs' information-seeking trends from Internet medical databases differ seasonally and temporally. In addition, we aimed to evaluate whether the general public's information-seeking trends could be utilized for disease surveillance and whether media coverage could affect these seeking trends. Lyme disease, serving as a well-defined disease model with distinct seasonal variation, was chosen as a case study. Two Internet medical databases, Health Library and Physician's Databases, were used. We compared the general public's article openings on Lyme disease from Health Library to HCPs' article openings on Lyme disease from Physician's Databases seasonally across Finland from 2011 to 2015. Additionally, media publications related to Lyme disease were searched from the largest and most popular media websites in Finland. Both databases, Health Library and Physician's Databases, show visually similar patterns in temporal variations of article openings on Lyme disease in Finland from 2011 to 2015. However, Health Library openings show not only an increasing trend over time but also greater fluctuations, especially during peak opening seasons. Outside these seasons, publications in the media coincide with Health Library article openings only occasionally. Lyme disease-related information-seeking behaviors between the general public and HCPs from Internet medical portals share similar temporal variations, which is consistent with the trend seen in epidemiological data. Therefore, the general public's article openings could be used as a supplementary source of information for disease surveillance. The fluctuations in article openings appeared stronger among the general public, thus, suggesting that different factors such as media coverage, affect the information-seeking behaviors of the public versus professionals. However, media coverage may also have an influence on HCPs. Not every publication was associated with an increase in openings, but the higher the media coverage by some publications, the higher the general public's access to Health Library. ©Samuli Pesälä, Mikko J Virtanen, Jussi Sane, Pekka Mustonen, Minna Kaila, Otto Helve. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 06.11.2017.

Surveillance and early warning systems of infectious disease in China: From 2012 to 2014.

PubMed

Zhang, Honglong; Wang, Liping; Lai, Shengjie; Li, Zhongjie; Sun, Qiao; Zhang, Peng

2017-07-01

Appropriate surveillance and early warning of infectious diseases have very useful roles in disease control and prevention. In 2004, China established the National Notifiable Infectious Disease Surveillance System and the Public Health Emergency Event Surveillance System to report disease surveillance and events on the basis of data sources from the National Notifiable Infectious Disease Surveillance System, China Infectious Disease Automated-alert and Response System in this country. This study provided a descriptive summary and a data analysis, from 2012 to 2014, of these 3 key surveillance and early warning systems of infectious disease in China with the intent to provide suggestions for system improvement and perfection. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Establishing a cost-effective national surveillance system for Bluetongue using scenario tree modelling.

PubMed

Hadorn, Daniela C; Racloz, Vanessa; Schwermer, Heinzpeter; Stärk, Katharina D C

2009-01-01

Vector-borne diseases pose a special challenge to veterinary authorities due to complex and time-consuming surveillance programs taking into account vector habitat. Using stochastic scenario tree modelling, each possible surveillance activity of a future surveillance system can be evaluated with regard to its sensitivity and the expected cost. The overall sensitivity of various potential surveillance systems, composed of different combinations of surveillance activities, is calculated and the proposed surveillance system is optimized with respect to the considered surveillance activities, the sensitivity and the cost. The objective of this project was to use stochastic scenario tree modelling in combination with a simple cost analysis in order to develop the national surveillance system for Bluetongue in Switzerland. This surveillance system was established due to the emerging outbreak of Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) in Northern Europe in 2006. Based on the modelling results, it was decided to implement an improved passive clinical surveillance in cattle and sheep through campaigns in order to increase disease awareness alongside a targeted bulk milk testing strategy in 200 dairy cattle herds located in high-risk areas. The estimated median probability of detection of cases (i.e. sensitivity) of the surveillance system in this combined approach was 96.4%. The evaluation of the prospective national surveillance system predicted that passive clinical surveillance in cattle would provide the highest probability to detect BTV-8 infected animals, followed by passive clinical surveillance in sheep and bulk milk testing of 200 dairy cattle farms in high-risk areas. This approach is also applicable in other countries and to other epidemic diseases.

75 FR 81512 - Airworthiness Directives; Various Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-28

... Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Units AGENCY... & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) units during a flight test over... applies to Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance...

The development of an evaluation framework for injury surveillance systems

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Rebecca J; Williamson, Ann M; O'Connor, Rod

2009-01-01

Background Access to good quality information from injury surveillance is essential to develop and monitor injury prevention activities. To determine if information obtained from surveillance is of high quality, the limitations and strengths of a surveillance system are often examined. Guidelines have been developed to assist in evaluating certain types of surveillance systems. However, to date, no standard guidelines have been developed to specifically evaluate an injury surveillance system. The aim of this research is to develop a framework to guide the evaluation of injury surveillance systems. Methods The development of an Evaluation Framework for Injury Surveillance Systems (EFISS) involved a four stage process. First, a literature review was conducted to identify an initial set of characteristics that were recognised as important and/or had been recommended to be assessed in an evaluation of a surveillance system. Second, this set of characteristics was assessed using SMART criteria. Third, those surviving were presented to an expert panel using a two round modified-Delphi study to gain an alternative perspective on characteristic definitions, practicality of assessment, and characteristic importance. Finally, a rating system was created for the EFISS characteristics. Results The resulting EFISS consisted of 18 characteristics that assess three areas of an injury surveillance system – five characteristics assess data quality, nine characteristics assess the system's operation, and four characteristics assess the practical capability of an injury surveillance system. A rating system assesses the performance of each characteristic. Conclusion The development of the EFISS builds upon existing evaluation guidelines for surveillance systems and provides a framework tailored to evaluate an injury surveillance system. Ultimately, information obtained through an evaluation of an injury data collection using the EFISS would be useful for agencies to recommend how a collection could be improved to increase its usefulness for injury surveillance and in the long-term injury prevention. PMID:19627617

The Distribution of Cloud to Ground Lightning Strike Intensities and Associated Magnetic Inductance Fields Near the Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, Lee; Decker, Ryan

2005-01-01

Lightning strike location and peak current are monitored operationally in the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) area by the Cloud to Ground Lightning Surveillance System (CGLSS). The present study compiles ten years worth of CGLSS data into a database of near strikes. Using shuffle launch platform LP39A as a convenient central point, all strikes recorded within a 20-mile radius for the period of record O R ) from January 1, 1993 to December 31,2002 were included in the subset database. Histograms and cumulative probability curves are produced for both strike intensity (peak current, in kA) and the corresponding magnetic inductance fields (in A/m). Results for the full POR have application to launch operations lightning monitoring and post-strike test procedures.

A bootstrap based space-time surveillance model with an application to crime occurrences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Youngho; O'Kelly, Morton

2008-06-01

This study proposes a bootstrap-based space-time surveillance model. Designed to find emerging hotspots in near-real time, the bootstrap based model is characterized by its use of past occurrence information and bootstrap permutations. Many existing space-time surveillance methods, using population at risk data to generate expected values, have resulting hotspots bounded by administrative area units and are of limited use for near-real time applications because of the population data needed. However, this study generates expected values for local hotspots from past occurrences rather than population at risk. Also, bootstrap permutations of previous occurrences are used for significant tests. Consequently, the bootstrap-based model, without the requirement of population at risk data, (1) is free from administrative area restriction, (2) enables more frequent surveillance for continuously updated registry database, and (3) is readily applicable to criminology and epidemiology surveillance. The bootstrap-based model performs better for space-time surveillance than the space-time scan statistic. This is shown by means of simulations and an application to residential crime occurrences in Columbus, OH, year 2000.

The use of a computerized database to monitor vaccine safety in Viet Nam.

PubMed Central

Ali, Mohammad; Canh, Gia Do; Clemens, John D.; Park, Jin-Kyung; von Seidlein, Lorenz; Minh, Tan Truong; Thiem, Dinh Vu; Tho, Huu Le; Trach, Duc Dang

2005-01-01

Health information systems to monitor vaccine safety are used in industrialized countries to detect adverse medical events related to vaccinations or to prove the safety of vaccines. There are no such information systems in the developing world, but they are urgently needed. A large linked database for the monitoring of vaccine-related adverse events has been established in Khanh Hoa province, Viet Nam. Data collected during the first 2 years of surveillance, a period which included a mass measles vaccination campaign, were used to evaluate the system. For this purpose the discharge diagnoses of individuals admitted to polyclinics and hospitals were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 guidelines and linked in a dynamic population database with vaccination histories. A case-series analysis was applied to the cohort of children vaccinated during the mass measles vaccination campaign. The study recorded 107,022 immunizations in a catchment area with a population of 357,458 and confirmed vaccine coverage of 87% or higher for completed routine childhood vaccinations. The measles vaccination campaign immunized at least 86% of the targeted children aged 9 months to 10 years. No medical event was detected significantly more frequently during the 14 days after measles vaccination than before it. The experience in Viet Nam confirmed the safety of a measles vaccination campaign and shows that it is feasible to establish health information systems such as a large linked database which can provide reliable data in a developing country for a modest increase in use of resources. PMID:16193545

Value of syndromic surveillance within the Armed Forces for early warning during a dengue fever outbreak in French Guiana in 2006

PubMed Central

Meynard, Jean-Baptiste; Chaudet, Hervé; Texier, Gaetan; Ardillon, Vanessa; Ravachol, Françoise; Deparis, Xavier; Jefferson, Henry; Dussart, Philippe; Morvan, Jacques; Boutin, Jean-Paul

2008-01-01

Background A dengue fever outbreak occured in French Guiana in 2006. The objectives were to study the value of a syndromic surveillance system set up within the armed forces, compared to the traditional clinical surveillance system during this outbreak, to highlight issues involved in comparing military and civilian surveillance systems and to discuss the interest of syndromic surveillance for public health response. Methods Military syndromic surveillance allows the surveillance of suspected dengue fever cases among the 3,000 armed forces personnel. Within the same population, clinical surveillance uses several definition criteria for dengue fever cases, depending on the epidemiological situation. Civilian laboratory surveillance allows the surveillance of biologically confirmed cases, within the 200,000 inhabitants. Results It was shown that syndromic surveillance detected the dengue fever outbreak several weeks before clinical surveillance, allowing quick and effective enhancement of vector control within the armed forces. Syndromic surveillance was also found to have detected the outbreak before civilian laboratory surveillance. Conclusion Military syndromic surveillance allowed an early warning for this outbreak to be issued, enabling a quicker public health response by the armed forces. Civilian surveillance system has since introduced syndromic surveillance as part of its surveillance strategy. This should enable quicker public health responses in the future. PMID:18597694

Appearance-based multimodal human tracking and identification for healthcare in the digital home.

PubMed

Yang, Mau-Tsuen; Huang, Shen-Yen

2014-08-05

There is an urgent need for intelligent home surveillance systems to provide home security, monitor health conditions, and detect emergencies of family members. One of the fundamental problems to realize the power of these intelligent services is how to detect, track, and identify people at home. Compared to RFID tags that need to be worn all the time, vision-based sensors provide a natural and nonintrusive solution. Observing that body appearance and body build, as well as face, provide valuable cues for human identification, we model and record multi-view faces, full-body colors and shapes of family members in an appearance database by using two Kinects located at a home's entrance. Then the Kinects and another set of color cameras installed in other parts of the house are used to detect, track, and identify people by matching the captured color images with the registered templates in the appearance database. People are detected and tracked by multisensor fusion (Kinects and color cameras) using a Kalman filter that can handle duplicate or partial measurements. People are identified by multimodal fusion (face, body appearance, and silhouette) using a track-based majority voting. Moreover, the appearance-based human detection, tracking, and identification modules can cooperate seamlessly and benefit from each other. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the human tracking across multiple sensors and human identification considering the information of multi-view faces, full-body clothes, and silhouettes. The proposed home surveillance system can be applied to domestic applications in digital home security and intelligent healthcare.

Appearance-Based Multimodal Human Tracking and Identification for Healthcare in the Digital Home

PubMed Central

Yang, Mau-Tsuen; Huang, Shen-Yen

2014-01-01

There is an urgent need for intelligent home surveillance systems to provide home security, monitor health conditions, and detect emergencies of family members. One of the fundamental problems to realize the power of these intelligent services is how to detect, track, and identify people at home. Compared to RFID tags that need to be worn all the time, vision-based sensors provide a natural and nonintrusive solution. Observing that body appearance and body build, as well as face, provide valuable cues for human identification, we model and record multi-view faces, full-body colors and shapes of family members in an appearance database by using two Kinects located at a home's entrance. Then the Kinects and another set of color cameras installed in other parts of the house are used to detect, track, and identify people by matching the captured color images with the registered templates in the appearance database. People are detected and tracked by multisensor fusion (Kinects and color cameras) using a Kalman filter that can handle duplicate or partial measurements. People are identified by multimodal fusion (face, body appearance, and silhouette) using a track-based majority voting. Moreover, the appearance-based human detection, tracking, and identification modules can cooperate seamlessly and benefit from each other. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the human tracking across multiple sensors and human identification considering the information of multi-view faces, full-body clothes, and silhouettes. The proposed home surveillance system can be applied to domestic applications in digital home security and intelligent healthcare. PMID:25098207

Framework for evaluating public health surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks: recommendations from the CDC Working Group.

PubMed

Buehler, James W; Hopkins, Richard S; Overhage, J Marc; Sosin, Daniel M; Tong, Van

2004-05-07

The threat of terrorism and high-profile disease outbreaks has drawn attention to public health surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks. State and local health departments are enhancing existing surveillance systems and developing new systems to better detect outbreaks through public health surveillance. However, information is limited about the usefulness of surveillance systems for outbreak detection or the best ways to support this function. This report supplements previous guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems. Use of this framework is intended to improve decision-making regarding the implementation of surveillance for outbreak detection. Use of a standardized evaluation methodology, including description of system design and operation, also will enhance the exchange of information regarding methods to improve early detection of outbreaks. The framework directs particular attention to the measurement of timeliness and validity for outbreak detection. The evaluation framework is designed to support assessment and description of all surveillance approaches to early detection, whether through traditional disease reporting, specialized analytic routines for aberration detection, or surveillance using early indicators of disease outbreaks, such as syndromic surveillance.

[A review on the advancement of internet-based public health surveillance program].

PubMed

Zhao, Y Q; Ma, W J

2017-02-10

Internet data is introduced into public health arena under the features of fast updating and tremendous volume. Mining and analyzing internet data, researchers can model the internet-based surveillance system to assess the distribution of health-related events. There are two main types of internet-based surveillance systems, i.e. active and passive, which are distinguished by the sources of information. Through passive surveillance system, information is collected from search engine and social media while the active system gathers information through provision of the volunteers. Except for serving as a real-time and convenient complementary approach to traditional disease, food safety and adverse drug reaction surveillance program, Internet-based surveillance system can also play a role in health-related behavior surveillance and policy evaluation. Although several techniques have been applied to filter information, the accuracy of internet-based surveillance system is still bothered by the false positive information. In this article, we have summarized the development and application of internet-based surveillance system in public health to provide reference for a better surveillance program in China.

Design and implementation of distributed multimedia surveillance system based on object-oriented middleware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xuesong; Jiang, Ling; Hu, Ruimin

2006-10-01

Currently, the applications of surveillance system have been increasingly widespread. But there are few surveillance platforms that can meet the requirement of large-scale, cross-regional, and flexible surveillance business. In the paper, we present a distributed surveillance system platform to improve safety and security of the society. The system is constructed by an object-oriented middleware called as Internet Communications Engine (ICE). This middleware helps our platform to integrate a lot of surveillance resource of the society and accommodate diverse range of surveillance industry requirements. In the follow sections, we will describe in detail the design concepts of system and introduce traits of ICE.

Will integrated surveillance systems for vectors and vector-borne diseases be the future of controlling vector-borne diseases? A practical example from China.

PubMed

Wu, Y; Ling, F; Hou, J; Guo, S; Wang, J; Gong, Z

2016-07-01

Vector-borne diseases are one of the world's major public health threats and annually responsible for 30-50% of deaths reported to the national notifiable disease system in China. To control vector-borne diseases, a unified, effective and economic surveillance system is urgently needed; all of the current surveillance systems in China waste resources and/or information. Here, we review some current surveillance systems and present a concept for an integrated surveillance system combining existing vector and vector-borne disease monitoring systems. The integrated surveillance system has been tested in pilot programmes in China and led to a 21·6% cost saving in rodent-borne disease surveillance. We share some experiences gained from these programmes.

Evaluation of Active Mortality Surveillance System Data for Monitoring Hurricane-Related Deaths—Texas, 2008

PubMed Central

Choudhary, Ekta; Zane, David F.; Beasley, Crystal; Jones, Russell; Rey, Araceli; Noe, Rebecca S.; Martin, Colleen; Wolkin, Amy F.; Bayleyegn, Tesfaye M.

2015-01-01

Introduction The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) implemented an active mortality surveillance system to enumerate and characterize hurricane-related deaths during Hurricane Ike in 2008. This surveillance system used established guidelines and case definitions to categorize deaths as directly, indirectly, and possibly related to Hurricane Ike. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate Texas DSHS’ active mortality surveillance system using US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) surveillance system evaluation guidelines. Methods Using CDC’s Updated Guidelines for Surveillance System Evaluation, the active mortality surveillance system of the Texas DSHS was evaluated. Data from the active mortality surveillance system were compared with Texas vital statistics data for the same time period to estimate the completeness of reported disaster-related deaths. Results From September 8 through October 13, 2008, medical examiners (MEs) and Justices of the Peace (JPs) in 44 affected counties reported deaths daily by using a one-page, standardized mortality form. The active mortality surveillance system identified 74 hurricane-related deaths, whereas a review of vital statistics data revealed only four deaths that were hurricane-related. The average time of reporting a death by active mortality surveillance and vital statistics was 14 days and 16 days, respectively. Conclusions Texas’s active mortality surveillance system successfully identified hurricane-related deaths. Evaluation of the active mortality surveillance system suggested that it is necessary to collect detailed and representative mortality data during a hurricane because vital statistics do not capture sufficient information to identify whether deaths are hurricane-related. The results from this evaluation will help improve active mortality surveillance during hurricanes which, in turn, will enhance preparedness and response plans and identify public health interventions to reduce future hurricane-related mortality rates. PMID:22800916

Evaluation of active mortality surveillance system data for monitoring hurricane-related deaths-Texas, 2008.

PubMed

Choudhary, Ekta; Zane, David F; Beasley, Crystal; Jones, Russell; Rey, Araceli; Noe, Rebecca S; Martin, Colleen; Wolkin, Amy F; Bayleyegn, Tesfaye M

2012-08-01

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) implemented an active mortality surveillance system to enumerate and characterize hurricane-related deaths during Hurricane Ike in 2008. This surveillance system used established guidelines and case definitions to categorize deaths as directly, indirectly, and possibly related to Hurricane Ike. The objective of this study was to evaluate Texas DSHS' active mortality surveillance system using US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) surveillance system evaluation guidelines. Using CDC's Updated Guidelines for Surveillance System Evaluation, the active mortality surveillance system of the Texas DSHS was evaluated. Data from the active mortality surveillance system were compared with Texas vital statistics data for the same time period to estimate the completeness of reported disaster-related deaths. From September 8 through October 13, 2008, medical examiners (MEs) and Justices of the Peace (JPs) in 44 affected counties reported deaths daily by using a one-page, standardized mortality form. The active mortality surveillance system identified 74 hurricane-related deaths, whereas a review of vital statistics data revealed only four deaths that were hurricane-related. The average time of reporting a death by active mortality surveillance and vital statistics was 14 days and 16 days, respectively. Texas's active mortality surveillance system successfully identified hurricane-related deaths. Evaluation of the active mortality surveillance system suggested that it is necessary to collect detailed and representative mortality data during a hurricane because vital statistics do not capture sufficient information to identify whether deaths are hurricane-related. The results from this evaluation will help improve active mortality surveillance during hurricanes which, in turn, will enhance preparedness and response plans and identify public health interventions to reduce future hurricane-related mortality rates.

Global Avian Influenza Surveillance in Wild Birds: A Strategy to Capture Viral Diversity

PubMed Central

Machalaba, Catherine C.; Elwood, Sarah E.; Forcella, Simona; Smith, Kristine M.; Hamilton, Keith; Jebara, Karim B.; Swayne, David E.; Webby, Richard J.; Mumford, Elizabeth; Mazet, Jonna A.K.; Gaidet, Nicolas; Daszak, Peter

2015-01-01

Wild birds play a major role in the evolution, maintenance, and spread of avian influenza viruses. However, surveillance for these viruses in wild birds is sporadic, geographically biased, and often limited to the last outbreak virus. To identify opportunities to optimize wild bird surveillance for understanding viral diversity, we reviewed responses to a World Organisation for Animal Health–administered survey, government reports to this organization, articles on Web of Knowledge, and the Influenza Research Database. At least 119 countries conducted avian influenza virus surveillance in wild birds during 2008–2013, but coordination and standardization was lacking among surveillance efforts, and most focused on limited subsets of influenza viruses. Given high financial and public health burdens of recent avian influenza outbreaks, we call for sustained, cost-effective investments in locations with high avian influenza diversity in wild birds and efforts to promote standardized sampling, testing, and reporting methods, including full-genome sequencing and sharing of isolates with the scientific community. PMID:25811221

Improving surveillance for injuries associated with potential motor vehicle safety defects

PubMed Central

Whitfield, R; Whitfield, A

2004-01-01

Objective: To improve surveillance for deaths and injuries associated with potential motor vehicle safety defects. Design: Vehicles in fatal crashes can be studied for indications of potential defects using an "early warning" surveillance statistic previously suggested for screening reports of adverse drug reactions. This statistic is illustrated with time series data for fatal, tire related and fire related crashes. Geographic analyses are used to augment the tire related statistics. Results: A statistical criterion based on the Poisson distribution that tests the likelihood of an expected number of events, given the number of events that actually occurred, is a promising method that can be readily adapted for use in injury surveillance. Conclusions: Use of the demonstrated techniques could have helped to avert a well known injury surveillance failure. This method is adaptable to aid in the direction of engineering and statistical reviews to prevent deaths and injuries associated with potential motor vehicle safety defects using available databases. PMID:15066972

[Results of the epidemiological surveillance of diabetes mellitus in hospitals in Peru, 2012].

PubMed

Ramos, Willy; López, Tania; Revilla, Luis; More, Luis; Huamaní, María; Pozo, Milagros

2014-01-01

To describe the findings of a year of epidemiological surveillance in pilot hospitals in Peru belonging to the diabetes surveillance (DS) system. Cross-sectional study involving diabetic patients in the DS system from 18 hospitals during 2012. The DS database was assessed and epidemiological and laboratory variables were obtained including age, sex, type of diabetes, complications, comorbidity, microalbuminuria, fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) at two time points - at the time of enrollment and the last followup. 2,959 cases were found. At the time of enrollment into the DS system, 91.2% had a fasting blood glucose test of which 65.4% had a level 130 mg/dL. 8.9% had a microalbuminuria test of which 20.5% had microalbuminuria and 6.5% proteinuria. In total, 1025 patients had a follow-up visit; 93.1% had a fasting blood glucose test and 22.3% had HbA1c test. 63.5% had a fasting glycemia level 130 mg/dL and 73.4% HbA1c level 7.0%. The most common complication was neuropathy (21.4 %) and the most frequent comorbidity was high blood pressure (10.5%). Tuberculosis and cancer cases were observed; the most frequent cancer was breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. The DS shows that among diabetics of the pilot hospitals, which have laboratory results, there is a high frequency of inadequate glycemic control and poor adherence to treatment. The high frequency of complications found highlights the need to strengthen early diagnosis.

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship: Use of Administrative and Surveillance Databases.

PubMed

Drees, Marci; Gerber, Jeffrey S; Morgan, Daniel J; Lee, Grace M

2016-11-01

Administrative and surveillance data are used frequently in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship (HE&AS) research because of their wide availability and efficiency. However, data quality issues exist, requiring careful consideration and potential validation of data. This methods paper presents key considerations for using administrative and surveillance data in HE&AS, including types of data available and potential use, data limitations, and the importance of validation. After discussing these issues, we review examples of HE&AS research using administrative data with a focus on scenarios when their use may be advantageous. A checklist is provided to help aid study development in HE&AS using administrative data. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-10.

Strategies for Improving Polio Surveillance Performance in the Security-Challenged Nigerian States of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe During 2009-2014.

PubMed

Hamisu, Abdullahi Walla; Johnson, Ticha Muluh; Craig, Kehinde; Mkanda, Pascal; Banda, Richard; Tegegne, Sisay G; Oyetunji, Ajiboye; Ningi, Nuhu; Mohammed, Said M; Adamu, Mohammed Isa; Abdulrahim, Khalid; Nsubuga, Peter; Vaz, Rui G; Muhammed, Ado J G

2016-05-01

The security-challenged states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe bear most of the brunt of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. The security challenge has led to the killing of health workers, destruction of health facilities, and displacement of huge populations. To identify areas of polio transmission and promptly detect possible cases of importation in these states, polio surveillance must be very sensitive. We conducted a retrospective review of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in the security-compromised states between 2009 and 2014, using the acute flaccid paralysis database at the World Health Organization Nigeria Country Office. We also reviewed the reports of surveillance activities conducted in these security-challenged states, to identify strategies that were implemented to improve polio surveillance. Environmental surveillance was implemented in Borno in 2013 and in Yobe in 2014. All disease surveillance and notification officers in the 3 security-challenged states now receive annual training, and the number of community informants in these states has dramatically increased. Media-based messaging (via radio and television) is now used to sensitize the public to the importance of surveillance, and contact samples have been regularly collected in both states since 2014. The strategies implemented in the security-challenged states improved the quality of polio surveillance during the review period. © 2016 World Health Organization; licensee Oxford Journals.

Strategies for Improving Polio Surveillance Performance in the Security-Challenged Nigerian States of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe During 2009–2014

PubMed Central

Hamisu, Abdullahi Walla; Johnson, Ticha Muluh; Craig, Kehinde; Mkanda, Pascal; Banda, Richard; Tegegne, Sisay G.; Oyetunji, Ajiboye; Ningi, Nuhu; Mohammed, Said M.; Adamu, Mohammed Isa; Abdulrahim, Khalid; Nsubuga, Peter; Vaz, Rui G.; Muhammed, Ado J. G.

2016-01-01

Background. The security-challenged states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe bear most of the brunt of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. The security challenge has led to the killing of health workers, destruction of health facilities, and displacement of huge populations. To identify areas of polio transmission and promptly detect possible cases of importation in these states, polio surveillance must be very sensitive. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in the security-compromised states between 2009 and 2014, using the acute flaccid paralysis database at the World Health Organization Nigeria Country Office. We also reviewed the reports of surveillance activities conducted in these security-challenged states, to identify strategies that were implemented to improve polio surveillance. Results. Environmental surveillance was implemented in Borno in 2013 and in Yobe in 2014. All disease surveillance and notification officers in the 3 security-challenged states now receive annual training, and the number of community informants in these states has dramatically increased. Media-based messaging (via radio and television) is now used to sensitize the public to the importance of surveillance, and contact samples have been regularly collected in both states since 2014. Conclusions. The strategies implemented in the security-challenged states improved the quality of polio surveillance during the review period. PMID:26655842

Description of two waterborne disease outbreaks in France: a comparative study with data from cohort studies and from health administrative databases.

PubMed

Mouly, D; Van Cauteren, D; Vincent, N; Vaissiere, E; Beaudeau, P; Ducrot, C; Gallay, A

2016-02-01

Waterborne disease outbreaks (WBDO) of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) are a public health concern in France. Their occurrence is probably underestimated due to the lack of a specific surveillance system. The French health insurance database provides an interesting opportunity to improve the detection of these events. A specific algorithm to identify AGI cases from drug payment reimbursement data in the health insurance database has been previously developed. The purpose of our comparative study was to retrospectively assess the ability of the health insurance data to describe WBDO. Data from the health insurance database was compared with the data from cohort studies conducted in two WBDO in 2010 and 2012. The temporal distribution of cases, the day of the peak and the duration of the epidemic, as measured using the health insurance data, were similar to the data from one of the two cohort studies. However, health insurance data accounted for 54 cases compared to the estimated 252 cases accounted for in the cohort study. The accuracy of using health insurance data to describe WBDO depends on the medical consultation rate in the impacted population. As this is never the case, data analysis underestimates the total number of AGI cases. However this data source can be considered for the development of a detection system of a WBDO in France, given its ability to describe an epidemic signal.

Nationwide incidence of motor neuron disease using the French health insurance information system database.

PubMed

Kab, Sofiane; Moisan, Frédéric; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Marin, Benoît; Elbaz, Alexis

2017-08-01

There are no estimates of the nationwide incidence of motor neuron disease (MND) in France. We used the French health insurance information system to identify incident MND cases (2012-2014), and compared incidence figures to those from three external sources. We identified incident MND cases (2012-2014) based on three data sources (riluzole claims, hospitalisation records, long-term chronic disease benefits), and computed MND incidence by age, gender, and geographic region. We used French mortality statistics, Limousin ALS registry data, and previous European studies based on administrative databases to perform external comparisons. We identified 6553 MND incident cases. After standardisation to the United States 2010 population, the age/gender-standardised incidence was 2.72/100,000 person-years (males, 3.37; females, 2.17; male:female ratio = 1.53, 95% CI1.46-1.61). There was no major spatial difference in MND distribution. Our data were in agreement with the French death database (standardised mortality ratio = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.96-1.06) and Limousin ALS registry (standardised incidence ratio = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.72-1.15). Incidence estimates were in the same range as those from previous studies. We report French nationwide incidence estimates of MND. Administrative databases including hospital discharge data and riluzole claims offer an interesting approach to identify large population-based samples of patients with MND for epidemiologic studies and surveillance.

Radiation Embrittlement Archive Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klasky, Hilda B; Bass, Bennett Richard; Williams, Paul T

2013-01-01

The Radiation Embrittlement Archive Project (REAP), which is being conducted by the Probabilistic Integrity Safety Assessment (PISA) Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory under funding from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission s (NRC) Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, aims to provide an archival source of information about the effect of neutron radiation on the properties of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. Specifically, this project is an effort to create an Internet-accessible RPV steel embrittlement database. The project s website, https://reap.ornl.gov, provides information in two forms: (1) a document archive with surveillance capsule(s) reports and related technical reports, in PDF format,more » for the 104 commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the United States, with similar reports from other countries; and (2) a relational database archive with detailed information extracted from the reports. The REAP project focuses on data collected from surveillance capsule programs for light-water moderated, nuclear power reactor vessels operated in the United States, including data on Charpy V-notch energy testing results, tensile properties, composition, exposure temperatures, neutron flux (rate of irradiation damage), and fluence, (Fast Neutron Fluence a cumulative measure of irradiation for E>1 MeV). Additionally, REAP contains data from surveillance programs conducted in other countries. REAP is presently being extended to focus on embrittlement data analysis, as well. This paper summarizes the current status of the REAP database and highlights opportunities to access the data and to participate in the project.« less

Childhood asthma surveillance using administrative data: consistency between medical billing and hospital discharge diagnoses.

PubMed

Labrèche, France; Kosatsky, Tom; Przybysz, Raymond

2008-01-01

The absence of ongoing surveillance for childhood asthma in Montreal, Quebec, prompted the present investigation to assess the validity and practicality of administrative databases as a foundation for surveillance. To explore the consistency between cases of asthma identified through physician billings compared with hospital discharge summaries. Rates of service use for asthma in 1998 among Montreal children aged one, four and eight years were estimated. Correspondence between the two databases (physician billing claims versus medical billing claims) were explored during three different time periods: the first day of hospitalization, during the entire hospital stay, and during the hospital stay plus a one-day margin before admission and after discharge ('hospital stay +/- 1 day'). During 1998, 7.6% of Montreal children consulted a physician for asthma at least once and 0.6% were hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of asthma. There were no contemporaneous physician billings for asthma 'in hospital' during hospital stay +/- 1 day for 22% of hospitalizations in which asthma was the primary diagnosis recorded at discharge. Conversely, among children with a physician billing for asthma 'in hospital', 66% were found to have a contemporaneous in-hospital record of a stay for 'asthma'. Both databases of hospital and medical billing claims are useful for estimating rates of hospitalization for asthma in children. The potential for diagnostic imprecision is of concern, especially if capturing the exact number of uses is more important than establishing patterns of use.

Identifying Unmet Treatment Needs for Patients With Osteoporotic Fracture: Feasibility Study for an Electronic Clinical Surveillance System.

PubMed

Lin, Fong-Ci; Wang, Chen-Yu; Shang, Rung Ji; Hsiao, Fei-Yuan; Lin, Mei-Shu; Hung, Kuan-Yu; Wang, Jui; Lin, Zhen-Fang; Lai, Feipei; Shen, Li-Jiuan; Huang, Chih-Fen

2018-04-24

Traditional clinical surveillance relied on the results from clinical trials and observational studies of administrative databases. However, these studies not only required many valuable resources but also faced a very long time lag. This study aimed to illustrate a practical application of the National Taiwan University Hospital Clinical Surveillance System (NCSS) in the identification of patients with an osteoporotic fracture and to provide a high reusability infrastructure for longitudinal clinical data. The NCSS integrates electronic medical records in the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) with a data warehouse and is equipped with a user-friendly interface. The NCSS was developed using professional insight from multidisciplinary experts, including clinical practitioners, epidemiologists, and biomedical engineers. The practical example identifying the unmet treatment needs for patients encountering major osteoporotic fractures described herein was mainly achieved by adopting the computerized workflow in the NCSS. We developed the infrastructure of the NCSS, including an integrated data warehouse and an automatic surveillance workflow. By applying the NCSS, we efficiently identified 2193 patients who were newly diagnosed with a hip or vertebral fracture between 2010 and 2014 at NTUH. By adopting the filter function, we identified 1808 (1808/2193, 82.44%) patients who continued their follow-up at NTUH, and 464 (464/2193, 21.16%) patients who were prescribed anti-osteoporosis medications, within 3 and 12 months post the index date of their fracture, respectively. The NCSS systems can integrate the workflow of cohort identification to accelerate the survey process of clinically relevant problems and provide decision support in the daily practice of clinical physicians, thereby making the benefit of evidence-based medicine a reality. ©Fong-Ci Lin, Chen-Yu Wang, Rung Ji Shang, Fei-Yuan Hsiao, Mei-Shu Lin, Kuan-Yu Hung, Jui Wang, Zhen-Fang Lin, Feipei Lai, Li-Jiuan Shen, Chih-Fen Huang. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 24.04.2018.

Implementing injury surveillance systems alongside injury prevention programs: evaluation of an online surveillance system in a community setting.

PubMed

Ekegren, Christina L; Donaldson, Alex; Gabbe, Belinda J; Finch, Caroline F

Previous research aimed at improving injury surveillance standards has focused mainly on issues of data quality rather than upon the implementation of surveillance systems. There are numerous settings where injury surveillance is not mandatory and having a better understanding of the barriers to conducting injury surveillance would lead to improved implementation strategies. One such setting is community sport, where a lack of available epidemiological data has impaired efforts to reduce injury. This study aimed to i) evaluate use of an injury surveillance system following delivery of an implementation strategy; and ii) investigate factors influencing the implementation of the system in community sports clubs. A total of 78 clubs were targeted for implementation of an online injury surveillance system (approximately 4000 athletes) in five community Australian football leagues concurrently enrolled in a pragmatic trial of an injury prevention program called FootyFirst. System implementation was evaluated quantitatively, using the RE-AIM framework, and qualitatively, via semi-structured interviews with targeted-users. Across the 78 clubs, there was 69% reach, 44% adoption, 23% implementation and 9% maintenance. Reach and adoption were highest in those leagues receiving concurrent support for the delivery of FootyFirst. Targeted-users identified several barriers and facilitators to implementation including personal (e.g. belief in the importance of injury surveillance), socio-contextual (e.g. understaffing and athlete underreporting) and systems factors (e.g. the time taken to upload injury data into the online system). The injury surveillance system was implemented and maintained by a small proportion of clubs. Outcomes were best in those leagues receiving concurrent support for the delivery of FootyFirst, suggesting that engagement with personnel at all levels can enhance uptake of surveillance systems. Interview findings suggest that increased uptake could also be achieved by educating club personnel on the importance of recording injuries, developing clearer injury surveillance guidelines, increasing club staffing and better remunerating those who conduct surveillance, as well as offering flexible surveillance systems in a range of accessible formats. By increasing the usage of surveillance systems, data will better represent the target population and increase our understanding of the injury problem, and how to prevent it, in specific settings.

Comparison of hospital databases on antibiotic consumption in France, for a single management tool.

PubMed

Henard, S; Boussat, S; Demoré, B; Clément, S; Lecompte, T; May, T; Rabaud, C

2014-07-01

The surveillance of antibiotic use in hospitals and of data on resistance is an essential measure for antibiotic stewardship. There are 3 national systems in France to collect data on antibiotic use: DREES, ICATB, and ATB RAISIN. We compared these databases and drafted recommendations for the creation of an optimized database of information on antibiotic use, available to all concerned personnel: healthcare authorities, healthcare facilities, and healthcare professionals. We processed and analyzed the 3 databases (2008 data), and surveyed users. The qualitative analysis demonstrated major discrepancies in terms of objectives, healthcare facilities, participation rate, units of consumption, conditions for collection, consolidation, and control of data, and delay before availability of results. The quantitative analysis revealed that the consumption data for a given healthcare facility differed from one database to another, challenging the reliability of data collection. We specified user expectations: to compare consumption and resistance data, to carry out benchmarking, to obtain data on the prescribing habits in healthcare units, or to help understand results. The study results demonstrated the need for a reliable, single, and automated tool to manage data on antibiotic consumption compared with resistance data on several levels (national, regional, healthcare facility, healthcare units), providing rapid local feedback and educational benchmarking. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

NATIONAL ELECTRONIC DISEASE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (NEDSS)

EPA Science Inventory

The National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) project is a public health initiative to provide a standard-based, integrated approach to disease surveillance and to connect public health surveillance to the burgeoning clinical information systems infrastructure. NEDS...

The pervasive crisis of diminishing radiation therapy access for vulnerable populations in the United States, part 1: African-American patients.

PubMed

McClelland, Shearwood; Page, Brandi R; Jaboin, Jerry J; Chapman, Christina H; Deville, Curtiland; Thomas, Charles R

2017-01-01

African Americans experience the highest burden of cancer incidence and mortality in the United States and have been persistently less likely to receive interventional care, even when such care has been proven superior to conservative management by randomized controlled trials. The presence of disparities in access to radiation therapy (RT) for African American cancer patients has rarely been examined in an expansive fashion. An extensive literature search was performed using the PubMed database to examine studies investigating disparities in RT access for African Americans. A total of 55 studies were found, spanning 11 organ systems. Disparities in access to RT for African Americans were most prominently study in cancers of the breast (23 studies), prostate (7 studies), gynecologic system (5 studies), and hematologic system (5 studies). Disparities in RT access for African Americans were prevalent regardless of organ system studied and often occurred independently of socioeconomic status. Fifty of 55 studies (91%) involved analysis of a population-based database such as Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result (SEER; 26 studies), SEER-Medicare (5 studies), National Cancer Database (3 studies), or a state tumor registry (13 studies). African Americans in the United States have diminished access to RT compared with Caucasian patients, independent of but often in concert with low socioeconomic status. These findings underscore the importance of finding systemic and systematic solutions to address these inequalities to reduce the barriers that patient race provides in receipt of optimal cancer care.

A study on spatial decision support systems for HIV/AIDS prevention based on COM GIS technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kun; Luo, Huasong; Peng, Shungyun; Xu, Quanli

2007-06-01

Based on the deeply analysis of the current status and the existing problems of GIS technology applications in Epidemiology, this paper has proposed the method and process for establishing the spatial decision support systems of AIDS epidemic prevention by integrating the COM GIS, Spatial Database, GPS, Remote Sensing, and Communication technologies, as well as ASP and ActiveX software development technologies. One of the most important issues for constructing the spatial decision support systems of AIDS epidemic prevention is how to integrate the AIDS spreading models with GIS. The capabilities of GIS applications in the AIDS epidemic prevention have been described here in this paper firstly. Then some mature epidemic spreading models have also been discussed for extracting the computation parameters. Furthermore, a technical schema has been proposed for integrating the AIDS spreading models with GIS and relevant geospatial technologies, in which the GIS and model running platforms share a common spatial database and the computing results can be spatially visualized on Desktop or Web GIS clients. Finally, a complete solution for establishing the decision support systems of AIDS epidemic prevention has been offered in this paper based on the model integrating methods and ESRI COM GIS software packages. The general decision support systems are composed of data acquisition sub-systems, network communication sub-systems, model integrating sub-systems, AIDS epidemic information spatial database sub-systems, AIDS epidemic information querying and statistical analysis sub-systems, AIDS epidemic dynamic surveillance sub-systems, AIDS epidemic information spatial analysis and decision support sub-systems, as well as AIDS epidemic information publishing sub-systems based on Web GIS.

An integrated national mortality surveillance system for death registration and mortality surveillance, China.

PubMed

Liu, Shiwei; Wu, Xiaoling; Lopez, Alan D; Wang, Lijun; Cai, Yue; Page, Andrew; Yin, Peng; Liu, Yunning; Li, Yichong; Liu, Jiangmei; You, Jinling; Zhou, Maigeng

2016-01-01

In China, sample-based mortality surveillance systems, such as the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's disease surveillance points system and the Ministry of Health's vital registration system, have been used for decades to provide nationally representative data on health status for health-care decision-making and performance evaluation. However, neither system provided representative mortality and cause-of-death data at the provincial level to inform regional health service needs and policy priorities. Moreover, the systems overlapped to a considerable extent, thereby entailing a duplication of effort. In 2013, the Chinese Government combined these two systems into an integrated national mortality surveillance system to provide a provincially representative picture of total and cause-specific mortality and to accelerate the development of a comprehensive vital registration and mortality surveillance system for the whole country. This new system increased the surveillance population from 6 to 24% of the Chinese population. The number of surveillance points, each of which covered a district or county, increased from 161 to 605. To ensure representativeness at the provincial level, the 605 surveillance points were selected to cover China's 31 provinces using an iterative method involving multistage stratification that took into account the sociodemographic characteristics of the population. This paper describes the development and operation of the new national mortality surveillance system, which is expected to yield representative provincial estimates of mortality in China for the first time.

47 CFR 15.511 - Technical requirements for surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Technical requirements for surveillance systems... DEVICES Ultra-Wideband Operation § 15.511 Technical requirements for surveillance systems. (a) The UWB... surveillance systems operated by law enforcement, fire or emergency rescue organizations or by manufacturers...

47 CFR 15.511 - Technical requirements for surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Technical requirements for surveillance systems... DEVICES Ultra-Wideband Operation § 15.511 Technical requirements for surveillance systems. (a) The UWB... surveillance systems operated by law enforcement, fire or emergency rescue organizations or by manufacturers...

47 CFR 15.511 - Technical requirements for surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Technical requirements for surveillance systems... DEVICES Ultra-Wideband Operation § 15.511 Technical requirements for surveillance systems. (a) The UWB... surveillance systems operated by law enforcement, fire or emergency rescue organizations or by manufacturers...

47 CFR 15.511 - Technical requirements for surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Technical requirements for surveillance systems... DEVICES Ultra-Wideband Operation § 15.511 Technical requirements for surveillance systems. (a) The UWB... surveillance systems operated by law enforcement, fire or emergency rescue organizations or by manufacturers...

47 CFR 15.511 - Technical requirements for surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Technical requirements for surveillance systems... DEVICES Ultra-Wideband Operation § 15.511 Technical requirements for surveillance systems. (a) The UWB... surveillance systems operated by law enforcement, fire or emergency rescue organizations or by manufacturers...

Infectious disease surveillance for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Severi, E; Heinsbroek, E; Watson, C; Catchpole, M

2012-08-02

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be one of the largest mass gathering events in British history. In order to minimise potential infectious disease threats related to the event, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has set up a suite of robust and multisource surveillance systems. These include enhancements of already established systems (notification of infectious diseases, local and regional reporting,laboratory surveillance, mortality surveillance, international surveillance, and syndromic surveillance in primary care), as well as new systems created for the Games (syndromic surveillance in emergency departments and out-of-hours/unscheduled care,undiagnosed serious infectious illness surveillance).Enhanced existing and newly established surveillance systems will continue after the Games or will be ready for future reactivation should the need arise. In addition to the direct improvements to surveillance, the strengthening of relationships with national and international stakeholders will constitute a major post-Games legacy for the HPA.

Dengue data and surveillance in Tanzania: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Ward, Tara; Samuel, Moody; Maoz, Dorit; Runge-Ranzinger, Silvia; Boyce, Ross; Toledo, Joao; Velayudhan, Raman; Horstick, Olaf

2017-08-01

Although there is evidence that dengue virus is circulating in Tanzania, the country lacks a dengue surveillance system. Consequently, the true estimate of dengue seroprevalence, as well as the incidence in the population, the frequency and magnitude of outbreaks is unknown. This study therefore sought to systematically review available dengue data from Tanzania. The systematic review was conducted and reported using the PRISMA tool. Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, WHOLIS and Google Scholar) were searched for articles using various keywords on the illness, data and geographical location. Identified articles were assessed for inclusion based on predefined eligibility criteria. Data were extracted from included articles, analysed and reported. Based on the 10 seroprevalence studies in defined populations with estimates of acute confirmed infections that were included in the review, the estimated seroprevalence of past dengue infection in Tanzania ranged from 50.6% in a health facility-based study to 11% in a population-based study. Acute confirmed infections of dengue were estimated to be as high as 38.2% of suspected cases. Only one study reported on an outbreak. It is evident that dengue needs to become part of regular disease surveillance in Tanzania. Control measures need to be instituted with a focus on building human resource capacity and integrating dengue control measures in ongoing health programmes, for both preventive and curative interventions. Systematic reviews are valuable in assessing health issues when surveillance data are not available. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance Assessment of a Communicable Disease Surveillance System in Response to the Twin Earthquakes of East Azerbaijan.

PubMed

Babaie, Javad; Ardalan, Ali; Vatandoost, Hasan; Goya, Mohammad Mehdi; Akbari Sari, Ali

2015-08-01

Following the twin earthquakes on August 11, 2012, in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran, the provincial health center set up a surveillance system to monitor communicable diseases. This study aimed to assess the performance of this surveillance system. In this quantitative-qualitative study, performance of the communicable diseases surveillance system was assessed by using the updated guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Qualitative data were collected through interviews with the surveillance system participants, and quantitative data were obtained from the surveillance system. The surveillance system was useful, simple, representative, timely, and flexible. The data quality, acceptability, and stability of the surveillance system were 65.6%, 10.63%, and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and positive predictive value were not calculated owing to the absence of a gold standard. The surveillance system satisfactorily met the goals expected for its setup. The data obtained led to the control of communicable diseases in the affected areas. Required interventions based on the incidence of communicable disease were designed and implemented. The results also reassured health authorities and the public. However, data quality and acceptability should be taken into consideration and reviewed for implementation in future disasters.

Cancer of the nasal cavity in the pediatric population.

PubMed

Benoit, Margo McKenna; Bhattacharyya, Neil; Faquin, William; Cunningham, Michael

2008-01-01

The purpose of this work was to investigate the clinical manifestations and diagnostic range of malignant entities presenting as a nasal mass in the pediatric population. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted at a specialty hospital and a tertiary care university hospital. Patients aged between birth and 18 years and diagnosed with a malignancy that arose within the nasal cavity between the years 1991 and 2006 were included. This institution-specific patient group was compared with a similar cohort of patients extracted from the national Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. The main outcome measures were the incidence, presentation, and diagnoses of nasal cancer presenting in this population. Sixteen patients with nasal malignancies presented institutionally in the defined pediatric age group. Patient age at the time of diagnosis ranged from 7 months to 17 years, with a slight male predominance. The main presenting symptoms were unilateral nasal congestion and ophthalmologic complaints. The median time from presentation to diagnosis was 7 weeks; patients who presented with nonspecific complaints, such as nasal obstruction, headache, and fatigue, were given a diagnosis, on average, later than those who presented with focal manifestations. Nationwide, 47 patients were identified from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. In both subject groups, the most common diagnoses were rhabdomyosarcoma (37.5% institutionally and 23% in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results group) and esthesioneuroblastoma (25% institutionally and 28% Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results). In the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results cohort, the overall mean survival rate was 188 months. Nasal cancer in the pediatric population often presents with nonspecific signs and symptoms, and a high index of suspicion is necessary for a timely diagnosis. Soft tissue sarcomas are expectedly common. The relative high frequency of esthesioneuroblastoma is particularly noteworthy.

Identifying Challenges to the Integration of Computer-Based Surveillance Information Systems in a Large City Health Department: A Case Study.

PubMed

Jennings, Jacky M; Stover, Jeffrey A; Bair-Merritt, Megan H; Fichtenberg, Caroline; Munoz, Mary Grace; Maziad, Rafiq; Ketemepi, Sherry Johnson; Zenilman, Jonathan

2009-01-01

Integrated infectious disease surveillance information systems have the potential to provide important new surveillance capacities and business efficiencies for local health departments. We conducted a case study at a large city health department of the primary computer-based infectious disease surveillance information systems during a 10-year period to identify the major challenges for information integration across the systems. The assessment included key informant interviews and evaluations of the computer-based surveillance information systems used for acute communicable diseases, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis. Assessments were conducted in 1998 with a follow-up in 2008. Assessments specifically identified and described the primary computer-based surveillance information system, any duplicative information systems, and selected variables collected. Persistent challenges to information integration across the information systems included the existence of duplicative data systems, differences in the variables used to collect similar information, and differences in basic architecture. The assessments identified a number of challenges for information integration across the infectious disease surveillance information systems at this city health department. The results suggest that local disease control programs use computer-based surveillance information systems that were not designed for data integration. To the extent that integration provides important new surveillance capacities and business efficiencies, we recommend that patient-centric information systems be designed that provide all the epidemiologic, clinical, and research needs in one system. In addition, the systems should include a standard system of elements and fields across similar surveillance systems.

Success Factors of European Syndromic Surveillance Systems: A Worked Example of Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis

PubMed Central

Ziemann, Alexandra; Fouillet, Anne; Brand, Helmut; Krafft, Thomas

2016-01-01

Introduction Syndromic surveillance aims at augmenting traditional public health surveillance with timely information. To gain a head start, it mainly analyses existing data such as from web searches or patient records. Despite the setup of many syndromic surveillance systems, there is still much doubt about the benefit of the approach. There are diverse interactions between performance indicators such as timeliness and various system characteristics. This makes the performance assessment of syndromic surveillance systems a complex endeavour. We assessed if the comparison of several syndromic surveillance systems through Qualitative Comparative Analysis helps to evaluate performance and identify key success factors. Materials and Methods We compiled case-based, mixed data on performance and characteristics of 19 syndromic surveillance systems in Europe from scientific and grey literature and from site visits. We identified success factors by applying crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. We focused on two main areas of syndromic surveillance application: seasonal influenza surveillance and situational awareness during different types of potentially health threatening events. Results We found that syndromic surveillance systems might detect the onset or peak of seasonal influenza earlier if they analyse non-clinical data sources. Timely situational awareness during different types of events is supported by an automated syndromic surveillance system capable of analysing multiple syndromes. To our surprise, the analysis of multiple data sources was no key success factor for situational awareness. Conclusions We suggest to consider these key success factors when designing or further developing syndromic surveillance systems. Qualitative Comparative Analysis helped interpreting complex, mixed data on small-N cases and resulted in concrete and practically relevant findings. PMID:27182731

Success Factors of European Syndromic Surveillance Systems: A Worked Example of Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis.

PubMed

Ziemann, Alexandra; Fouillet, Anne; Brand, Helmut; Krafft, Thomas

2016-01-01

Syndromic surveillance aims at augmenting traditional public health surveillance with timely information. To gain a head start, it mainly analyses existing data such as from web searches or patient records. Despite the setup of many syndromic surveillance systems, there is still much doubt about the benefit of the approach. There are diverse interactions between performance indicators such as timeliness and various system characteristics. This makes the performance assessment of syndromic surveillance systems a complex endeavour. We assessed if the comparison of several syndromic surveillance systems through Qualitative Comparative Analysis helps to evaluate performance and identify key success factors. We compiled case-based, mixed data on performance and characteristics of 19 syndromic surveillance systems in Europe from scientific and grey literature and from site visits. We identified success factors by applying crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. We focused on two main areas of syndromic surveillance application: seasonal influenza surveillance and situational awareness during different types of potentially health threatening events. We found that syndromic surveillance systems might detect the onset or peak of seasonal influenza earlier if they analyse non-clinical data sources. Timely situational awareness during different types of events is supported by an automated syndromic surveillance system capable of analysing multiple syndromes. To our surprise, the analysis of multiple data sources was no key success factor for situational awareness. We suggest to consider these key success factors when designing or further developing syndromic surveillance systems. Qualitative Comparative Analysis helped interpreting complex, mixed data on small-N cases and resulted in concrete and practically relevant findings.

A Smart Card-Based Electronic School Absenteeism System for Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance in Hong Kong: Design, Implementation, and Feasibility Assessment

PubMed Central

Lau, Eric HY; So, Hau Chi; Xiao, Jingyi; Lam, Chi Kin; Fang, Vicky J; Tam, Yat Hung; Leung, Gabriel M; Cowling, Benjamin J

2017-01-01

Background School-aged children have the highest incidence of respiratory virus infections each year, and transmission of respiratory viruses such as influenza virus can be a major concern in school settings. School absenteeism data have been employed as a component of influenza surveillance systems in some locations. Data timeliness and system acceptance remain as key determinants affecting the usefulness of a prospective surveillance system. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing an electronic school absenteeism surveillance system using smart card–based technology for influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance among a representative network of local primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. Methods We designed and implemented a surveillance system according to the Protocol for a Standardized information infrastructure for Pandemic and Emerging infectious disease Response (PROSPER). We employed an existing smart card–based education and school administration platform for data capture, customized the user interface, and used additional back end systems built for other downstream surveillance steps. We invited local schools to participate and collected absenteeism data by the implemented system. We compared temporal trend of the absenteeism data with data from existing community sentinel and laboratory surveillance data. Results We designed and implemented an ILI surveillance system utilizing smart card–based attendance tracking approach for data capture. We implemented the surveillance system in a total of 107 schools (including 66 primary schools and 41 secondary schools), covering a total of 75,052 children. The system successfully captured information on absences for 2 consecutive academic years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014). The absenteeism data we collected from the system reflected ILI activity in the community, with an upsurge in disease activity detected up to 1 to 2 weeks preceding other existing surveillance systems. Conclusions We designed and implemented a novel smart card technology–based school absenteeism surveillance system. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of building a large-scale surveillance system riding on a routinely adopted data collection approach and the use of simple system enhancement to minimize workload implication and enhance system acceptability. Data from this system have potential value in supplementing existing sentinel influenza surveillance for situational awareness of influenza activity in the community. PMID:28986338

Developing a new syndromic surveillance system for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Harcourt, S E; Fletcher, J; Loveridge, P; Bains, A; Morbey, R; Yeates, A; McCloskey, B; Smyth, B; Ibbotson, S; Smith, G E; Elliot, A J

2012-12-01

Syndromic surveillance is vital for monitoring public health during mass gatherings. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a major challenge to health protection services and community surveillance. In response to this challenge the Health Protection Agency has developed a new syndromic surveillance system that monitors daily general practitioner out-of-hours and unscheduled care attendances. This new national system will fill a gap identified in the existing general practice-based syndromic surveillance systems by providing surveillance capability of general practice activity during evenings/nights, over weekends and public holidays. The system will complement and supplement the existing tele-health phone line, general practitioner and emergency department syndromic surveillance systems. This new national system will contribute to improving public health reassurance, especially to meet the challenges of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The case for improving road safety in Pacific Islands: a population-based study from Fiji (TRIP 6).

PubMed

Herman, Josephine; Ameratunga, Shanthi; Wainiqolo, Iris; Kafoa, Berlin; McCaig, Eddie; Jackson, Rod

2012-10-01

To estimate the incidence and demographic characteristics associated with road traffic injuries (RTIs) resulting in deaths or hospital admission for 12 hours or more in Viti Levu, Fiji. Analysis of the prospective population-based Fiji Injury Surveillance in Hospitals database (October 2005 - September 2006). Of the 374 RTI cases identified (17% of all injuries), 72% were males and one third were aged 15-29 years. RTI fatalities (10.3 per 100,000 per year) were higher among Indians compared to Fijians. Two-thirds of deaths (largely ascribed to head, chest and abdominal trauma) occurred before hospital admission. While the RTI fatality rate was comparable to the global average for high-income countries, the level of motorisation in Fiji is considerably lower. To avert rising RTI rates with increasing motorisation, Fiji requires a robust road safety strategy alongside effective trauma-care services and a reliable population-based RTI surveillance system. © 2012 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2012 Public Health Association of Australia.

Self-subjugation among women: exposure to sexist ideology, self-objectification, and the protective function of the need to avoid closure.

PubMed

Calogero, Rachel M; Jost, John T

2011-02-01

Despite extensive evidence confirming the negative consequences of self-objectification, direct experimental evidence concerning its environmental antecedents is scarce. Incidental exposure to sexist cues was employed in 3 experiments to investigate its effect on self-objectification variables. Consistent with system justification theory, exposure to benevolent and complementary forms of sexism, but not hostile or no sexism, increased state self-objectification, self-surveillance, and body shame among women but not men in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, we replicated these effects and demonstrated that they are specific to self-objectification and not due to a more general self-focus. In addition, following exposure to benevolent sexism only, women planned more future behaviors pertaining to appearance management than did men; this effect was mediated by self-surveillance and body shame. Experiment 3 revealed that the need to avoid closure might afford women some protection against self-objectification in the context of sexist ideology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

A Smart Card-Based Electronic School Absenteeism System for Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance in Hong Kong: Design, Implementation, and Feasibility Assessment.

PubMed

Ip, Dennis Km; Lau, Eric Hy; So, Hau Chi; Xiao, Jingyi; Lam, Chi Kin; Fang, Vicky J; Tam, Yat Hung; Leung, Gabriel M; Cowling, Benjamin J

2017-10-06

School-aged children have the highest incidence of respiratory virus infections each year, and transmission of respiratory viruses such as influenza virus can be a major concern in school settings. School absenteeism data have been employed as a component of influenza surveillance systems in some locations. Data timeliness and system acceptance remain as key determinants affecting the usefulness of a prospective surveillance system. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing an electronic school absenteeism surveillance system using smart card-based technology for influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance among a representative network of local primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. We designed and implemented a surveillance system according to the Protocol for a Standardized information infrastructure for Pandemic and Emerging infectious disease Response (PROSPER). We employed an existing smart card-based education and school administration platform for data capture, customized the user interface, and used additional back end systems built for other downstream surveillance steps. We invited local schools to participate and collected absenteeism data by the implemented system. We compared temporal trend of the absenteeism data with data from existing community sentinel and laboratory surveillance data. We designed and implemented an ILI surveillance system utilizing smart card-based attendance tracking approach for data capture. We implemented the surveillance system in a total of 107 schools (including 66 primary schools and 41 secondary schools), covering a total of 75,052 children. The system successfully captured information on absences for 2 consecutive academic years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014). The absenteeism data we collected from the system reflected ILI activity in the community, with an upsurge in disease activity detected up to 1 to 2 weeks preceding other existing surveillance systems. We designed and implemented a novel smart card technology-based school absenteeism surveillance system. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of building a large-scale surveillance system riding on a routinely adopted data collection approach and the use of simple system enhancement to minimize workload implication and enhance system acceptability. Data from this system have potential value in supplementing existing sentinel influenza surveillance for situational awareness of influenza activity in the community. ©Dennis KM Ip, Eric HY Lau, Hau Chi So, Jingyi Xiao, Chi Kin Lam, Vicky J Fang, Yat Hung Tam, Gabriel M Leung, Benjamin J Cowling. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 06.10.2017.

Constructing the informatics and information technology foundations of a medical device evaluation system: a report from the FDA unique device identifier demonstration.

PubMed

Drozda, Joseph P; Roach, James; Forsyth, Thomas; Helmering, Paul; Dummitt, Benjamin; Tcheng, James E

2018-02-01

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the need to improve the tracking of medical device safety and performance, with implementation of Unique Device Identifiers (UDIs) in electronic health information as a key strategy. The FDA funded a demonstration by Mercy Health wherein prototype UDIs were incorporated into its electronic information systems. This report describes the demonstration's informatics architecture. Prototype UDIs for coronary stents were created and implemented across a series of information systems, resulting in UDI-associated data flow from manufacture through point of use to long-term follow-up, with barcode scanning linking clinical data with UDI-associated device attributes. A reference database containing device attributes and the UDI Research and Surveillance Database (UDIR) containing the linked clinical and device information were created, enabling longitudinal assessment of device performance. The demonstration included many stakeholders: multiple Mercy departments, manufacturers, health system partners, the FDA, professional societies, the National Cardiovascular Data Registry, and information system vendors. The resulting system of systems is described in detail, including entities, functions, linkage between the UDIR and proprietary systems using UDIs as the index key, data flow, roles and responsibilities of actors, and the UDIR data model. The demonstration provided proof of concept that UDIs can be incorporated into provider and enterprise electronic information systems and used as the index key to combine device and clinical data in a database useful for device evaluation. Keys to success and challenges to achieving this goal were identified. Fundamental informatics principles were central to accomplishing the system of systems model. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

A survey of core and support activities of communicable disease surveillance systems at operating-level CDCs in China.

PubMed

Xiong, Weiyi; Lv, Jun; Li, Liming

2010-11-17

In recent years, problems like insufficient coordination, low efficiency, and heavy working load in national communicable disease surveillance systems in China have been pointed out by many researchers. To strengthen the national communicable disease surveillance systems becomes an immediate concern. Since the World Health Organization has recommended that a structured approach to strengthen national communicable disease surveillance must include an evaluation to existing systems which usually begins with a systematic description, we conducted the first survey for communicable disease surveillance systems in China, in order to understand the situation of core and support surveillance activities at province-level and county-level centers for disease control and prevention (CDCs). A nationwide survey was conducted by mail between May and October 2006 to investigate the implementation of core and support activities of the Notifiable Disease Reporting System (NDRS) and disease-specific surveillance systems in all of the 31 province-level and selected 14 county-level CDCs in Mainland China The comments on the performance of communicable disease surveillance systems were also collected from the directors of CDCs in this survey. The core activities of NDRS such as confirmation, reporting and analysis and some support activities such as supervision and staff training were found sufficient in both province-level and county-level surveyed CDCs, but other support activities including information feedback, equipment and financial support need to be strengthened in most of the investigated CDCs. A total of 47 communicable diseases or syndromes were under surveillance at province level, and 20 diseases or syndromes at county level. The activities among different disease-specific surveillance systems varied widely. Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), measles and tuberculosis (TB) surveillance systems got relatively high recognition both at province level and county level. China has already established a national communicable disease surveillance framework that combines NDRS and disease-specific surveillance systems. The core and support activities of NDRS were found sufficient, while the implementation of those activities varied among different disease-specific surveillance systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, K.; Tsai, H.; Liu, Y. Y.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one of today's most rapidly growing technologies in the automatic data collection industry. Although commercial applications are already widespread, the use of this technology for managing nuclear materials is only in its infancy. Employing an RFID system has the potential to offer an immense payback: enhanced safety and security, reduced need for manned surveillance, real-time access to status and event history data, and overall cost-effectiveness. The Packaging Certification Program (PCP) in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Packaging and Transportation (EM-63), is developing an RFID system for nuclearmore » materials management. The system consists of battery-powered RFID tags with onboard sensors and memories, a reader network, application software, a database server and web pages. The tags monitor and record critical parameters, including the status of seals, movement of objects, and environmental conditions of the nuclear material packages in real time. They also provide instant warnings or alarms when preset thresholds for the sensors are exceeded. The information collected by the readers is transmitted to a dedicated central database server that can be accessed by authorized users across the DOE complex via a secured network. The onboard memory of the tags allows the materials manifest and event history data to reside with the packages throughout their life cycles in storage, transportation, and disposal. Data security is currently based on Advanced Encryption Standard-256. The software provides easy-to-use graphical interfaces that allow access to all vital information once the security and privilege requirements are met. An innovative scheme has been developed for managing batteries in service for more than 10 years without needing to be changed. A miniature onboard dosimeter is being developed for applications that require radiation surveillance. A field demonstration of the RFID system was recently conducted to assess its performance. The preliminary results of the demonstration are reported in this paper.« less

Challenge of emerging technologies: balancing the needs of law enforcement against the duty to protect individual rights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lingerfelt, James A.

1997-01-01

This paper discusses three emerging technologies which will revolutionize the business operations of law enforcement: databases and search engines; biometric identification systems; and electronic surveillance and tracking devices. Unfortunately, these technologies may also lead to a serious ethical conflict for law enforcement. The tools will make it easier than ever to accomplish the core business of policing: crime prevention; investigation; and intelligence gathering. The same tools, used improperly, will also lead to routine intrusions on personal privacy. These technologies have been and are being developed for the private sector, the military and the intelligence community. The vendors are now aggressively marketing them to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. The law enforcement community has embraced the technology, but without considering the long term impact. In the past, the police have abused wiretaps and other early surveillance technology. As a result, a sinister perception about police surveillance practices persists and a cumbersome bureaucracy has been imposed to control their use. Developing and establishing policies governing the use of emerging technologies can prevent these mistakes from being repeated. This paper recommends that criminal justice practitioners begin a discussion now, in advance of these technologies becoming commercially available, with a view to defining clear guidelines for their proper use.

Testing a symptom-based surveillance system at high-profile gatherings as a preparatory measure for bioterrorism.

PubMed

Osaka, K; Takahashi, H; Ohyama, T

2002-12-01

We tested symptom-based surveillance during the G8 conference in 2000 as a means of detecting outbreaks, including bio-terrorism attacks, promptly. Five categories of symptoms (skin and haemorrhagic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological and unexplained) were adopted for the case definition of the surveillance. The surveillance began I week before the conference, and continued until 1 week after the conference ended. We could not detect any outbreaks during this surveillance. Compared to the existing diagnosis-based surveillance system, symptom-based surveillance has the advantages of timeliness and simplicity. However, poor specificity and difficulties in determining epidemic threshold were important limitations of this system. To increase the specificity of surveillance, it is essential to incorporate rapid laboratory diagnoses into the system.

Evaluating Behavioral Health Surveillance Systems.

PubMed

Azofeifa, Alejandro; Stroup, Donna F; Lyerla, Rob; Largo, Thomas; Gabella, Barbara A; Smith, C Kay; Truman, Benedict I; Brewer, Robert D; Brener, Nancy D

2018-05-10

In 2015, more than 27 million people in the United States reported that they currently used illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs, and more than 66 million reported binge drinking during the previous month. Data from public health surveillance systems on drug and alcohol abuse are crucial for developing and evaluating interventions to prevent and control such behavior. However, public health surveillance for behavioral health in the United States has been hindered by organizational issues and other factors. For example, existing guidelines for surveillance evaluation do not distinguish between data systems that characterize behavioral health problems and those that assess other public health problems (eg, infectious diseases). To address this gap in behavioral health surveillance, we present a revised framework for evaluating behavioral health surveillance systems. This system framework builds on published frameworks and incorporates additional attributes (informatics capabilities and population coverage) that we deemed necessary for evaluating behavioral health-related surveillance. This revised surveillance evaluation framework can support ongoing improvements to behavioral health surveillance systems and ensure their continued usefulness for detecting, preventing, and managing behavioral health problems.

Evaluating Behavioral Health Surveillance Systems

PubMed Central

Azofeifa, Alejandro; Lyerla, Rob; Largo, Thomas; Gabella, Barbara A.; Smith, C. Kay; Truman, Benedict I.; Brewer, Robert D.; Brener, Nancy D.

2018-01-01

In 2015, more than 27 million people in the United States reported that they currently used illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs, and more than 66 million reported binge drinking during the previous month. Data from public health surveillance systems on drug and alcohol abuse are crucial for developing and evaluating interventions to prevent and control such behavior. However, public health surveillance for behavioral health in the United States has been hindered by organizational issues and other factors. For example, existing guidelines for surveillance evaluation do not distinguish between data systems that characterize behavioral health problems and those that assess other public health problems (eg, infectious diseases). To address this gap in behavioral health surveillance, we present a revised framework for evaluating behavioral health surveillance systems. This system framework builds on published frameworks and incorporates additional attributes (informatics capabilities and population coverage) that we deemed necessary for evaluating behavioral health–related surveillance. This revised surveillance evaluation framework can support ongoing improvements to behavioral health surveillance systems and ensure their continued usefulness for detecting, preventing, and managing behavioral health problems. PMID:29752804

77 FR 52742 - Public Meeting-Strengthening the National Medical Device Postmarket Surveillance System; Request...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

...] Public Meeting--Strengthening the National Medical Device Postmarket Surveillance System; Request for... ``Public Meeting--Strengthening the National Medical Device Postmarket Surveillance System.'' The purpose of the meeting is to solicit public feedback regarding the medical device postmarket surveillance...

Deep neural network features for horses identity recognition using multiview horses' face pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarraya, Islem; Ouarda, Wael; Alimi, Adel M.

2017-03-01

To control the state of horses in the born, breeders needs a monitoring system with a surveillance camera that can identify and distinguish between horses. We proposed in [5] a method of horse's identification at a distance using the frontal facial biometric modality. Due to the change of views, the face recognition becomes more difficult. In this paper, the number of images used in our THoDBRL'2015 database (Tunisian Horses DataBase of Regim Lab) is augmented by adding other images of other views. Thus, we used front, right and left profile face's view. Moreover, we suggested an approach for multiview face recognition. First, we proposed to use the Gabor filter for face characterization. Next, due to the augmentation of the number of images, and the large number of Gabor features, we proposed to test the Deep Neural Network with the auto-encoder to obtain the more pertinent features and to reduce the size of features vector. Finally, we performed the proposed approach on our THoDBRL'2015 database and we used the linear SVM for classification.

Web-based biobank system infrastructure monitoring using Python, Perl, and PHP.

PubMed

Norling, Martin; Kihara, Absolomon; Kemp, Steve

2013-12-01

The establishment and maintenance of biobanks is only as worthwhile as the security and logging of the biobank contents. We have designed a monitoring system that continuously measures temperature and gas content, records the movement of samples in and out of the biobank, and also records the opening and closing of the freezers-storing the results and images in a database. We have also incorporated an early warning feature that sends out alerts, via SMS and email, to responsible persons if any measurement is recorded outside the acceptable limits, guaranteeing the integrity of biobanked samples, as well as reagents used in sample analysis. A surveillance system like this increases the value for any biobank as the initial investment is small and the value of having trustworthy samples for future research is high.

Centralized Data Management in a Multicountry, Multisite Population-based Study.

PubMed

Rahman, Qazi Sadeq-ur; Islam, Mohammad Shahidul; Hossain, Belal; Hossain, Tanvir; Connor, Nicholas E; Jaman, Md Jahiduj; Rahman, Md Mahmudur; Ahmed, A S M Nawshad Uddin; Ahmed, Imran; Ali, Murtaza; Moin, Syed Mamun Ibne; Mullany, Luke; Saha, Samir K; El Arifeen, Shams

2016-05-01

A centralized data management system was developed for data collection and processing for the Aetiology of Neonatal Infection in South Asia (ANISA) study. ANISA is a longitudinal cohort study involving neonatal infection surveillance and etiology detection in multiple sites in South Asia. The primary goal of designing such a system was to collect and store data from different sites in a standardized way to pool the data for analysis. We designed the data management system centrally and implemented it to enable data entry at individual sites. This system uses validation rules and audit that reduce errors. The study sites employ a dual data entry method to minimize keystroke errors. They upload collected data weekly to a central server via internet to create a pooled central database. Any inconsistent data identified in the central database are flagged and corrected after discussion with the relevant site. The ANISA Data Coordination Centre in Dhaka provides technical support for operations, maintenance and updating the data management system centrally. Password-protected login identifications and audit trails are maintained for the management system to ensure the integrity and safety of stored data. Centralized management of the ANISA database helps to use common data capture forms (DCFs), adapted to site-specific contextual requirements. DCFs and data entry interfaces allow on-site data entry. This reduces the workload as DCFs do not need to be shipped to a single location for entry. It also improves data quality as all collected data from ANISA goes through the same quality check and cleaning process.

Patterns of Colorectal Cancer Care in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common in men worldwide. In this study, we used MEDLINE to conduct a systematic review of existing literature published in English between 2000 and 2010 on patterns of colorectal cancer care. Specifically, this review examined 66 studies conducted in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to assess patterns of initial care, post-diagnostic surveillance, and end-of-life care for colorectal cancer. The majority of studies in this review reported rates of initial care, and limited research examined either post-diagnostic surveillance or end-of-life care for colorectal cancer. Older colorectal cancer patients and individuals with comorbidities generally received less surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. Patients with lower socioeconomic status were less likely to receive treatment, and variations in patterns of care were observed by patient demographic and clinical characteristics, geographical location, and hospital setting. However, there was wide variability in data collection and measures, health-care systems, patient populations, and population representativeness, making direct comparisons challenging. Future research and policy efforts should emphasize increased comparability of data systems, promote data standardization, and encourage collaboration between and within European cancer registries and administrative databases. PMID:23962509

Using mortuary statistics in the development of an injury surveillance system in Ghana.

PubMed Central

London, Jason; Mock, Charles; Abantanga, Francis A.; Quansah, Robert E.; Boateng, K. A.

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop, in a mortuary setting, a pilot programme for improving the accuracy of records of deaths caused by injury. METHODS: The recording of injury-related deaths was upgraded at the mortuary of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana, in 1996 through the creation of a prospectively gathered database. FINDINGS: There was an increase in the number of deaths reported annually as attributable to injury from 72 before 1995 to 633 in 1996-99. Injuries accounted for 8.6% of all deaths recorded in the mortuary and for 12% of deaths in the age range 15-59 years; 80% of deaths caused by injury occurred outside the hospital and thus would not have been indicated in hospital statistics; 88% of injury-related deaths were associated with transport, and 50% of these involved injuries to pedestrians. CONCLUSIONS: Injury was a significant cause of mortality in this urban African setting, especially among adults of working age. The reporting of injury-related deaths in a mortuary was made more complete and accurate by means of simple inexpensive methods. This source of data could make a significant contribution to an injury surveillance system, along with hospital records and police accident reports. PMID:12077610

Classification of time series patterns from complex dynamic systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schryver, J.C.; Rao, N.

1998-07-01

An increasing availability of high-performance computing and data storage media at decreasing cost is making possible the proliferation of large-scale numerical databases and data warehouses. Numeric warehousing enterprises on the order of hundreds of gigabytes to terabytes are a reality in many fields such as finance, retail sales, process systems monitoring, biomedical monitoring, surveillance and transportation. Large-scale databases are becoming more accessible to larger user communities through the internet, web-based applications and database connectivity. Consequently, most researchers now have access to a variety of massive datasets. This trend will probably only continue to grow over the next several years. Unfortunately,more » the availability of integrated tools to explore, analyze and understand the data warehoused in these archives is lagging far behind the ability to gain access to the same data. In particular, locating and identifying patterns of interest in numerical time series data is an increasingly important problem for which there are few available techniques. Temporal pattern recognition poses many interesting problems in classification, segmentation, prediction, diagnosis and anomaly detection. This research focuses on the problem of classification or characterization of numerical time series data. Highway vehicles and their drivers are examples of complex dynamic systems (CDS) which are being used by transportation agencies for field testing to generate large-scale time series datasets. Tools for effective analysis of numerical time series in databases generated by highway vehicle systems are not yet available, or have not been adapted to the target problem domain. However, analysis tools from similar domains may be adapted to the problem of classification of numerical time series data.« less

Association of Mismatch Repair Mutation With Age at Cancer Onset in Lynch Syndrome: Implications for Stratified Surveillance Strategies.

PubMed

Ryan, Neil A J; Morris, Julie; Green, Kate; Lalloo, Fiona; Woodward, Emma R; Hill, James; Crosbie, Emma J; Evans, D Gareth

2017-12-01

Lynch syndrome is caused by dominantly inherited germline mutations that predispose individuals to colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and other cancers through inactivation of the cellular mismatch repair system. Lynch syndrome–associated cancers are amenable to surveillance strategies that may improve survival. The age at which surveillance should start is disputed. To determine whether mutated gene and type of mutation influence age at onset of Lynch syndrome–associated cancers. A retrospective cohort study of individuals with Lynch syndrome–associated colorectal, endometrial, and/or ovarian cancers whose medical records were included in the clinical database of a large quaternary referral center for genomic medicine in the Northwest of England. Mutated gene (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and/or PMS2) and type of mutation (truncating, splicing, or large rearrangement). Age at cancer diagnosis. A total of 1063 individuals with proven Lynch syndrome were included, 495 male and 568 female (mean age 52 years; age range, 10-93 years [children were included in the database, but no children developed cancer]). There were 546 men and women with colorectal cancer, 162 women with endometrial cancer, and 49 women with ovarian cancer; mean follow-up was 68.2 months. Among MLH1 mutation carriers, mutations in MLH1 were associated with colorectal cancer in 249 (61%) of 409 men and women; endometrial cancer in 53 of 196 (27%) women; and ovarian cancer in 15 (8%) of 196 women. Among MSH2 mutation carriers, mutations in MSH2 (the most prevalent mutations overall) were most commonly associated with female-specific cancers: endometrial cancer in 83 (30%) of 279 women; ovarian cancer in 28 (10%) of 279 women; and colorectal cancer in 239 (50%) 479 men and women. Mutations in MSH6 were less prevalent, and MSH6 mutation carriers presented with colorectal and endometrial cancer at later ages than carriers of mutations in MSH2 or MLH1. When stratified by mutation type, women with truncating MLH1 mutations had later ages of onset of endometrial cancer than those with nontruncating mutations (median difference, 6.6 years; 95% CI, 2.7-10.4; P = .002). Carriers of truncating MLH1 mutations presented with colorectal cancer at later ages than those with other mutations, but the difference was not statistically significant. Individuals with known Lynch syndrome could be risk stratified by mutated gene and mutation type in tailored surveillance programs. Specifically, individuals with MSH6 mutations could be offered cancer surveillance from a later age. Furthermore, those with truncating MLH1 mutations could begin endometrial cancer surveillance later than those with nontruncating mutations.

77 FR 6000 - Airworthiness Directives; Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-07

... Airworthiness Directives; Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and Collision... Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) units with part...

Data Analysis Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

projects have either resorted to partitioned smaller databases, or to a hybrid scheme where meta - data are stored in the database, along with pointers to...comes from the briefing of Dr. Mark Duchaineau from LLNL. If we assume that a pixel from a modern airborne sensor covers a square meter, then one can... airborne platform. After surveillance is complete, the data (in fact the disks them- selves) are sent to a ground station for processing. Despite the

A conceptual framework for economic optimization of single hazard surveillance in livestock production chains.

PubMed

Guo, Xuezhen; Claassen, G D H; Oude Lansink, A G J M; Saatkamp, H W

2014-06-01

Economic analysis of hazard surveillance in livestock production chains is essential for surveillance organizations (such as food safety authorities) when making scientifically based decisions on optimization of resource allocation. To enable this, quantitative decision support tools are required at two levels of analysis: (1) single-hazard surveillance system and (2) surveillance portfolio. This paper addresses the first level by presenting a conceptual approach for the economic analysis of single-hazard surveillance systems. The concept includes objective and subjective aspects of single-hazard surveillance system analysis: (1) a simulation part to derive an efficient set of surveillance setups based on the technical surveillance performance parameters (TSPPs) and the corresponding surveillance costs, i.e., objective analysis, and (2) a multi-criteria decision making model to evaluate the impacts of the hazard surveillance, i.e., subjective analysis. The conceptual approach was checked for (1) conceptual validity and (2) data validity. Issues regarding the practical use of the approach, particularly the data requirement, were discussed. We concluded that the conceptual approach is scientifically credible for economic analysis of single-hazard surveillance systems and that the practicability of the approach depends on data availability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sports Injury Surveillance Systems: A Review of Methods and Data Quality.

PubMed

Ekegren, Christina L; Gabbe, Belinda J; Finch, Caroline F

2016-01-01

Data from sports injury surveillance systems are a prerequisite to the development and evaluation of injury prevention strategies. This review aimed to identify ongoing sports injury surveillance systems and determine whether there are gaps in our understanding of injuries in certain sport settings. A secondary aim was to determine which of the included surveillance systems have evaluated the quality of their data, a key factor in determining their usefulness. A systematic search was carried out to identify (1) publications presenting methodological details of sports injury surveillance systems within clubs and organisations; and (2) publications describing quality evaluations and the quality of data from these systems. Data extracted included methodological details of the surveillance systems, methods used to evaluate data quality, and results of these evaluations. Following literature search and review, a total of 15 sports injury surveillance systems were identified. Data relevant to each aim were summarised descriptively. Most systems were found to exist within professional and elite sports. Publications concerning data quality were identified for seven (47%) systems. Validation of system data through comparison with alternate sources has been undertaken for only four systems (27%). This review identified a shortage of ongoing injury surveillance data from amateur and community sport settings and limited information about the quality of data in professional and elite settings. More surveillance systems are needed across a range of sport settings, as are standards for data quality reporting. These efforts will enable better monitoring of sports injury trends and the development of sports safety strategies.

Public Health Surveillance Systems: Recent Advances in Their Use and Evaluation.

PubMed

Groseclose, Samuel L; Buckeridge, David L

2017-03-20

Surveillance is critical for improving population health. Public health surveillance systems generate information that drives action, and the data must be of sufficient quality and with a resolution and timeliness that matches objectives. In the context of scientific advances in public health surveillance, changing health care and public health environments, and rapidly evolving technologies, the aim of this article is to review public health surveillance systems. We consider their current use to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the public health system, the role of system stakeholders, the analysis and interpretation of surveillance data, approaches to system monitoring and evaluation, and opportunities for future advances in terms of increased scientific rigor, outcomes-focused research, and health informatics.

Harnessing the power of multimedia in offender-based law enforcement information systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Alan P.

1997-02-01

Criminal offenders are increasingly administratively processed by automated multimedia information systems. During this processing, case and offender biographical data, mugshot photos, fingerprints and other valuable information and media are collected by law enforcement officers. As part of their criminal investigations, law enforcement officers are routinely called to solve criminal cases based upon limited evidence . . . evidence increasingly comprised of human DNA, ballistic casings and projectiles, chemical residues, latent fingerprints, surveillance camera facial images and voices. As multimedia systems receive greater use in law enforcement, traditional approaches used to index text data are not appropriate for images and signal data which comprise a multimedia database. Multimedia systems with integrated advanced pattern matching tools will provide law enforcement the ability to effectively locate multimedia information based upon content, without reliance upon the accuracy or completeness of text-based indexing.

Approaches to the Surveillance of Foodborne Disease: A Review of the Evidence.

PubMed

Ford, Laura; Miller, Megge; Cawthorne, Amy; Fearnley, Emily; Kirk, Martyn

2015-12-01

Foodborne disease surveillance aims to reduce the burden of illness due to contaminated food. There are several different types of surveillance systems, including event-based surveillance, indicator-based surveillance, and integrated food chain surveillance. These approaches are not mutually exclusive, have overlapping data sources, require distinct capacities and resources, and can be considered a hierarchy, with each level being more complex and resulting in a greater ability to detect and control foodborne disease. Event-based surveillance is generally the least resource-intensive system and makes use of informal data sources. Indicator-based surveillance is seen as traditional notifiable disease surveillance and consists of routinely collected data. Integrated food chain surveillance is viewed as the optimal practice for conducting continuous risk analysis for foodborne diseases, but also requires significant ongoing resources and greater multisectoral collaboration compared to the other systems. Each country must determine the most appropriate structure for their surveillance system for foodborne diseases based on their available resources. This review explores the evidence on the principles, minimum capabilities, and minimum requirements of each type of surveillance and discusses examples from a range of countries. This review forms the evidence base for the Strengthening the Surveillance and Response for Foodborne Diseases: A Practical Manual.

Surveillance of sexually transmitted infections in England and Wales.

PubMed

Hughes, G; Paine, T; Thomas, D

2001-05-01

Surveillance of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England and Wales has, in the past, relied principally on aggregated statistical data submitted by all genitourinary medicine clinics to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, supplemented by various laboratory reporting systems. Although these systems provide comparatively robust surveillance data, they do not provide sufficient information on risk factors to target STI control and prevention programmes appropriately. Over recent years, substantial rises in STIs, the emergence of numerous outbreaks of STIs, and changes in gonococcal resistance patterns have necessitated the introduction of more sophisticated surveillance mechanisms. This article describes current STI surveillance systems in England and Wales, including new systems that have recently been introduced or are currently being developed to meet the need for enhanced STI surveillance data.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance Among Cirrhotic Patients With Commercial Health Insurance.

PubMed

Goldberg, David S; Valderrama, Adriana; Kamalakar, Rajesh; Sansgiry, Sujit S; Babajanyan, Svetlana; Lewis, James D

2016-03-01

To evaluate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance rates among commercially insured patients, and evaluate factors associated with compliance with surveillance recommendations. Most HCC occurs in patients with cirrhosis. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and European Association for the Study of the Liver guidelines each recommend biannual HCC surveillance for cirrhotic patients to diagnose HCC at an early, curable stage. However, compliance with these guidelines in commercially insured patients is unknown. We used the Truven Health Analytics databases from 2006 to 2010, using January 1, 2006 as the anchor date for evaluating outcomes. The primary outcome was continuous surveillance measure, defined as the proportion of time "up-to-date" with surveillance (PTUDS), with the 6-month interval immediately following each ultrasound categorized as "up-to-date." During a median follow-up of 22.9 (interquartile range, 16.3 to 33.9) months among 8916 cirrhotic patients, the mean PTUDS was 0.34 (SD, 0.29), and the median was 0.31 (interquartile range, 0.03 to 0.52). These values increased only modestly with inclusion of serum alpha-fetoprotein testing, contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomographic scans or magnetic resonance imagings, and/or extension of up-to-date time to 12 months. Being diagnosed by a nongastroenterology provider and increasing age were significantly associated with decreased HCC surveillance (P<0.05), whereas a history of a hepatic decompensation event, presence of any component of the metabolic syndrome, and diagnosis of hepatitis B or hepatitis C were significantly associated with increased surveillance (P<0.05). However, even among patients with the most favorable characteristics, surveillance rates remained low. HCC surveillance rates in commercially insured at-risk patients remain poor despite formalized guidelines, highlighting the need to develop interventions to improve surveillance rates.

Surveillance Practice Patterns after Curative Intent Therapy for Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the Medicare Population.

PubMed

Erb, Christopher T; Su, Kevin W; Soulos, Pamela R; Tanoue, Lynn T; Gross, Cary P

2016-09-01

Recurrence after treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is common, and routine imaging surveillance is recommended by evidence-based guidelines. Little is known about surveillance patterns after curative intent therapy for early stage NSCLC. We sought to understand recent practice patterns for surveillance of stage I NSCLC in the first two years after curative intent therapy in the Medicare population. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database we selected patients diagnosed with stage I NSCLC between 1998 and 2008. We studied adherence to surveillance guidelines based on specialty society recommendations for chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) scanning. We also tracked the use of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, which are not recommended for surveillance. We calculated the percent of patients who received guideline-adherent surveillance imaging and used logistic regression to determine associations between patient and provider factors and guideline adherence. Overall, 61.4% of patients received guideline-adherent surveillance during the initial 2 years after treatment. Use of CT scans in the first year after treatment increased from 47.4% in 1998-78.5% in 2008, and PET use increased from 5.8% to 28.9%. Adherence with surveillance imaging was associated with younger age, higher income, more comorbidities, access to primary care, and receipt of SBRT as the primary treatment. Adherence to specialty society guidelines for surveillance after treatment for stage I NSCLC was poor in this population of Medicare beneficiaries, with less than two-thirds of patients receiving recommended imaging, and almost 30% receiving non-recommended PET scans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the American Joint Commission on Cancer 8th Edition Staging System for Patients with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results analysis.

PubMed

Li, Xiaogang; Gou, Shanmiao; Liu, Zhiqiang; Ye, Zeng; Wang, Chunyou

2018-03-01

Although several staging systems have been proposed for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs), the optimal staging system remains unclear. Here, we aimed to assess the application of the newly revised 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for exocrine pancreatic carcinoma (EPC) to pNETs, in comparison with that of other staging systems. We identified pNETs patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2004-2014). Overall survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves with the log-rank test. The predictive accuracy of each staging system was assessed by the concordance index (c-index). Cox proportional hazards regression was conducted to calculate the impact of different stages. In total, 2424 patients with pNETs, including 2350 who underwent resection, were identified using SEER data. Patients with different stages were evenly stratified based on the 8th edition AJCC staging system for EPC. Kaplan-Meier curves were well separated in all patients and patients with resection using the 8th edition AJCC staging system for EPC. Moreover, the hazard ratio increased with worsening disease stage. The c-index of the 8th edition AJCC staging system for EPC was similar to that of the other systems. For pNETs patients, the 8th edition AJCC staging system for EPC exhibits good prognostic discrimination among different stages in both all patients and those with resection. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Work-related Mental Health Surveillance in Brazil: characteristics, difficulties, and challenges.

PubMed

Araújo, Tania Maria; Palma, Tarciso de Figueiredo; Araújo, Natália do Carmo

2017-10-01

This paper addresses the challenges and difficulties in Work-related Mental Health (WMH) Surveillance in Brazil, based on a review of the bibliographic literature. From the compilation of identified academic research, it seeks to foster reflections about the current landscape of surveillance actions, its main obstacles, and possibilities for improvement. A survey of national publications was carried out using Scielo, Lilacs and PUBMED databases from 2002 until 2017. Systematizing the results allows us to group the following themes: Epidemiology of WMH in Brazil; Policies for WMH and VISAT; Work Environment for Mental Health; and, Actions and Interventions in the VISAT and WMH. The surveillance actions are still in the early stages; however, there is an effort to strengthen the RENAST, materialized in the creation of protocols and the promotion of national meetings which reflect the construction of a new surveillance model for worker health. We noted a search for new conceptual models of mental illness, a redefinition of the focus of care, and of intervention approaches highlighting the active role of workers, who are essential players in facing the challenges in this area.

Laboratory database population surveillance to improve detection of progressive chronic kidney disease.

PubMed

Kennedy, David M; Chatha, Kamaljit; Rayner, Hugh C

2013-09-01

Some patients with chronic kidney disease are still referred late for specialist care despite the evidence that earlier detection and intervention can halt or delay progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). To develop a population surveillance system using existing laboratory data to enable early detection of patients at high risk of ESKD by reviewing cumulative graphs of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). A database was developed, updated daily with data from the laboratory computer. Cumulative eGFR graphs containing up to five years of data are reviewed by clinical scientists for all primary care patients or out-patients with a low eGFR for their age. For those with a declining trend, a report containing the eGFR graph is sent to the requesting doctor. A retrospective audit was performed using historical data to assess the predictive value of the graphs. In nine months, we reported 370,000 eGFR results, reviewing 12,000 eGFR graphs. On average 60 graphs per week were flagged as 'high' or 'intermediate' risk. Patients with graphs flagged as high risk had a significantly higher mortality after 3.5 years and a significantly greater chance of requiring renal replacement therapy after 4.5 years of follow-up. Five patients (7%) with graphs flagged as high risk had a sustained >25% fall in eGFR without evidence of secondary care referral. Feedback about the service from requesting clinicians was 73% positive. We have developed a system for laboratory staff to review cumulative eGFR graphs for a large population and identify patients at highest risk of developing ESKD. Further research is needed to measure the impact of this service on patient outcomes. © 2013 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

Improving the work efficiency of healthcare-associated infection surveillance using electronic medical records.

PubMed

Lo, Yu-Sheng; Lee, Wen-Sen; Chen, Guo-Bin; Liu, Chien-Tsai

2014-11-01

In this study, we developed an integrated hospital-associated urinary tract infection (HAUTI) surveillance information system (called iHAUTISIS) based on existing electronic medical records (EMR) systems for improving the work efficiency of infection control professionals (ICPs) in a 730-bed, tertiary-care teaching hospital in Taiwan. The iHAUTISIS can automatically collect data relevant to HAUTI surveillance from the different EMR systems, and provides a visualization dashboard that helps ICPs make better surveillance plans and facilitates their surveillance work. In order to measure the system performance, we also created a generic model for comparing the ICPs' work efficiency when using existing electronic culture-based surveillance information system (eCBSIS) and iHAUTISIS, respectively. This model can demonstrate a patient's state (unsuspected, suspected, and confirmed) and corresponding time spent on surveillance tasks performed by ICPs for the patient in that state. The study results showed that the iHAUTISIS performed better than the eCBSIS in terms of ICPs' time cost. It reduced the time by 73.27 s, when using iHAUTISIS (114.26 s) and eCBSIS (187.53 s), for each patient on average. With increased adoption of EMR systems, the development of the integrated HAI surveillance information systems would be more and more cost-effective. Moreover, the iHAUTISIS adopted web-based technology that enables ICPs to online access patient's surveillance information using laptops or mobile devices. Therefore, our system can further facilitate the HAI surveillance and reduce ICPs' surveillance workloads. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Syndromic surveillance in circumstances of bioterrorism threat--the essence, application abilities and superiority over a traditional epidemiological surveillance].

PubMed

Osemek, Paweł; Kocik, Janusz; Paśnik, Krzysztof

2009-12-01

This article provides a short review about trends of developing current syndromic surveillance systems. To improve methods of early detection of natural or bioterrorism-related outbreaks, it has to be established a new way of epidemiological thinking, which uses innovative real-time surveillance systems. Syndromic surveillance has been created for an early detection, to monitor the temporo-spatial spread of an outbreak, and to provide prompt data for immediate analysis and feedback to public health authorities. It supports timely decision making process for countermeasure procedures. Framework of syndromic surveillance system requires a proper electronic infrastructure to be build up. Optimal syndrome definitions and data sources for continuing specific diseases outbreak surveillance have not been determined so far. Systems of interest might enhance collaboration among clinical providers, primary care providers, emergency services, information-systems professionals and public health agencies. However economic scope of this undertakings effectively limits ability to implement it in Polish public health service right now. Besides, syndromic surveillance cannot replace traditional public health surveillance with a post-factum epidemiological investigation and laboratory analysis. It can be a useful supplement.

Congenital rubella syndrome surveillance in Honduras.

PubMed

Molina, Ida Berenice; Mendoza, Lourdes Otilia; Palma, María Aparicia

2011-09-01

Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) surveillance was established in Honduras to determine the scope of the problem and assess the impact of vaccination. Implementation of the surveillance system required the drafting of national CRS epidemiological surveillance guidelines, the development of a laboratory diagnostic method, and training of physicians, nurses, and microbiologists in the Honduran hospital network and social security system on CRS surveillance guidelines. Honduras' experience with the surveillance of other vaccine-preventable diseases facilitated the implementation of hospital-based CRS surveillance. The surveillance system operates in 23 of the 25 public hospitals that offer services to children and at 2 social security hospitals; the private sector has not been integrated into this system. Clinical and technical staff, including representatives from various disciplines such as pediatrics, neonatology, general medicine, epidemiology, nursing, and microbiology, participate in the hospital network, as well as follow up on cases in accordance with the standardized guidelines, depending on their areas of expertise. Implementation of the CRS surveillance system requires technical guidelines, laboratory diagnostic capacity, and trained multidisciplinary human resources for its systematization and operation.

24/7 security system: 60-FPS color EMCCD camera with integral human recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogelsong, T. L.; Boult, T. E.; Gardner, D. W.; Woodworth, R.; Johnson, R. C.; Heflin, B.

2007-04-01

An advanced surveillance/security system is being developed for unattended 24/7 image acquisition and automated detection, discrimination, and tracking of humans and vehicles. The low-light video camera incorporates an electron multiplying CCD sensor with a programmable on-chip gain of up to 1000:1, providing effective noise levels of less than 1 electron. The EMCCD camera operates in full color mode under sunlit and moonlit conditions, and monochrome under quarter-moonlight to overcast starlight illumination. Sixty frame per second operation and progressive scanning minimizes motion artifacts. The acquired image sequences are processed with FPGA-compatible real-time algorithms, to detect/localize/track targets and reject non-targets due to clutter under a broad range of illumination conditions and viewing angles. The object detectors that are used are trained from actual image data. Detectors have been developed and demonstrated for faces, upright humans, crawling humans, large animals, cars and trucks. Detection and tracking of targets too small for template-based detection is achieved. For face and vehicle targets the results of the detection are passed to secondary processing to extract recognition templates, which are then compared with a database for identification. When combined with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) optics, the resulting system provides a reliable wide-area 24/7 surveillance system that avoids the high life-cycle cost of infrared cameras and image intensifiers.

Assessing the spreading patterns of dengue infection and chikungunya fever outbreaks in lower southern Thailand using a geographic information system.

PubMed

Ditsuwan, Thanittha; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Thammapalo, Suwich; McNeil, Edward

2011-04-01

The aims of this study were to assess the incidence of dengue infection (DEN) and chikungunya fever (CHIK) and determine the direction and speed of CHIK between August 2008 and June 2009 in lower southern Thailand. The National Communicable Disease Surveillance System database and a geographic information system containing data on case locations were combined. R and ArcView were used for identifying incidence, direction, and speed of disease outbreaks. A total of 27,166 patients were identified, of which 3319 and 23,847 had DEN and CHIK, with incidences of 73 and 521 per 100,000, respectively. The direction of the CHIK outbreak moved from south to north with a median speed of 7.5 km per week. CHIK cases increased after 6 weeks of increasing cumulative rainfall with variation of average daily temperatures (23.7-30.7 degrees C) per week. There was no clear association of DEN with climate variables. The combination of surveillance and geographic information system data of DEN and CHIK can be used to determine the speed and direction of disease spread. DEN is endemic, but CHIK is an emerging disease. Because of the rapid spread of CHIK, strict and timely integrated vector control programs after case notification must be implemented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping HIV/STI behavioural surveillance in Europe

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Used in conjunction with biological surveillance, behavioural surveillance provides data allowing for a more precise definition of HIV/STI prevention strategies. In 2008, mapping of behavioural surveillance in EU/EFTA countries was performed on behalf of the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control. Method Nine questionnaires were sent to all 31 member States and EEE/EFTA countries requesting data on the overall behavioural and second generation surveillance system and on surveillance in the general population, youth, men having sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU), sex workers (SW), migrants, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), and sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics patients. Requested data included information on system organisation (e.g. sustainability, funding, institutionalisation), topics covered in surveys and main indicators. Results Twenty-eight of the 31 countries contacted supplied data. Sixteen countries reported an established behavioural surveillance system, and 13 a second generation surveillance system (combination of biological surveillance of HIV/AIDS and STI with behavioural surveillance). There were wide differences as regards the year of survey initiation, number of populations surveyed, data collection methods used, organisation of surveillance and coordination with biological surveillance. The populations most regularly surveyed are the general population, youth, MSM and IDU. SW, patients of STI clinics and PLWHA are surveyed less regularly and in only a small number of countries, and few countries have undertaken behavioural surveys among migrant or ethnic minorities populations. In many cases, the identification of populations with risk behaviour and the selection of populations to be included in a BS system have not been formally conducted, or are incomplete. Topics most frequently covered are similar across countries, although many different indicators are used. In most countries, sustainability of surveillance systems is not assured. Conclusion Although many European countries have established behavioural surveillance systems, there is little harmonisation as regards the methods and indicators adopted. The main challenge now faced is to build and maintain organised and functional behavioural and second generation surveillance systems across Europe, to increase collaboration, to promote robust, sustainable and cost-effective data collection methods, and to harmonise indicators. PMID:20920339

[Winter surveillance of cold exposure effects on health among the homeless population in the Paris area: data from the Coordinated Health Surveillance of Emergency Department network (Organisation de la surveillance coordonnée des urgences [Oscour(®)])].

PubMed

Rouquette, A; Mandereau-Bruno, L; Baffert, E; Laaidi, K; Josseran, L; Isnard, H

2011-12-01

A program for helping homeless individuals in winter is implemented from November 1(st) to March 31(st) each year in France. Its aim is to prevent morbidity and mortality in this population during cold spells and periods of severe cold. A health surveillance system of the homeless population in the Paris area has been proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and to alert decision-makers if an unusual increase in cold-weather effects is observed. The goal of this study was the creation of an indicator for the proposed surveillance system based on emergency department activity in the Paris area (Oscour(®) Network - Organisation de la surveillance coordonnée des urgences). The winter 2007-2008 computer medical files of 11 emergency departments in the Paris area were examined to confirm diagnosis and ascertain patient-homelessness for each patient visit which was selected from the Oscour(®) database by the patient chief-complaint or diagnosis code referring to hypothermia or frostbites. The proposed indicator is based on the maximization of three criteria: the positive predictive value, the proportion of people identified as being homeless and the number of emergency department visits. A Shewhart control chart was applied to the indicator for the four winters between 2005 and 2009 in the Paris area. Values beyond the statistical threshold would indicate a need for an adjustment to the program strategy. Two hundred and sixteen medical files were analyzed. An indicator was created, "number of emergency department visits of 15 to 69-years-old persons with chief-complaint or diagnosis code referring to hypothermia". It had a positive predictive value estimated near 85 % and identified 61.7 % people as being homeless. In the winter of 2008-2009, the statistical threshold was reached in December during the first cold spell, and again at the beginning of January during a period of severe cold. Our results support the use of this health indicator, alongside social indicators, for optimizing the strategy for helping the homeless population during winter. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Analysis of MLS Based Surveillance System (MLSS) Concepts

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-04-01

This report examines a number of surveillance system concepts to support safe independent runway approaches and converging runways under weather conditons. All surveillance conepts are based on the use of MLS signals. The resultin surveillance is ava...

76 FR 62321 - Airworthiness Directives; Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-07

... Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Units AGENCY... certain Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) traffic alert and collision avoidance system...) traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) units with part numbers identified in ACSS Technical...

Secure Video Surveillance System (SVSS) for unannounced safeguards inspections.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galdoz, Erwin G.; Pinkalla, Mark

2010-09-01

The Secure Video Surveillance System (SVSS) is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC). The joint project addresses specific requirements of redundant surveillance systems installed in two South American nuclear facilities as a tool to support unannounced inspections conducted by ABACC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The surveillance covers the critical time (as much as a few hours) between the notification of an inspection and the access of inspectors to the location in facility where surveillance equipment is installed.more » ABACC and the IAEA currently use the EURATOM Multiple Optical Surveillance System (EMOSS). This outdated system is no longer available or supported by the manufacturer. The current EMOSS system has met the project objective; however, the lack of available replacement parts and system support has made this system unsustainable and has increased the risk of an inoperable system. A new system that utilizes current technology and is maintainable is required to replace the aging EMOSS system. ABACC intends to replace one of the existing ABACC EMOSS systems by the Secure Video Surveillance System. SVSS utilizes commercial off-the shelf (COTS) technologies for all individual components. Sandia National Laboratories supported the system design for SVSS to meet Safeguards requirements, i.e. tamper indication, data authentication, etc. The SVSS consists of two video surveillance cameras linked securely to a data collection unit. The collection unit is capable of retaining historical surveillance data for at least three hours with picture intervals as short as 1sec. Images in .jpg format are available to inspectors using various software review tools. SNL has delivered two SVSS systems for test and evaluation at the ABACC Safeguards Laboratory. An additional 'proto-type' system remains at SNL for software and hardware testing. This paper will describe the capabilities of the new surveillance system, application and requirements, and the design approach.« less

Cost-effectiveness of ceftolozane/tazobactam plus metronidazole versus piperacillin/tazobactam as initial empiric therapy for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections based on pathogen distributions drawn from national surveillance data in the United States.

PubMed

Prabhu, Vimalanand S; Solomkin, Joseph S; Medic, Goran; Foo, Jason; Borse, Rebekah H; Kauf, Teresa; Miller, Benjamin; Sen, Shuvayu S; Basu, Anirban

2017-01-01

The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative pathogens in complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) has increased. In the absence of timely information on the infecting pathogens and their susceptibilities, local or regional epidemiology may guide initial empirical therapy and reduce treatment failure, length of stay and mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of ceftolozane/tazobactam + metronidazole compared with piperacillin/tazobactam in the treatment of hospitalized US patients with cIAI at risk of infection with resistant pathogens. We used a decision-analytic Monte Carlo simulation model to compare the costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of persons infected with nosocomial gram-negative cIAI treated empirically with either ceftolozane/tazobactam + metronidazole or piperacillin/tazobactam. Pathogen isolates were randomly drawn from the Program to Assess Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Susceptibility (PACTS) database, a surveillance database of non-duplicate bacterial isolates collected from patients with cIAIs in medical centers in the USA from 2011 to 2013. Susceptibility to initial therapy was based on the measured susceptibilities reported in the PACTS database determined using standard broth micro-dilution methods as described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Our model results, with baseline resistance levels from the PACTS database, indicated that ceftolozane/tazobactam + metronidazole dominated piperacillin/tazobactam, with lower costs ($44,226/patient vs. $44,811/patient respectively) and higher QALYs (12.85/patient vs. 12.70/patient, respectively). Ceftolozane/tazobactam + metronidazole remained the dominant choice in one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Based on surveillance data, ceftolozane/tazobactam is more likely to be an appropriate empiric therapy for cIAI in the US. Results from a decision-analytic simulation model indicate that use of ceftolozane/tazobactam + metronidazole would result in cost savings and improves QALYs, compared with piperacillin/tazobactam.

Machine learning approaches to analysing textual injury surveillance data: a systematic review.

PubMed

Vallmuur, Kirsten

2015-06-01

To synthesise recent research on the use of machine learning approaches to mining textual injury surveillance data. Systematic review. The electronic databases which were searched included PubMed, Cinahl, Medline, Google Scholar, and Proquest. The bibliography of all relevant articles was examined and associated articles were identified using a snowballing technique. For inclusion, articles were required to meet the following criteria: (a) used a health-related database, (b) focused on injury-related cases, AND used machine learning approaches to analyse textual data. The papers identified through the search were screened resulting in 16 papers selected for review. Articles were reviewed to describe the databases and methodology used, the strength and limitations of different techniques, and quality assurance approaches used. Due to heterogeneity between studies meta-analysis was not performed. Occupational injuries were the focus of half of the machine learning studies and the most common methods described were Bayesian probability or Bayesian network based methods to either predict injury categories or extract common injury scenarios. Models were evaluated through either comparison with gold standard data or content expert evaluation or statistical measures of quality. Machine learning was found to provide high precision and accuracy when predicting a small number of categories, was valuable for visualisation of injury patterns and prediction of future outcomes. However, difficulties related to generalizability, source data quality, complexity of models and integration of content and technical knowledge were discussed. The use of narrative text for injury surveillance has grown in popularity, complexity and quality over recent years. With advances in data mining techniques, increased capacity for analysis of large databases, and involvement of computer scientists in the injury prevention field, along with more comprehensive use and description of quality assurance methods in text mining approaches, it is likely that we will see a continued growth and advancement in knowledge of text mining in the injury field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of wild polio virus outbreak investigation and response in Ethiopia in 2013-2014: implications for prevention of outbreaks due to importations.

PubMed

Tegegne, Ayesheshem Ademe; Braka, Fiona; Shebeshi, Meseret Eshetu; Aregay, Aron Kassahun; Beyene, Berhane; Mersha, Amare Mengistu; Ademe, Mohammed; Muhyadin, Abdulahi; Jima, Dadi; Wyessa, Abyot Bekele

2018-01-05

Ethiopia joined the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1996, and by the end of December 2001 circulation of indigenous Wild Polio Virus (WPV) had been interrupted. Nonetheless, the country experienced multiple importations during 2004-2008, and in 2013. We characterize the 2013 outbreak investigations and response activities, and document lessons learned. The data were pulled from different field investigation reports and from the national surveillance database for Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP). In 2013, a WPV1 outbreak was confirmed following importation in Dollo zone of the Somali region, which affected three Woredas (Warder, Geladi and Bokh). Between July 10, 2013, and January 5, 2014, there were 10 children paralyzed due to WPV1 infection. The majorities (7 of 10) were male and below 5 years of age, and 7 of 10 cases was not vaccinated, and 72% (92/129) of < 5 years of old children living in close proximity with WPV cases had zero doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV). The travel history of the cases showed that seven of the 10 cases had contact with someone who had traveled or had a travel history prior to the onset of paralysis. Underserved and inaccessibility of routine immunization service, suboptimal surveillance sensitivity, poor quality and inadequate supplemental immunization were the most crucial gaps identified during the outbreak investigations. Prior to the 2013 outbreak, Ethiopia experienced multiple imported polio outbreaks following the interruption of indigenous WPV in December 2001. The 2013 outbreak erupted due to massive population movement and was fueled by low population immunity as a result of low routine immunization and supplemental Immunization coverage and quality. In order to avert future outbreaks, it is critical that surveillance sensitivity be improved by establishing community-based surveillance systems and by assigning surveillance focal points at all level particularly in border areas. In addition, it is vital to set up in hard to reach areas a functional immunization service delivery system using the "Reaching Every Child" approach, including periodic routine immunization intensification and supplemental immunization activities.

Honey bee surveillance: a tool for understanding and improving honey bee health.

PubMed

Lee, Kathleen; Steinhauer, Nathalie; Travis, Dominic A; Meixner, Marina D; Deen, John; vanEngelsdorp, Dennis

2015-08-01

Honey bee surveillance systems are increasingly used to characterize honey bee health and disease burdens of bees in different regions and/or over time. In addition to quantifying disease prevalence, surveillance systems can identify risk factors associated with colony morbidity and mortality. Surveillance systems are often observational, and prove particularly useful when searching for risk factors in real world complex systems. We review recent examples of surveillance systems with particular emphasis on how these efforts have helped increase our understanding of honey bee health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design Science Methodology Applied to a Chemical Surveillance Tool

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Zhuanyi; Han, Kyungsik; Charles-Smith, Lauren E.

Public health surveillance systems gain significant benefits from integrating existing early incident detection systems,supported by closed data sources, with open source data.However, identifying potential alerting incidents relies on finding accurate, reliable sources and presenting the high volume of data in a way that increases analysts work efficiency; a challenge for any system that leverages open source data. In this paper, we present the design concept and the applied design science research methodology of ChemVeillance, a chemical analyst surveillance system.Our work portrays a system design and approach that translates theoretical methodology into practice creating a powerful surveillance system built for specificmore » use cases.Researchers, designers, developers, and related professionals in the health surveillance community can build upon the principles and methodology described here to enhance and broaden current surveillance systems leading to improved situational awareness based on a robust integrated early warning system.« less

Web surveillance system using platform-based design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shin-Yo; Tsai, Tsung-Han

2004-04-01

A revolutionary methodology of SOPC platform-based design environment for multimedia communications will be developed. We embed a softcore processor to perform the image compression in FPGA. Then, we plug-in an Ethernet daughter board in the SOPC development platform system. Afterward, a web surveillance platform system is presented. The web surveillance system consists of three parts: image capture, web server and JPEG compression. In this architecture, user can control the surveillance system by remote. By the IP address configures to Ethernet daughter board, the user can access the surveillance system via browser. When user access the surveillance system, the CMOS sensor presently capture the remote image. After that, it will feed the captured image with the embedded processor. The embedded processor immediately performs the JPEG compression. Afterward, the user receives the compressed data via Ethernet. To sum up of the above mentioned, the all system will be implemented on APEX20K200E484-2X device.

Enabling analytical and Modeling Tools for Enhanced Disease Surveillance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dawn K. Manley

2003-04-01

Early detection, identification, and warning are essential to minimize casualties from a biological attack. For covert attacks, sick people are likely to provide the first indication of an attack. An enhanced medical surveillance system that synthesizes distributed health indicator information and rapidly analyzes the information can dramatically increase the number of lives saved. Current surveillance methods to detect both biological attacks and natural outbreaks are hindered by factors such as distributed ownership of information, incompatible data storage and analysis programs, and patient privacy concerns. Moreover, because data are not widely shared, few data mining algorithms have been tested on andmore » applied to diverse health indicator data. This project addressed both integration of multiple data sources and development and integration of analytical tools for rapid detection of disease outbreaks. As a first prototype, we developed an application to query and display distributed patient records. This application incorporated need-to-know access control and incorporated data from standard commercial databases. We developed and tested two different algorithms for outbreak recognition. The first is a pattern recognition technique that searches for space-time data clusters that may signal a disease outbreak. The second is a genetic algorithm to design and train neural networks (GANN) that we applied toward disease forecasting. We tested these algorithms against influenza, respiratory illness, and Dengue Fever data. Through this LDRD in combination with other internal funding, we delivered a distributed simulation capability to synthesize disparate information and models for earlier recognition and improved decision-making in the event of a biological attack. The architecture incorporates user feedback and control so that a user's decision inputs can impact the scenario outcome as well as integrated security and role-based access-control for communicating between distributed data and analytical tools. This work included construction of interfaces to various commercial database products and to one of the data analysis algorithms developed through this LDRD.« less

Easier surveillance of climate-related health vulnerabilities through a Web-based spatial OLAP application.

PubMed

Bernier, Eveline; Gosselin, Pierre; Badard, Thierry; Bédard, Yvan

2009-04-03

Climate change has a significant impact on population health. Population vulnerabilities depend on several determinants of different types, including biological, psychological, environmental, social and economic ones. Surveillance of climate-related health vulnerabilities must take into account these different factors, their interdependence, as well as their inherent spatial and temporal aspects on several scales, for informed analyses. Currently used technology includes commercial off-the-shelf Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Database Management Systems with spatial extensions. It has been widely recognized that such OLTP (On-Line Transaction Processing) systems were not designed to support complex, multi-temporal and multi-scale analysis as required above. On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) is central to the field known as BI (Business Intelligence), a key field for such decision-support systems. In the last few years, we have seen a few projects that combine OLAP and GIS to improve spatio-temporal analysis and geographic knowledge discovery. This has given rise to SOLAP (Spatial OLAP) and a new research area. This paper presents how SOLAP and climate-related health vulnerability data were investigated and combined to facilitate surveillance. Based on recent spatial decision-support technologies, this paper presents a spatio-temporal web-based application that goes beyond GIS applications with regard to speed, ease of use, and interactive analysis capabilities. It supports the multi-scale exploration and analysis of integrated socio-economic, health and environmental geospatial data over several periods. This project was meant to validate the potential of recent technologies to contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between public health and climate change, and to facilitate future decision-making by public health agencies and municipalities in Canada and elsewhere. The project also aimed at integrating an initial collection of geo-referenced multi-scale indicators that were identified by Canadian specialists and end-users as relevant for the surveillance of the public health impacts of climate change. This system was developed in a multidisciplinary context involving researchers, policy makers and practitioners, using BI and web-mapping concepts (more particularly SOLAP technologies), while exploring new solutions for frequent automatic updating of data and for providing contextual warnings for users (to minimize the risk of data misinterpretation). According to the project participants, the final system succeeds in facilitating surveillance activities in a way not achievable with today's GIS. Regarding the experiments on frequent automatic updating and contextual user warnings, the results obtained indicate that these are meaningful and achievable goals but they still require research and development for their successful implementation in the context of surveillance and multiple organizations. Surveillance of climate-related health vulnerabilities may be more efficiently supported using a combination of BI and GIS concepts, and more specifically, SOLAP technologies (in that it facilitates and accelerates multi-scale spatial and temporal analysis to a point where a user can maintain an uninterrupted train of thought by focussing on "what" she/he wants (not on "how" to get it) and always obtain instant answers, including to the most complex queries that take minutes or hours with OLTP systems (e.g., aggregated, temporal, comparative)). The developed system respects Newell's cognitive band of 10 seconds when performing knowledge discovery (exploring data, looking for hypotheses, validating models). The developed system provides new operators for easily and rapidly exploring multidimensional data at different levels of granularity, for different regions and epochs, and for visualizing the results in synchronized maps, tables and charts. It is naturally adapted to deal with multiscale indicators such as those used in the surveillance community, as confirmed by this project's end-users.

Development and Implementation of a Surveillance Network System for Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Caribbean (ARICABA).

PubMed

Kim, Wongyu Lewis; Anneducharme, Chelsea; Bucher, Bernard Jean-Marie Philippe

2011-01-01

Dengue fever, including dengue hemorrhagic fever, has become a re-emerging public health threat in the Caribbean in the absence of a comprehensive regional surveillance system. In this deficiency, a project entitled ARICABA, strives to implement a pilot surveillance system across three islands: Martinique, St. Lucia, and Dominica. The aim of this project is to establish a network for epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases, utilizing information and communication technology. This paper describes the system design and development strategies of a "network of networks" surveillance system for infectious diseases in the Caribbean. Also described are benefits, challenges, and limitations of this approach across the three island nations identified through direct observation, open-ended interviews, and email communications with an on-site IT consultant, key informants, and the project director. Identified core systems design of the ARICABA data warehouse include a disease monitoring system and a syndromic surveillance system. Three components comprise the development strategy: the data warehouse server, the geographical information system, and forecasting algorithms; these are recognized technical priorities of the surveillance system. A main benefit of the ARICABA surveillance system is improving responsiveness and representativeness of existing health systems through automated data collection, process, and transmission of information from various sources. Challenges include overcoming technology gaps between countries; real-time data collection points; multiple language support; and "component-oriented" development approaches.

Mortality Surveillance for Infectious Diseases in the U.S. Department of Defense (1998-2013).

PubMed

Potter, Robert N; Tremaine, Ladd A; Gaydos, Joel C

2017-03-01

The Mortality Surveillance Division (MSD) of the U.S. Armed Forces Medical Examiner System was established in 1998 to improve surveillance for all military deaths although emphasizing deaths from infectious diseases. Establishment of the MSD was part of the 1997 Department of Defense initiative to improve surveillance and response for emerging infectious diseases. Before 1998, mortality surveillance was limited to compiling information from death certificates, a system that provided limited useful information and lacked the timeliness needed to take meaningful action to address emerging infectious disease threats. The MSD was tasked to quickly identify all infectious disease deaths and the infecting agents. The system developed by the MSD staff identified deaths in near real-time and immediately notified military Public Health authorities of situations that warranted an investigation. Autopsy, medical, and investigative reports were collected. Testing specimens for agent identification was encouraged. The data and information collected were archived in the MSD-developed Medical Mortality Registry (MMR), a database that included all active duty Service Member deaths and contained manner and cause of death with medical, demographic, circumstantial, and diagnostic information. The MMR was the only comprehensive, autopsy-based source for mortality information on active duty military deaths. During 1998-2013, 217 (1.3%) infectious disease deaths were identified among 16,192 noncombat deaths. Of the 217 deaths, 29.5% were classified as respiratory, 18.0% cardiac, 15.2% blood borne, 12.9% nervous system, and 12.4% sepsis. A pathogen was identified for 64.5%. Agents of military interest identified included Neisseria meningitidis, influenza viruses, adenoviruses, and malaria. Neisseria meningitidis was identified in 10 fatal cases; grouping of the agent was done for eight cases. Four were group B, two were C, and two were Y. All eight had been immunized with a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine. The most commonly detected respiratory agent was influenza virus (nine deaths), three of which were the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus. Adenoviruses were identified as the infectious agents in a total of nine deaths. Two deaths resulted from Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections acquired in Africa during military deployments. An important but unexplained finding was that Black Service Members made up only16.3% of all military personnel but accounted for 28.6% of all infectious disease deaths. The time lag between death and notification of the MSD at the start of this surveillance program was 24 to 48 hours. The lag at the end of the reported surveillance period was 8 to 24 hours. The MSD surveillance system identified an agent in 140 of 217 (64.5%) uniformed deaths. In a similar program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 122 cases with specimens, an agent could be identified in 34 (28%). MMR data and information provided strong support for re-establishing the military recruit adenovirus vaccination program, which ceased in 1999 and was finally re-established in 2011. MMR data and information also assisted in monitoring the military meningococcal vaccine program, helped to describe the virulence of circulating influenza viruses, and identified areas where deadly malaria infections were not being prevented. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Face recognition: database acquisition, hybrid algorithms, and human studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutta, Srinivas; Huang, Jeffrey R.; Singh, Dig; Wechsler, Harry

1997-02-01

One of the most important technologies absent in traditional and emerging frontiers of computing is the management of visual information. Faces are accessible `windows' into the mechanisms that govern our emotional and social lives. The corresponding face recognition tasks considered herein include: (1) Surveillance, (2) CBIR, and (3) CBIR subject to correct ID (`match') displaying specific facial landmarks such as wearing glasses. We developed robust matching (`classification') and retrieval schemes based on hybrid classifiers and showed their feasibility using the FERET database. The hybrid classifier architecture consist of an ensemble of connectionist networks--radial basis functions-- and decision trees. The specific characteristics of our hybrid architecture include (a) query by consensus as provided by ensembles of networks for coping with the inherent variability of the image formation and data acquisition process, and (b) flexible and adaptive thresholds as opposed to ad hoc and hard thresholds. Experimental results, proving the feasibility of our approach, yield (i) 96% accuracy, using cross validation (CV), for surveillance on a data base consisting of 904 images (ii) 97% accuracy for CBIR tasks, on a database of 1084 images, and (iii) 93% accuracy, using CV, for CBIR subject to correct ID match tasks on a data base of 200 images.

Impact of a surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance program in orthopedics and traumatology.

PubMed

Mabit, C; Marcheix, P S; Mounier, M; Dijoux, P; Pestourie, N; Bonnevialle, P; Bonnomet, F

2012-10-01

Surveillance of surgical site infections (SSI) is a priority. One of the fundamental principles for the surveillance of SSI is based on receiving effective field feedback (retro-information). The aim of this study was to report the results of a program of SSI surveillance and validate the hypothesis that there is a correlation between creating a SSI surveillance program and a reduction in SSI. The protocol was based on the weekly collection of surveillance data obtained directly from the different information systems in different departments. A delay of 3 months was established before extraction and analysis of data and information from the surgical teams. The NNIS index (National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System) developed by the American surveillance system and the reduction of length of hospital stay index Journées d'hospitalisation évitées (JHE). Since the end of 2009, 7156 surgical procedures were evaluated (rate of inclusion 97.3%), and 84 SSI were registered with a significant decrease over time from 1.86% to 0.66%. A total of 418 days of hospitalization have been saved since the beginning of the surveillance system. Our surveillance system has three strong points: follow-up is continuous, specifically adapted to orthopedic traumatology and nearly exhaustive. The extraction of data directly from hospital information systems effectively improves the collection of data on surgical procedures. The implementation of a SSI surveillance protocol reduces SSI. Level III. Prospective study. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

State Trauma Registries as a Resource for Occupational Injury Surveillance and Research

PubMed Central

Bowman, Stephen M.

2016-01-01

Objectives: Work-related traumatic injury is a leading cause of death and disability among US workers. Occupational injury surveillance is necessary for effective prevention planning and assessing progress toward Healthy People 2020 objectives. Our objectives were to (1) describe the Washington State Trauma Registry (WTR) as a resource for occupational injury surveillance and research, (2) compare the WTR with 2 population-based data sources more widely used for these purposes, and (3) compare the number of injuries ascertained by the WTR with other data sources. Methods: We linked WTR records to hospital discharge records in the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System for 2009 and to workers’ compensation claims from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries for 1998 to 2008. We assessed the 3 data sources for overlap, concordance, and case ascertainment. Results: Of 9185 work-related injuries in the WTR, 3380 (37%) did not link to workers’ compensation claims. Use of payer information in hospital discharge records along with the WTR work-relatedness field identified 20% more linked injuries as work related (n = 720) than did use of payer information alone (n = 602). The WTR identified substantial numbers of work-related injuries that were not identified through workers’ compensation or hospital discharge records. Conclusions: Workers’ compensation and hospital discharge databases are important but incomplete data sources for work-related injuries; many work-related injuries are not billed to, reported to, or covered by workers’ compensation. Trauma registries are well positioned to capture severe work-related injuries and should be included in comprehensive injury surveillance efforts. PMID:28123225

Fragrances and work-related asthma-California surveillance data, 1993-2012.

PubMed

Weinberg, Justine Lew; Flattery, Jennifer; Harrison, Robert

2017-12-01

Fragrance chemicals are used in a large array of products. Workers may be exposed to these chemicals in the workplace directly when used as air fresheners, or indirectly in personal care products used by coworkers or others. This study characterizes work-related asthma (WRA) cases associated with fragrance exposures in California workplaces from 1993 through 2012. We used the California Work-Related Asthma Prevention Program's surveillance database to identify individuals with physician-diagnosed WRA associated with the use of air fresheners and scented personal care products (perfumes, colognes, etc.). Cases were classified using previously published, standardized surveillance methods. Perfume was the ninth most common exposure identified from 1993 through 2012. A total of 270 WRA cases associated with fragrance exposure were reported during this period, representing 3.8% of all confirmed cases. These 270 cases included 242 associated with perfume or cologne, 32 associated with air freshener, and 4 associated with both. Similar to non-fragrance cases, nearly a quarter of fragrance-associated cases were classified as new-onset asthma. Fragrance-associated cases were significantly more likely to be in office, health, and education jobs than non-fragrance-associated cases. When compared to non-fragrance cases, fragrance cases were significantly more likely to be female (94% vs 62%) and be classified as having work-aggravated asthma (38% vs 20%), yet had similar outcomes compared with cases associated with other exposures. Our surveillance data show that fragrance use in the workplace is associated with WRA. Prevention methods include employee education, enforced fragrance-free policies, well-designed ventilation systems, and good building maintenance.

Measles cases among adolescents in southern Pakistan 2012-2015: The case for revisiting vaccination strategies.

PubMed

Shakoor, Sadia; Khan, Erum; Rajput, Muhammad Imran; Rahimoon, Wali Muhammad

2017-07-03

Surveillance of adult measles in Pakistan is a challenge as it does not enjoy the status of a reportable disease unlike childhood cases and therefore cases remain undetected and unreported or misdiagnosed. Consequently no data or estimates of young adult cases, seroprevalence, or estimates of susceptible preadolescent or young adult population exist. We have presented both laboratory conformed and clinically suspected cases of measles occurring in adolescents and adults in the southern province of Sindh in Pakistan. Through an examination of 2 independent databases, i.e. a laboratory database of measles IgM positive cases and clinically detected cases on surveillance performed by the Disease Early Warning System, we have analyzed and reported age-specific positivity rates from 2012 to 2015 in Sindh, Pakistan. High rates of laboratory confirmed measles were observed in those aged 9 y and younger. Among adolescents and adults, significantly higher positivity rates were observed among those aged 10-19 y. Clinically detected cases from Sindh showed similar distribution of cases. High burden of cases among children <9 y of age confirm that supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) among this age group are inadequate and need to be strengthened. Cases among those 10-19 y further demonstrate the need for consolidating SIAs with an additional strategy to vaccinate those who remain non-immune at college entry and in institutions where outbreaks can be prevented. Such measures are essential to achieving the goal of measles elimination in the country and region.

Hunters' acceptability of the surveillance system and alternative surveillance strategies for classical swine fever in wild boar - a participatory approach.

PubMed

Schulz, Katja; Calba, Clémentine; Peyre, Marisa; Staubach, Christoph; Conraths, Franz J

2016-09-06

Surveillance measures can only be effective if key players in the system accept them. Acceptability, which describes the willingness of persons to contribute, is often analyzed using participatory methods. Participatory epidemiology enables the active involvement of key players in the assessment of epidemiological issues. In the present study, we used a participatory method recently developed by CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement) to evaluate the functionality and acceptability of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) surveillance in wild boar in Germany, which is highly dependent on the participation of hunters. The acceptability of alternative surveillance strategies was also analyzed. By conducting focus group discussions, potential vulnerabilities in the system were detected and feasible alternative surveillance strategies identified. Trust in the current surveillance system is high, whereas the acceptability of the operation of the system is medium. Analysis of the acceptability of alternative surveillance strategies showed how risk-based surveillance approaches can be combined to develop strategies that have sufficient support and functionality. Furthermore, some surveillance strategies were clearly rejected by the hunters. Thus, the implementation of such strategies may be difficult. Participatory methods can be used to evaluate the functionality and acceptability of existing surveillance plans for CSF among hunters and to optimize plans regarding their chances of successful implementation.

We Can Have It All: Improved Surveillance Outcomes and Decreased Personnel Costs Associated With Electronic Reportable Disease Surveillance, North Carolina, 2010

PubMed Central

DiBiase, Lauren; Fangman, Mary T.; Fleischauer, Aaron T.; Waller, Anna E.; MacDonald, Pia D. M.

2013-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the timeliness, accuracy, and cost of a new electronic disease surveillance system at the local health department level. We describe practices associated with lower cost and better surveillance timeliness and accuracy. Methods. Interviews conducted May through August 2010 with local health department (LHD) staff at a simple random sample of 30 of 100 North Carolina counties provided information on surveillance practices and costs; we used surveillance system data to calculate timeliness and accuracy. We identified LHDs with best timeliness and accuracy and used these categories to compare surveillance practices and costs. Results. Local health departments in the top tertiles for surveillance timeliness and accuracy had a lower cost per case reported than LHDs with lower timeliness and accuracy ($71 and $124 per case reported, respectively; P = .03). Best surveillance practices fell into 2 domains: efficient use of the electronic surveillance system and use of surveillance data for local evaluation and program management. Conclusions. Timely and accurate surveillance can be achieved in the setting of restricted funding experienced by many LHDs. Adopting best surveillance practices may improve both efficiency and public health outcomes. PMID:24134385

A Population Health Surveillance Theory

PubMed Central

Bigras-Poulin, Michel; Michel, Pascal; Ravel, André

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES Despite its extensive use, the term "Surveillance" often takes on various meanings in the scientific literature pertinent to public health and animal health. A critical appraisal of this literature also reveals ambiguities relating to the scope and necessary structural components underpinning the surveillance process. The authors hypothesized that these inconsistencies translate to real or perceived deficiencies in the conceptual framework of population health surveillance. This paper presents a population health surveillance theory framed upon an explicit conceptual system relative to health surveillance performed in human and animal populations. METHODS The population health surveillance theory reflects the authors' system of thinking and was based on a creative process. RESULTS Population health surveillance includes two broad components: one relating to the human organization (which includes expertise and the administrative program), and one relating to the system per se (which includes elements of design and method) and which can be viewed as a process. The population health surveillance process is made of five sequential interrelated steps: 1) a trigger or need, 2) problem formulation, 3) surveillance planning, 4) surveillance implementation, and 5) information communication and audit. CONCLUSIONS The population health surveillance theory provides a systematic way of understanding, organizing and evaluating the population health surveillance process. PMID:23251837

Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of bovine brucellosis surveillance in a disease-free country using stochastic scenario tree modelling.

PubMed

Hénaux, Viviane; Calavas, Didier

2017-01-01

Surveillance systems of exotic infectious diseases aim to ensure transparency about the country-specific animal disease situation (i.e. demonstrate disease freedom) and to identify any introductions. In a context of decreasing resources, evaluation of surveillance efficiency is essential to help stakeholders make relevant decisions about prioritization of measures and funding allocation. This study evaluated the efficiency (sensitivity related to cost) of the French bovine brucellosis surveillance system using stochastic scenario tree models. Cattle herds were categorized into three risk groups based on the annual number of purchases, given that trading is considered as the main route of brucellosis introduction in cattle herds. The sensitivity in detecting the disease and the costs of the current surveillance system, which includes clinical (abortion) surveillance, programmed serological testing and introduction controls, were compared to those of 19 alternative surveillance scenarios. Surveillance costs included veterinary fees and laboratory analyses. The sensitivity over a year of the current surveillance system was predicted to be 91±7% at a design prevalence of 0.01% for a total cost of 14.9±1.8 million €. Several alternative surveillance scenarios, based on clinical surveillance and random or risk-based serological screening in a sample (20%) of the population, were predicted to be at least as sensitive but for a lower cost. Such changes would reduce whole surveillance costs by 20 to 61% annually, and the costs for farmers only would be decreased from about 12.0 million € presently to 5.3-9.0 million € (i.e. 25-56% decrease). Besides, fostering the evolution of the surveillance system in one of these directions would be in agreement with the European regulations and farmers perceptions on brucellosis risk and surveillance.

Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of bovine brucellosis surveillance in a disease-free country using stochastic scenario tree modelling

PubMed Central

Calavas, Didier

2017-01-01

Surveillance systems of exotic infectious diseases aim to ensure transparency about the country-specific animal disease situation (i.e. demonstrate disease freedom) and to identify any introductions. In a context of decreasing resources, evaluation of surveillance efficiency is essential to help stakeholders make relevant decisions about prioritization of measures and funding allocation. This study evaluated the efficiency (sensitivity related to cost) of the French bovine brucellosis surveillance system using stochastic scenario tree models. Cattle herds were categorized into three risk groups based on the annual number of purchases, given that trading is considered as the main route of brucellosis introduction in cattle herds. The sensitivity in detecting the disease and the costs of the current surveillance system, which includes clinical (abortion) surveillance, programmed serological testing and introduction controls, were compared to those of 19 alternative surveillance scenarios. Surveillance costs included veterinary fees and laboratory analyses. The sensitivity over a year of the current surveillance system was predicted to be 91±7% at a design prevalence of 0.01% for a total cost of 14.9±1.8 million €. Several alternative surveillance scenarios, based on clinical surveillance and random or risk-based serological screening in a sample (20%) of the population, were predicted to be at least as sensitive but for a lower cost. Such changes would reduce whole surveillance costs by 20 to 61% annually, and the costs for farmers only would be decreased from about 12.0 million € presently to 5.3–9.0 million € (i.e. 25–56% decrease). Besides, fostering the evolution of the surveillance system in one of these directions would be in agreement with the European regulations and farmers perceptions on brucellosis risk and surveillance. PMID:28859107

Development of the Vaccine Analytic Unit's research agenda for investigating potential adverse events associated with anthrax vaccine adsorbed.

PubMed

Payne, Daniel C; Franzke, Laura H; Stehr-Green, Paul A; Schwartz, Benjamin; McNeil, Michael M

2007-01-01

In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the Vaccine Analytic Unit (VAU) in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD). The focus of this report is to describe the process by which the VAU's anthrax vaccine safety research plan was developed following a comprehensive review of these topics. Public health literature, surveillance data, and clinical sources were reviewed to create a list of adverse events hypothesized to be potentially related to anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA). From this list, a consensus process was used to select 11 important research topics. Adverse event background papers were written for each of these topics, addressing predetermined criteria. These were independently reviewed and ranked by a National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) workgroup. The adverse events included in the final priority list will be the subject of observational or other post marketing surveillance studies using the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) database. A review of various information sources identified over 100 potential adverse events. The review process recommended 11 topics as potentially warranting further study. The NVAC workgroup identified the following adverse event topics for study: arthritis, optic neuritis, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome/Toxic epidermal necrolysis. Two additional topics (systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple, near-concurrent military vaccinations) were added in response to emerging public health and military concerns. The experience described, while specific for establishing the VAU's research agenda for the safety of the current anthrax vaccine, may be useful and adapted for research planning in other areas of public health research. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and use of a population based injury surveillance system: the All Wales Injury Surveillance System (AWISS)

PubMed Central

Lyons, R; Jones, S; Kemp, A; Sibert, J; Shepherd, J; Richmond, P; Bartlett, C; Palmer, S

2002-01-01

This report details the development and use of a population based emergency room surveillance system in the UK. Despite some difficulties in accessing high quality data the system has stimulated a considerable number of research and intervention projects. While surveillance systems with high quality data collection and coding parameters remain the gold standard, imperfect systems, particularly if population based, can play a substantial part in stimulating injury prevention initiatives. PMID:11928983

Homemade zipline and playground track ride injuries in children.

PubMed

Leeper, Christine M; McKenna, Christine; Gaines, Barbara A

2017-09-01

Playground track ride and homemade zipline-related injuries are increasingly common in the emergency department, with serious injuries and even deaths reported. Retrospective review of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database (2009-2015), followed by review of our academic pediatric trauma center's prospectively-maintained database (2005-2013). We included children ages 0-17years of age with zipline-related injuries. We recorded annual incidence of zipline-related injury, zipline type (homemade or playground), injuries and mechanism. In the NEISS database, 9397 (95%CI 6728-12,065) total zipline-related injuries were reported (45.9% homemade, 54.1% playground). Homemade but not playground injuries increased over time. Common injuries were fracture (49.8%), contusion/laceration (21.2%) and head injury (12.7%). Fall was predominant mechanism (83%). Age 5-9 was most frequently affected (59%). Our center database (n=35, 40% homemade, 1 fatality) revealed characteristics concordant with NEISS data. Head injury was related to fall height>5ft and impact with another structure. Homemade zipline injuries are increasing. Children ages 5-9 are at particular risk and should be carefully supervised. Despite protective surfaces, playground ziplines cause significant head injury, extremity fracture and high rates of hospital admission. Playground surface standards should be reviewed and revised as needed. Prognosis Study, Level III. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance Rates in Commercially Insured Patients with Non-Cirrhotic Chronic Hepatitis B

PubMed Central

Goldberg, David S.; Valderrama, Adriana; Kamalakar, Rajesh; Sansgiry, Sujit S; Babajanyan, Svetlana; Lewis, James D.

2015-01-01

AASLD and EASL guidelines recommend biannual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening for non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis B infection (HBV), yet there are no data estimating surveillance rates or factors associated with surveillance. We performed a retrospective cohort study of U.S. patients using the Truven Health Analytics databases from 2006-2010, and identified patients with non-cirrhotic chronic HBV. Surveillance patterns were characterized using categorical and continuous outcomes, with the continuous measure of the proportion of time “up-to-date” with surveillance (PUTDS), with the six-month interval following each ultrasound categorized as “up-to-date.” During a median follow-up of 26.0 (IQR: 16.2-40.0) months among 4,576 non-cirrhotic patients with chronic HBV (median age: 44 years, IQR: 36-52), only 306 (6.7%) had complete surveillance (one ultrasound every 6-month interval), 2,727 (59.6%) incomplete (≥1 ultrasound), and 1,543 (33.7%) none. The mean PUTDS was 0.34 ± 0.29, and the median was 0.32 (IQR: 0.03-0.52). In multinomial logistic regression models, patients diagnosed by a non-gastroenterologist were significantly less likely to have complete surveillance (p<0.001), as were those co-infected with HBV/HIV (p<0.001). In linear regression models, non-gastroenterologist provider, health insurance subtype, HBV/HIV co-infection, rural status, and metabolic syndrome were independently associated with decreased surveillance. Patients with HIV had an absolute decrease in the PUTDS of 0.24, while patients in less populated rural areas had an absolute decrease of 0.10. HCC surveillance rates in non-cirrhotic patients with chronic HBV in the United States are poor, and lower than reported rates of HCC surveillance in cirrhotic patients. PMID:25581816

Cost-effectiveness evaluation of bovine tuberculosis surveillance in wildlife in France (Sylvatub system) using scenario trees.

PubMed

Rivière, Julie; Le Strat, Yann; Hendrikx, Pascal; Dufour, Barbara

2017-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a common disease in cattle and wildlife, with health, zoonotic and economic implications. Infected wild animals, and particularly reservoirs, could hinder eradication of bTB from cattle populations, which could have an important impact on international cattle trade. Therefore, surveillance of bTB in wildlife is of particular importance to better understand the epidemiological role of wild species and to adapt the control measures. In France, a bTB surveillance system for free-ranging wildlife, the Sylvatub system, has been implemented since 2011. It relies on three surveillance components (SSCs) (passive surveillance on hunted animals (EC-SSC), passive surveillance on dead or dying animals (SAGIR-SSC) and active surveillance (PSURV-SSC)). The effectiveness of the Sylvatub system was previously assessed, through the estimation of its sensitivity (i.e. the probability of detecting at least one case of bTB infection by each SSC, specie and risk-level area). However, to globally assess the performance of a surveillance system, the measure of its sensitivity is not sufficient, as other factors such as economic or socio-economic factors could influence the effectiveness. We report here an estimation of the costs of the surveillance activities of the Sylvatub system, and of the cost-effectiveness of each surveillance component, by specie and risk-level, based on scenario tree modelling with the same tree structure as used for the sensitivity evaluation. The cost-effectiveness of the Sylvatub surveillance is better in higher-risk departments, due in particular to the higher probability of detecting the infection (sensitivity). Moreover, EC-SSC, which has the highest unit cost, is more efficient than the surveillance enhanced by the SAGIR-SSC, due to its better sensitivity. The calculation of the cost-effectiveness ratio shows that PSURV-SSC remains the most cost-effective surveillance component of the Sylvatub system, despite its high cost in terms of coordination, sample collection and laboratory analysis.

Cost-effectiveness evaluation of bovine tuberculosis surveillance in wildlife in France (Sylvatub system) using scenario trees

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a common disease in cattle and wildlife, with health, zoonotic and economic implications. Infected wild animals, and particularly reservoirs, could hinder eradication of bTB from cattle populations, which could have an important impact on international cattle trade. Therefore, surveillance of bTB in wildlife is of particular importance to better understand the epidemiological role of wild species and to adapt the control measures. In France, a bTB surveillance system for free-ranging wildlife, the Sylvatub system, has been implemented since 2011. It relies on three surveillance components (SSCs) (passive surveillance on hunted animals (EC-SSC), passive surveillance on dead or dying animals (SAGIR-SSC) and active surveillance (PSURV-SSC)). The effectiveness of the Sylvatub system was previously assessed, through the estimation of its sensitivity (i.e. the probability of detecting at least one case of bTB infection by each SSC, specie and risk-level area). However, to globally assess the performance of a surveillance system, the measure of its sensitivity is not sufficient, as other factors such as economic or socio-economic factors could influence the effectiveness. We report here an estimation of the costs of the surveillance activities of the Sylvatub system, and of the cost-effectiveness of each surveillance component, by specie and risk-level, based on scenario tree modelling with the same tree structure as used for the sensitivity evaluation. The cost-effectiveness of the Sylvatub surveillance is better in higher-risk departments, due in particular to the higher probability of detecting the infection (sensitivity). Moreover, EC-SSC, which has the highest unit cost, is more efficient than the surveillance enhanced by the SAGIR-SSC, due to its better sensitivity. The calculation of the cost-effectiveness ratio shows that PSURV-SSC remains the most cost-effective surveillance component of the Sylvatub system, despite its high cost in terms of coordination, sample collection and laboratory analysis. PMID:28800642

Economic Analysis of Classical Swine Fever Surveillance in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Guo, X; Claassen, G D H; Oude Lansink, A G J M; Loeffen, W; Saatkamp, H W

2016-06-01

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious pig disease that causes economic losses and impaired animal welfare. Improving the surveillance system for CSF can help to ensure early detection of the virus, thereby providing a better initial situation for controlling the disease. Economic analysis is required to compare the benefits of improved surveillance with the costs of implementing a more intensive system. This study presents a comprehensive economic analysis of CSF surveillance in the Netherlands, taking into account the specialized structure of Dutch pig production, differences in virulence of CSF strains and a complete list of possible surveillance activities. The starting point of the analysis is the current Dutch surveillance system (i.e. the default surveillance-setup scenario), including the surveillance activities 'daily clinical observation by the farmer', 'veterinarian inspection after a call', 'routine veterinarian inspection', 'pathology in AHS', 'PCR on tonsil in AHS', 'PCR on grouped animals in CVI' and 'confirmatory PCR by NVWA'. Alternative surveillance-setup scenarios were proposed by adding 'routine serology in slaughterhouses', 'routine serology on sow farms' and 'PCR on rendered animals'. The costs and benefits for applying the alternative surveillance-setup scenarios were evaluated by comparing the annual mitigated economic losses because of intensified CSF surveillance with the annual additional surveillance costs. The results of the cost-effectiveness analysis show that the alternative surveillance-setup scenarios with 'PCR on rendered animals' are effective for the moderately virulent CSF strain, whereas the scenarios with 'routine serology in slaughterhouses' or 'routine serology on sow farms' are effective for the low virulent strain. Moreover, the current CSF surveillance system in the Netherlands is cost-effective for both moderately virulent and low virulent CSF strains. The results of the cost-benefit analysis for the moderately virulent CSF strain indicate that the current surveillance system in the Netherlands is adequate. From an economic perspective, there is little to be gained from intensifying surveillance. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Improving Information on Maternal Medication Use by Linking Prescription Data to Congenital Anomaly Registers: A EUROmediCAT Study.

PubMed

de Jonge, Linda; Garne, Ester; Gini, Rosa; Jordan, Susan E; Klungsoyr, Kari; Loane, Maria; Neville, Amanda J; Pierini, Anna; Puccini, Aurora; Thayer, Daniel S; Tucker, David; Vinkel Hansen, Anne; Bakker, Marian K

2015-11-01

Research on associations between medication use during pregnancy and congenital anomalies is significative for assessing the safe use of a medicine in pregnancy. Congenital anomaly (CA) registries do not have optimal information on medicine exposure, in contrast to prescription databases. Linkage of prescription databases to the CA registries is a potentially effective method of obtaining accurate information on medicine use in pregnancies and the risk of congenital anomalies. We linked data from primary care and prescription databases to five European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies (EUROCAT) CA registries. The linkage was evaluated by looking at linkage rate, characteristics of linked and non-linked cases, first trimester exposure rates for six groups of medicines according to the prescription data and information on medication use registered in the CA databases, and agreement of exposure. Of the 52,619 cases registered in the CA databases, 26,552 could be linked. The linkage rate varied between registries over time and by type of birth. The first trimester exposure rates and the agreements between the databases varied for the different medicine groups. Information on anti-epileptic drugs and insulins and analogue medicine use recorded by CA registries was of good quality. For selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, anti-asthmatics, antibacterials for systemic use, and gonadotropins and other ovulation stimulants, the recorded information was less complete. Linkage of primary care or prescription databases to CA registries improved the quality of information on maternal use of medicines in pregnancy, especially for medicine groups that are less fully registered in CA registries.

Seamless Tracing of Human Behavior Using Complementary Wearable and House-Embedded Sensors

PubMed Central

Augustyniak, Piotr; Smoleń, Magdalena; Mikrut, Zbigniew; Kańtoch, Eliasz

2014-01-01

This paper presents a multimodal system for seamless surveillance of elderly people in their living environment. The system uses simultaneously a wearable sensor network for each individual and premise-embedded sensors specific for each environment. The paper demonstrates the benefits of using complementary information from two types of mobility sensors: visual flow-based image analysis and an accelerometer-based wearable network. The paper provides results for indoor recognition of several elementary poses and outdoor recognition of complex movements. Instead of complete system description, particular attention was drawn to a polar histogram-based method of visual pose recognition, complementary use and synchronization of the data from wearable and premise-embedded networks and an automatic danger detection algorithm driven by two premise- and subject-related databases. The novelty of our approach also consists in feeding the databases with real-life recordings from the subject, and in using the dynamic time-warping algorithm for measurements of distance between actions represented as elementary poses in behavioral records. The main results of testing our method include: 95.5% accuracy of elementary pose recognition by the video system, 96.7% accuracy of elementary pose recognition by the accelerometer-based system, 98.9% accuracy of elementary pose recognition by the combined accelerometer and video-based system, and 80% accuracy of complex outdoor activity recognition by the accelerometer-based wearable system. PMID:24787640

Satellite Imagery Assisted Road-Based Visual Navigation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkova, A.; Gibbens, P. W.

2016-06-01

There is a growing demand for unmanned aerial systems as autonomous surveillance, exploration and remote sensing solutions. Among the key concerns for robust operation of these systems is the need to reliably navigate the environment without reliance on global navigation satellite system (GNSS). This is of particular concern in Defence circles, but is also a major safety issue for commercial operations. In these circumstances, the aircraft needs to navigate relying only on information from on-board passive sensors such as digital cameras. An autonomous feature-based visual system presented in this work offers a novel integral approach to the modelling and registration of visual features that responds to the specific needs of the navigation system. It detects visual features from Google Earth* build a feature database. The same algorithm then detects features in an on-board cameras video stream. On one level this serves to localise the vehicle relative to the environment using Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM). On a second level it correlates them with the database to localise the vehicle with respect to the inertial frame. The performance of the presented visual navigation system was compared using the satellite imagery from different years. Based on comparison results, an analysis of the effects of seasonal, structural and qualitative changes of the imagery source on the performance of the navigation algorithm is presented. * The algorithm is independent of the source of satellite imagery and another provider can be used

Economics of infection control surveillance technology: cost-effective or just cost?

PubMed

Furuno, Jon P; Schweizer, Marin L; McGregor, Jessina C; Perencevich, Eli N

2008-04-01

Previous studies have suggested that informatics tools, such as automated alert and decision support systems, may increase the efficiency and quality of infection control surveillance. However, little is known about the cost-effectiveness of these tools. We focus on 2 types of economic analyses that have utility in assessing infection control interventions (cost-effectiveness analysis and business-case analysis) and review the available literature on the economics of computerized infection control surveillance systems. Previous studies on the effectiveness of computerized infection control surveillance have been limited to assessments of whether these tools increase the sensitivity and specificity of surveillance over traditional methods. Furthermore, we identified only 2 studies that assessed the costs associated with computerized infection control surveillance. Thus, it remains unknown whether computerized infection control surveillance systems are cost-effective and whether use of these systems improves patient outcomes. The existing data are insufficient to allow for a summary conclusion on the cost-effectiveness of infection control surveillance technology. All future studies of computerized infection control surveillance systems should aim to collect outcomes and economic data to inform decision making and assist hospitals with completing business-cases analyses.

Security Event Recognition for Visual Surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, W.; Yang, C.; Yang, M. Ying; Rosenhahn, B.

2017-05-01

With rapidly increasing deployment of surveillance cameras, the reliable methods for automatically analyzing the surveillance video and recognizing special events are demanded by different practical applications. This paper proposes a novel effective framework for security event analysis in surveillance videos. First, convolutional neural network (CNN) framework is used to detect objects of interest in the given videos. Second, the owners of the objects are recognized and monitored in real-time as well. If anyone moves any object, this person will be verified whether he/she is its owner. If not, this event will be further analyzed and distinguished between two different scenes: moving the object away or stealing it. To validate the proposed approach, a new video dataset consisting of various scenarios is constructed for more complex tasks. For comparison purpose, the experiments are also carried out on the benchmark databases related to the task on abandoned luggage detection. The experimental results show that the proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art methods and effective in recognizing complex security events.

48 CFR 44.304 - Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Surveillance. 44.304... SUBCONTRACTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Contractors' Purchasing Systems Reviews 44.304 Surveillance. (a) The ACO shall maintain a sufficient level of surveillance to ensure that the contractor is effectively managing...

48 CFR 44.304 - Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Surveillance. 44.304... SUBCONTRACTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Contractors' Purchasing Systems Reviews 44.304 Surveillance. (a) The ACO shall maintain a sufficient level of surveillance to ensure that the contractor is effectively managing...

48 CFR 44.304 - Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Surveillance. 44.304... SUBCONTRACTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Contractors' Purchasing Systems Reviews 44.304 Surveillance. (a) The ACO shall maintain a sufficient level of surveillance to ensure that the contractor is effectively managing...

48 CFR 44.304 - Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Surveillance. 44.304... SUBCONTRACTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Contractors' Purchasing Systems Reviews 44.304 Surveillance. (a) The ACO shall maintain a sufficient level of surveillance to ensure that the contractor is effectively managing...

48 CFR 44.304 - Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Surveillance. 44.304... SUBCONTRACTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Contractors' Purchasing Systems Reviews 44.304 Surveillance. (a) The ACO shall maintain a sufficient level of surveillance to ensure that the contractor is effectively managing...

Road traffic injuries in one local health unit in the Lazio region: results of a surveillance system integrating police and health data

PubMed Central

Chini, Francesco; Farchi, Sara; Ciaramella, Ivana; Antoniozzi, Tranquillo; Rossi, Paolo Giorgi; Camilloni, Laura; Valenti, Massimo; Borgia, Piero

2009-01-01

Objective Different sources are available for the surveillance of Road Traffic injuries (RTI), but studied individually they present several limits. In this paper we present the results of a surveillance integrating healthcare data with the data gathered by the municipal police in the southeastern area of Rome (630,000 inhabitants) during the year 2003. Methods The Municipal police RTI reports, which list the exact location, circumstances and some risk factor of the crash, were searched in the emergency visit, hospitalization and mortality databases, to integrate them with the information on health consequences. A multivariate analysis was conducted to evaluate risk factors (crash circumstances, age ad gender of the casualty) associated with hospital admission following a RTI. Mapping of RTI locations was created. The locations with higher risk of accidents with severe health consequences and at higher risk for pedestrians were identified. Results According to police records 4571 RTI occurred in 2003, 75% of which led to emergency department admissions. Sixteen percent of these emergency visits ended in hospitalization, and 44 deaths were reported within 30 days of the event, most of which occurred in young men. The people with the highest risk of hospitalization after an RTI were the cyclists, pedestrians and followed by people on two-wheeled vehicles. The type of crash with the highest risk of hospitalization was head-on collision. Geographical analyses showed four clusters with higher severity of RTI. Specific attention was paid to pedestrian injuries. Analyzing the locations of RTIs involving pedestrians permitted us to rank the most dangerous streets. The roads at high risk for pedestrians identified problems in the bus stop constructions and in the placement of the zebra pedestrian crossings. Conclusion This study proves the feasibility of an integrated surveillance system of RTI by using routinely collected local data. The high-risk locations identified with the geographic analyses method in this study highlighted infrastructural problems, suggesting immediate preventive interventions. PMID:19386112

Experimental surveillance using data on sales of over-the-counter medications--Japan, November 2003-April 2004.

PubMed

Ohkusa, Yasushi; Shigematsu, M; Taniguchi, K; Okabe, N

2005-08-26

This report describes a study to explore the possibility of using data on sales of over-the- counter (OTC) medications as part of a routine syndromic surveillance system aimed at early detection of infections of public health concern. A retrospective evaluation was conducted of sales of OTC medications used to treat the common cold. This report discusses the correlation of these data to influenza activity in Japan during the 2003-04 influenza season and evaluates the potential of using such data to predict influenza epidemics. Data from approximately 1,100 pharmacies throughout Japan collected during November 2003-April 2004 were analyzed. OTC sales data were compared with influenza incidence data (one weekly and two daily data sets) to determine correlations and predictability. Adjusted R-square was used as an index of goodness of-fit in the estimation. Data reflecting daily influenza activity were obtained from the National Surveillance of Daily Influenza Outpatients and the Mailing List-Based Influenza Epidemic Database. National sentinel surveillance data for influenza from approximately 5,000 sites nationwide also were analyzed. Although a correlation was demonstrated between sales of OTC medications used to treat the common cold and concurrent influenza activity, analysis of sales data alone was not sufficient to determine influenza activity in advance even when sales promotion effects were excluded from the analysis. Because visiting a health-care provider costs more than purchasing OTC medications, the hypothesis was formed that an ill person will purchase OTC medications first and visit a physician only if the condition does not resolve or worsens. The results of this study do not provide any clear evidence to support this hypothesis. For this reason, OTC sales do not appear to be a good candidate for a national real-time detection system for influenza epidemics in Japan.

Meeting the International Health Regulations (2005) surveillance core capacity requirements at the subnational level in Europe: the added value of syndromic surveillance.

PubMed

Ziemann, Alexandra; Rosenkötter, Nicole; Riesgo, Luis Garcia-Castrillo; Fischer, Matthias; Krämer, Alexander; Lippert, Freddy K; Vergeiner, Gernot; Brand, Helmut; Krafft, Thomas

2015-02-07

The revised World Health Organization's International Health Regulations (2005) request a timely and all-hazard approach towards surveillance, especially at the subnational level. We discuss three questions of syndromic surveillance application in the European context for assessing public health emergencies of international concern: (i) can syndromic surveillance support countries, especially the subnational level, to meet the International Health Regulations (2005) core surveillance capacity requirements, (ii) are European syndromic surveillance systems comparable to enable cross-border surveillance, and (iii) at which administrative level should syndromic surveillance best be applied? Despite the ongoing criticism on the usefulness of syndromic surveillance which is related to its clinically nonspecific output, we demonstrate that it was a suitable supplement for timely assessment of the impact of three different public health emergencies affecting Europe. Subnational syndromic surveillance analysis in some cases proved to be of advantage for detecting an event earlier compared to national level analysis. However, in many cases, syndromic surveillance did not detect local events with only a small number of cases. The European Commission envisions comparability of surveillance output to enable cross-border surveillance. Evaluated against European infectious disease case definitions, syndromic surveillance can contribute to identify cases that might fulfil the clinical case definition but the approach is too unspecific to comply to complete clinical definitions. Syndromic surveillance results still seem feasible for comparable cross-border surveillance as similarly defined syndromes are analysed. We suggest a new model of implementing syndromic surveillance at the subnational level. In this model, syndromic surveillance systems are fine-tuned to their local context and integrated into the existing subnational surveillance and reporting structure. By enhancing population coverage, events covering several jurisdictions can be identified at higher levels. However, the setup of decentralised and locally adjusted syndromic surveillance systems is more complex compared to the setup of one national or local system. We conclude that syndromic surveillance if implemented with large population coverage at the subnational level can help detect and assess the local and regional effect of different types of public health emergencies in a timely manner as required by the International Health Regulations (2005).

PulseNet International: Vision for the implementation of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for global food-borne disease surveillance

PubMed Central

Nadon, Celine; Van Walle, Ivo; Gerner-Smidt, Peter; Campos, Josefina; Chinen, Isabel; Concepcion-Acevedo, Jeniffer; Gilpin, Brent; Smith, Anthony M.; Kam, Kai Man; Perez, Enrique; Trees, Eija; Kubota, Kristy; Takkinen, Johanna; Nielsen, Eva Møller; Carleton, Heather

2017-01-01

PulseNet International is a global network dedicated to laboratory-based surveillance for food-borne diseases. The network comprises the national and regional laboratory networks of Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the United States. The PulseNet International vision is the standardised use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to identify and subtype food-borne bacterial pathogens worldwide, replacing traditional methods to strengthen preparedness and response, reduce global social and economic disease burden, and save lives. To meet the needs of real-time surveillance, the PulseNet International network will standardise subtyping via WGS using whole genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), which delivers sufficiently high resolution and epidemiological concordance, plus unambiguous nomenclature for the purposes of surveillance. Standardised protocols, validation studies, quality control programmes, database and nomenclature development, and training should support the implementation and decentralisation of WGS. Ideally, WGS data collected for surveillance purposes should be publicly available, in real time where possible, respecting data protection policies. WGS data are suitable for surveillance and outbreak purposes and for answering scientific questions pertaining to source attribution, antimicrobial resistance, transmission patterns, and virulence, which will further enable the protection and improvement of public health with respect to food-borne disease. PMID:28662764

Application of the automated spatial surveillance program to birth defects surveillance data.

PubMed

Gardner, Bennett R; Strickland, Matthew J; Correa, Adolfo

2007-07-01

Although many birth defects surveillance programs incorporate georeferenced records into their databases, practical methods for routine spatial surveillance are lacking. We present a macroprogram written for the software package R designed for routine exploratory spatial analysis of birth defects data, the Automated Spatial Surveillance Program (ASSP), and present an application of this program using spina bifida prevalence data for metropolitan Atlanta. Birth defects surveillance data were collected by the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program. We generated ASSP maps for two groups of years that correspond roughly to the periods before (1994-1998) and after (1999-2002) folic acid fortification of flour. ASSP maps display census tract-specific spina bifida prevalence, smoothed prevalence contours, and locations of statistically elevated prevalence. We used these maps to identify areas of elevated prevalence for spina bifida. We identified a large area of potential concern in the years following fortification of grains and cereals with folic acid. This area overlapped census tracts containing large numbers of Hispanic residents. The potential utility of ASSP for spatial disease monitoring was demonstrated by the identification of areas of high prevalence of spina bifida and may warrant further study and monitoring. We intend to further develop ASSP so that it becomes practical for routine spatial monitoring of birth defects. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

48 CFR 244.304 - Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Surveillance. 244.304 Section 244.304 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT... Reviews 244.304 Surveillance. (b) The ACO, or the purchasing system analyst (PSA) with the concurrence of...

Proposal of a framework for evaluating military surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks on duty areas

PubMed Central

Meynard, Jean-Baptiste; Chaudet, Herve; Green, Andrew D; Jefferson, Henry L; Texier, Gaetan; Webber, Daniel; Dupuy, Bruce; Boutin, Jean-Paul

2008-01-01

Background In recent years a wide variety of epidemiological surveillance systems have been developed to provide early identification of outbreaks of infectious disease. Each system has had its own strengths and weaknesses. In 2002 a Working Group of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) produced a framework for evaluation, which proved suitable for many public health surveillance systems. However this did not easily adapt to the military setting, where by necessity a variety of different parameters are assessed, different constraints placed on the systems, and different objectives required. This paper describes a proposed framework for evaluation of military syndromic surveillance systems designed to detect outbreaks of disease on operational deployments. Methods The new framework described in this paper was developed from the cumulative experience of British and French military syndromic surveillance systems. The methods included a general assessment framework (CDC), followed by more specific methods of conducting evaluation. These included Knowledge/Attitude/Practice surveys (KAP surveys), technical audits, ergonomic studies, simulations and multi-national exercises. A variety of military constraints required integration into the evaluation. Examples of these include the variability of geographical conditions in the field, deployment to areas without prior knowledge of naturally-occurring disease patterns, the differences in field sanitation between locations and over the length of deployment, the mobility of military forces, turnover of personnel, continuity of surveillance across different locations, integration with surveillance systems from other nations working alongside each other, compatibility with non-medical information systems, and security. Results A framework for evaluation has been developed that can be used for military surveillance systems in a staged manner consisting of initial, intermediate and final evaluations. For each stage of the process parameters for assessment have been defined and methods identified. Conclusion The combined experiences of French and British syndromic surveillance systems developed for use in deployed military forces has allowed the development of a specific evaluation framework. The tool is suitable for use by all nations who wish to evaluate syndromic surveillance in their own military forces. It could also be useful for civilian mobile systems or for national security surveillance systems. PMID:18447944

Delphi Technique Used in Laser Incident Surveillance

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

Registry (LAIR), and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health ( CDRH ) [10]. Other databases were consulted...for collecting laser incident reports such as training (RLI), reporting equipment problems ( CDRH ), or for research and accident prevention (LAIR

Evaluating the Use of an Electronic Death Registration System for Mortality Surveillance During and After Hurricane Sandy: New York City, 2012

PubMed Central

Li, Wenhui; Madsen, Ann M.; Wong, Howard; Das, Tara; Betancourt, Flor M.; Nicaj, Leze; Stayton, Catherine; Matte, Thomas; Begier, Elizabeth M.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated the use of New York City’s (NYC’s) electronic death registration system (EDRS) to conduct mortality surveillance during and after Hurricane Sandy. Methods. We used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for surveillance system evaluation to gather evidence on usefulness, flexibility, stability, timeliness, and quality. We assessed system components, interviewed NYC Health Department staff, and analyzed 2010 to 2012 death records. Results. Despite widespread disruptions, NYC’s EDRS was stable and collected timely mortality data that were adapted to provide storm surveillance with minimal additional resources. Direct-injury fatalities and trends in excess all-cause mortality were rapidly identified, providing useful information for response; however, the time and burden of establishing reports, adapting the system, and identifying indirect deaths limited surveillance. Conclusions. The NYC Health Department successfully adapted its EDRS for near real-time disaster-related mortality surveillance. Retrospective assessment of deaths, advanced methods for case identification and analysis, standardized reports, and system enhancements will further improve surveillance. Local, state, and federal partners would benefit from partnering with vital records to develop EDRSs for surveillance and to promote ongoing evaluation. PMID:26378834

High-Speed Research Surveillance Symbology Assessment Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kramer, Lynda J.; Norman, R. Michael

2000-01-01

Ten pilots flew multiple approach and departure scenarios in a simulation experiment of the High-Speed Civil Transport to evaluate the utility of different airborne surveillance display concepts. The primary eXternal Visibility System (XVS) display and the Navigation Display (ND) were used to present tactical and strategic surveillance information, respectively, to the pilot. Three sensors, the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System, radar, and the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, were modeled for this simulation and the sensors surveillance information was presented in two different symbology sets to the pilot. One surveillance symbology set used unique symbol shapes to differentiate among the sensors, while the other set used common symbol shapes for the sensors. Surveillance information in the form of escape guidance from threatening traffic was also presented to the pilots. The surveillance information (sensors and escape guidance) was either presented head-up on the primary XVS display and head-down on the ND or head-down on the ND only. Both objective and subjective results demonstrated that the display concepts having surveillance information presented head-up and head-down have surveillance performance benefits over those concepts having surveillance information displayed head-down only. No significant symbology set differences were found for surveillance task performance.

MIRO and IRbase: IT Tools for the Epidemiological Monitoring of Insecticide Resistance in Mosquito Disease Vectors

PubMed Central

Dialynas, Emmanuel; Topalis, Pantelis; Vontas, John; Louis, Christos

2009-01-01

Background Monitoring of insect vector populations with respect to their susceptibility to one or more insecticides is a crucial element of the strategies used for the control of arthropod-borne diseases. This management task can nowadays be achieved more efficiently when assisted by IT (Information Technology) tools, ranging from modern integrated databases to GIS (Geographic Information System). Here we describe an application ontology that we developed de novo, and a specially designed database that, based on this ontology, can be used for the purpose of controlling mosquitoes and, thus, the diseases that they transmit. Methodology/Principal Findings The ontology, named MIRO for Mosquito Insecticide Resistance Ontology, developed using the OBO-Edit software, describes all pertinent aspects of insecticide resistance, including specific methodology and mode of action. MIRO, then, forms the basis for the design and development of a dedicated database, IRbase, constructed using open source software, which can be used to retrieve data on mosquito populations in a temporally and spatially separate way, as well as to map the output using a Google Earth interface. The dependency of the database on the MIRO allows for a rational and efficient hierarchical search possibility. Conclusions/Significance The fact that the MIRO complies with the rules set forward by the OBO (Open Biomedical Ontologies) Foundry introduces cross-referencing with other biomedical ontologies and, thus, both MIRO and IRbase are suitable as parts of future comprehensive surveillance tools and decision support systems that will be used for the control of vector-borne diseases. MIRO is downloadable from and IRbase is accessible at VectorBase, the NIAID-sponsored open access database for arthropod vectors of disease. PMID:19547750

32 CFR 637.20 - Security surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Security surveillance systems. 637.20 Section 637... ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MILITARY POLICE INVESTIGATION Investigations § 637.20 Security surveillance systems. Closed circuit video recording systems, to include those with an audio capability, may be...

Real-Time Surveillance of Infectious Diseases: Taiwan's Experience.

PubMed

Jian, Shu-Wan; Chen, Chiu-Mei; Lee, Cheng-Yi; Liu, Ding-Ping

Integration of multiple surveillance systems advances early warning and supports better decision making during infectious disease events. Taiwan has a comprehensive network of laboratory, epidemiologic, and early warning surveillance systems with nationwide representation. Hospitals and clinical laboratories have deployed automatic reporting mechanisms since 2014 and have effectively improved timeliness of infectious disease and laboratory data reporting. In June 2016, the capacity of real-time surveillance in Taiwan was externally assessed and was found to have a demonstrated and sustainable capability. We describe Taiwan's disease surveillance system and use surveillance efforts for influenza and Zika virus as examples of surveillance capability. Timely and integrated influenza information showed a higher level and extended pattern of influenza activity during the 2015-16 season, which ensured prompt information dissemination and the coordination of response operations. Taiwan also has well-developed disease detection systems and was the first country to report imported cases of Zika virus from Miami Beach and Singapore. This illustrates a high level of awareness and willingness among health workers to report emerging infectious diseases, and highlights the robust and sensitive nature of Taiwan's surveillance system. These 2 examples demonstrate the flexibility of the surveillance systems in Taiwan to adapt to emerging infectious diseases and major communicable diseases. Through participation in the GHSA, Taiwan can more actively collaborate with national counterparts and use its expertise to strengthen global and regional surveillance capacity in the Asia Pacific and in Southeast Asia, in order to advance a world safe and secure from infectious disease.

Real-Time Surveillance of Infectious Diseases: Taiwan's Experience

PubMed Central

Jian, Shu-Wan; Chen, Chiu-Mei; Lee, Cheng-Yi

2017-01-01

Integration of multiple surveillance systems advances early warning and supports better decision making during infectious disease events. Taiwan has a comprehensive network of laboratory, epidemiologic, and early warning surveillance systems with nationwide representation. Hospitals and clinical laboratories have deployed automatic reporting mechanisms since 2014 and have effectively improved timeliness of infectious disease and laboratory data reporting. In June 2016, the capacity of real-time surveillance in Taiwan was externally assessed and was found to have a demonstrated and sustainable capability. We describe Taiwan's disease surveillance system and use surveillance efforts for influenza and Zika virus as examples of surveillance capability. Timely and integrated influenza information showed a higher level and extended pattern of influenza activity during the 2015-16 season, which ensured prompt information dissemination and the coordination of response operations. Taiwan also has well-developed disease detection systems and was the first country to report imported cases of Zika virus from Miami Beach and Singapore. This illustrates a high level of awareness and willingness among health workers to report emerging infectious diseases, and highlights the robust and sensitive nature of Taiwan's surveillance system. These 2 examples demonstrate the flexibility of the surveillance systems in Taiwan to adapt to emerging infectious diseases and major communicable diseases. Through participation in the GHSA, Taiwan can more actively collaborate with national counterparts and use its expertise to strengthen global and regional surveillance capacity in the Asia Pacific and in Southeast Asia, in order to advance a world safe and secure from infectious disease. PMID:28418738

Second-generation HIV surveillance: better data for decision-making.

PubMed Central

Rehle, Thomas; Lazzari, Stefano; Dallabetta, Gina; Asamoah-Odei, Emil

2004-01-01

This paper seeks to outline the key elements of the expanded surveillance efforts recommended by the second-generation HIV surveillance approach. Second-generation systems focus on improving and expanding existing surveillance methods and combine them in ways that have the greatest explanatory power. The main elements of this approach include: considering biological surveillance - HIV, AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - and behavioural surveillance as integral components, targeting surveillance efforts at segments of the population where most new infections are concentrated - which might differ depending on the stage and type of the epidemic - and providing the rationale for the optimal use of data generated for monitoring the HIV epidemic and evaluating national AIDS control programmes. The paper emphasizes improvements in existing surveillance methodologies and discusses in detail crucial issues such as the validity of HIV prevalence data measured in pregnant women and linking HIV surveillance and behavioural data collection. In addition, a strategic partnership between second-generation surveillance and AIDS programme evaluation is proposed that stresses the complementary roles of these data collection activities in determining the effectiveness of prevention and care programmes and explaining the epidemiological trend data collected by sentinel serosurveillance systems. In conclusion, second-generation HIV surveillance systems provide a comprehensive, cost-effective and appropriate response to the information needs of AIDS control programmes. The implementation of such systems, including a better use of the data generated by the system, will ensure that national programmes are in the best possible position to respond to the challenges of the epidemic. PMID:15042234

Second-generation HIV surveillance: better data for decision-making.

PubMed

Rehle, Thomas; Lazzari, Stefano; Dallabetta, Gina; Asamoah-Odei, Emil

2004-02-01

This paper seeks to outline the key elements of the expanded surveillance efforts recommended by the second-generation HIV surveillance approach. Second-generation systems focus on improving and expanding existing surveillance methods and combine them in ways that have the greatest explanatory power. The main elements of this approach include: considering biological surveillance - HIV, AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - and behavioural surveillance as integral components, targeting surveillance efforts at segments of the population where most new infections are concentrated - which might differ depending on the stage and type of the epidemic - and providing the rationale for the optimal use of data generated for monitoring the HIV epidemic and evaluating national AIDS control programmes. The paper emphasizes improvements in existing surveillance methodologies and discusses in detail crucial issues such as the validity of HIV prevalence data measured in pregnant women and linking HIV surveillance and behavioural data collection. In addition, a strategic partnership between second-generation surveillance and AIDS programme evaluation is proposed that stresses the complementary roles of these data collection activities in determining the effectiveness of prevention and care programmes and explaining the epidemiological trend data collected by sentinel serosurveillance systems. In conclusion, second-generation HIV surveillance systems provide a comprehensive, cost-effective and appropriate response to the information needs of AIDS control programmes. The implementation of such systems, including a better use of the data generated by the system, will ensure that national programmes are in the best possible position to respond to the challenges of the epidemic.

The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different surveillance mammography regimens after the treatment for primary breast cancer: systematic reviews registry database analyses and economic evaluation.

PubMed

Robertson, C; Arcot Ragupathy, S K; Boachie, C; Dixon, J M; Fraser, C; Hernández, R; Heys, S; Jack, W; Kerr, G R; Lawrence, G; MacLennan, G; Maxwell, A; McGregor, J; Mowatt, G; Pinder, S; Ternent, L; Thomas, R E; Vale, L; Wilson, R; Zhu, S; Gilbert, F J

2011-09-01

Following primary breast cancer treatment, the early detection of ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence (IBTR) or ipsilateral secondary cancer in the treated breast and detection of new primary cancers in the contralateral breast is beneficial for survival. Surveillance mammography is used to detect these cancers, but the optimal frequency of surveillance and the length of follow-up are unclear. To identify feasible management strategies for surveillance and follow-up of women after treatment for primary breast cancer in a UK setting, and to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of differing regimens. A survey of UK breast surgeons and radiologists to identify current surveillance mammography regimens and inform feasible alternatives; two discrete systematic reviews of evidence published from 1990 to mid 2009 to determine (i) the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of differing surveillance mammography regimens for patient health outcomes and (ii) the test performance of surveillance mammography in the detection of IBTR and metachronous contralateral breast cancer (MCBC); statistical analysis of individual patient data (West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit Breast Cancer Registry and Edinburgh data sets); and economic modelling using the systematic reviews results, existing data sets, and focused searches for specific data analysis to determine the effectiveness and cost-utility of differing surveillance regimens. The majority of survey respondents initiate surveillance mammography 12 months after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) (87%) or mastectomy (79%). Annual surveillance mammography was most commonly reported for women after BCS or after mastectomy (72% and 53%, respectively). Most (74%) discharge women from surveillance mammography, most frequently 10 years after surgery. The majority (82%) discharge from clinical follow-up, most frequently at 5 years. Combining initiation, frequency and duration of surveillance mammography resulted in 54 differing surveillance regimens for women after BCS and 56 for women following mastectomy. The eight studies included in the clinical effectiveness systematic review suggest surveillance mammography offers a survival benefit compared with a surveillance regimen that does not include surveillance mammography. Nine studies were included in the test performance systematic review. For routine IBTR detection, surveillance mammography sensitivity ranged from 64% to 67% and specificity ranged from 85% to 97%. For magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sensitivity ranged from 86% to 100% and specificity was 93%. For non-routine IBTR detection, sensitivity and specificity for surveillance mammography ranged from 50% to 83% and from 57% to 75%, respectively, and for MRI from 93% to 100% and from 88% to 96%, respectively. For routine MCBC detection, one study reported sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 50% for both surveillance mammography and MRI, although this was a highly select population. Data set analysis showed that IBTR has an adverse effect on survival. Furthermore, women experiencing a second tumour measuring >20 mm in diameter were at a significantly greater risk of death than those with no recurrence or those whose tumour was <10 mm in diameter. In the base-case analysis, the strategy with the highest net benefit, and most likely to be considered cost-effective, was surveillance mammography alone, provided every 12 months at a societal willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life-year of either £20,000 or £30,000. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for surveillance mammography alone every 12 months compared with no surveillance was £4727. Few studies met the review inclusion criteria and none of the studies was a randomised controlled trial. The limited and variable nature of the data available precluded any quantitative analysis. There was no useable evidence contained in the Breast Cancer Registry database to assess the effectiveness of surveillance mammography directly. The results of the economic model should be considered exploratory and interpreted with caution given the paucity of data available to inform the economic model. Surveillance is likely to improve survival and patients should gain maximum benefit through optimal use of resources, with those women with a greater likelihood of developing IBTR or MCBC being offered more comprehensive and more frequent surveillance. Further evidence is required to make a robust and informed judgement on the effectiveness of surveillance mammography and follow-up. The utility of national data sets could be improved and there is a need for high-quality, direct head-to-head studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy of tests used in the surveillance population. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme. © Queen’s Printer and Controller of HMSO 2011.

A global survey of adverse event following immunization surveillance systems for pregnant women and their infants.

PubMed

Cassidy, Christine; MacDonald, Noni E; Steenbeek, Audrey; Ortiz, Justin R; Zuber, Patrick L F; Top, Karina A

2016-08-02

Strengthening antenatal care as a platform for maternal immunization is a priority of the World Health Organization (WHO). Systematic surveillance for adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in pregnancy is needed to identify vaccine safety events. We sought to identify active and passive AEFI surveillance systems for pregnant women and infants. Representatives from all National Pharmacovigilance Centers and a convenience sample of vaccine safety experts were invited to complete a 14-item online survey in English, French or Spanish. The survey captured maternal immunization policies, and active and passive AEFI surveillance systems for pregnant women and infants in respondents' countries. The analysis was descriptive. We received responses from 51/185 (28%) invited persons from 47/148 (32%) countries representing all WHO regions, and low, middle and high-income countries. Thirty countries had national immunization policies targeting pregnant women. Eleven countries had active surveillance systems to detect serious AEFI in pregnant women and/or their infants, including six low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Thirty-nine countries had passive surveillance systems, including 23 LMIC. These active and passive surveillance programs cover approximately 8% and 56% of the worldwide annual birth cohort, respectively. Data from one active and four passive systems have been published. We identified 50 active and passive AEFI surveillance systems for pregnant women and infants, but few have published their findings. AEFI surveillance appears to be feasible in low and high resource settings. Further expansion of AEFI surveillance for pregnant women and sharing of vaccine safety information will provide additional evidence in support of maternal immunization policies.

Use of the UKHCDO Database for a postmarketing surveillance study of different doses of recombinant factor VIIa in haemophilia.

PubMed

Hay, C R M; Sharpe, T; Dolan, G

2017-05-01

Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) is recommended in Europe at standard (3 × 90 μg kg -1 ) or high (1 × 270 μg kg -1 ) doses. When granting the license for the high dose, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) requested postmarketing surveillance for thrombosis. This was conducted by the United Kingdom National Haemophilia Database (NHD) on behalf of Novo Nordisk and the EMA. To assess the use and safety of rFVIIa utilizing prospective data collected by the NHD (1 January 2008 to 30 June 2011). Data were obtained from 67 haemophilia A/B patients with inhibitors treated for 1057 bleeds and 31 acquired haemophilia patients treated for 70 bleeds. Initial rFVIIa dose was categorized post hoc as low (<90 μg kg -1 ), intermediate (≥90-<180 μg kg -1 ) or high (≥180-<270 or ≥270 μg kg -1 ). For haemophilia A/B, high and lower initial rFVIIa dose was used for 38.4% and 51.4% of episodes, respectively, while for acquired haemophilia, the values were 11.4% and 77.1% respectively. Median initial doses were higher for haemophilia A/B (146.3 μg kg -1 ) than acquired haemophilia (90.5 μg kg -1 ). A single administration of rFVIIa was the most frequently used regimen for haemophilia A/B, in contrast with standard recommendations and previous reports. For acquired haemophilia, most episodes were treated with multiple doses. No adverse drug reactions or thromboembolic events were reported for any rFVIIa dose. The novel use of a national database for postmarketing surveillance has demonstrated acceptable safety for all recommended doses of rFVIIa. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Monitoring and Surveillance of Marine Invasive Species in Californian Waters by DNA Barcoding: Methodological and Analytical Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, T. L.; Geller, J. B.; Heller, P.; Ruiz, G.; Chang, A.; McCann, L.; Ceballos, L.; Marraffini, M.; Ashton, G.; Larson, K.; Havard, S.; Meagher, K.; Wheelock, M.; Drake, C.; Rhett, G.

2016-02-01

The Ballast Water Management Act, the Marine Invasive Species Act, and the Coastal Ecosystem Protection Act require the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to monitor and evaluate the extent of biological invasions in the state's marine and estuarine waters. This has been performed statewide, using a variety of methodologies. Conventional sample collection and processing is laborious, slow and costly, and may require considerable taxonomic expertise requiring detailed time-consuming microscopic study of multiple specimens. These factors limit the volume of biomass that can be searched for introduced species. New technologies continue to reduce the cost and increase the throughput of genetic analyses, which become efficient alternatives to traditional morphological analysis for identification, monitoring and surveillance of marine invasive species. Using next-generation sequencing of mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU), we analyzed over 15,000 individual marine invertebrates collected in Californian waters. We have created sequence databases of California native and non-native species to assist in molecular identification and surveillance in North American waters. Metagenetics, the next-generation sequencing of environmental samples with comparison to DNA sequence databases, is a faster and cost-effective alternative to individual sample analysis. We have sequenced from biomass collected from whole settlement plates and plankton in California harbors, and used our introduced species database to create species lists. We can combine these species lists for individual marinas with collected environmental data, such as temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen to understand the ecology of marine invasions. Here we discuss high throughput sampling, sequencing, and COASTLINE, our data analysis answer to challenges working with hundreds of millions of sequencing reads from tens of thousands of specimens.

Survey of surveillance systems and select prevention activities for hepatitis B and C, European Union/European Economic Area, 2009.

PubMed

Duffell, E F; van de Laar, M J

2015-04-02

Hepatitis B and C viral infections are leading causes of hepatic cirrhosis and cancer. The incidence and prevalence of both hepatitis B and C varies across European countries. European wide surveillance data help to understand the dynamic epidemiology of hepatitis B and C, which is important for the implementation and effectiveness of prevention and control activities.Comparison of surveillance data between countries in Europe is hampered by the differences in national healthcare and reporting systems. This report presents the results of a survey in 2009 which was undertaken to collect baseline information on surveillance systems and core prevention programmes for hepatitis B and C in individual European Union/ European Economic Area countries. The results provide key information to aid the interpretation of surveillance data, and while indicating heterogeneity in national surveillance systems and programmes, they highlight the potential of these systems. This resource has supported the implementation of a standardised European enhanced surveillance programme.

Zika Virus-Associated Neurological Disease in the Adult: Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Encephalitis, and Myelitis.

PubMed

Muñoz, Laura S; Barreras, Paula; Pardo, Carlos A

2016-09-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) has caused a major infection outbreak in the Americas since 2015. In parallel with the ZIKV epidemic, an increase in cases of neurological disorders which include Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), encephalitis, and myelitis have been linked to the infection. We reviewed the evidence suggesting a relationship between ZIKV and neurological disorders in adults. A search of the literature supporting such link included databases such as PubMed and the World Health Organization (WHO) surveillance system. Through June 1, 2016, 761 publications were available on PubMed using the search word "Zika." Among those publications as well as surveillance reports released by the WHO and other health organizations, 20 articles linked ZIKV with neurological complications other than microcephaly. They corresponded to population and surveillance studies ( n  = 7), case reports ( n  = 9), case series ( n  = 3), and case-control studies ( n  = 1). Articles were also included if they provided information related to possible mechanisms of ZIKV neuropathogenesis. Evidence based on epidemiological and virological information supports the hypothesis that ZIKV infection is associated with GBS. Although cases of encephalopathy and myelitis have also been linked to ZIKV infection, the evidence is scarce and there is a need for virological, epidemiological, and controlled studies to better characterize such relationship. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Pedestrian detection based on redundant wavelet transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lin; Ji, Liping; Hu, Ping; Yang, Tiejun

2016-10-01

Intelligent video surveillance is to analysis video or image sequences captured by a fixed or mobile surveillance camera, including moving object detection, segmentation and recognition. By using it, we can be notified immediately in an abnormal situation. Pedestrian detection plays an important role in an intelligent video surveillance system, and it is also a key technology in the field of intelligent vehicle. So pedestrian detection has very vital significance in traffic management optimization, security early warn and abnormal behavior detection. Generally, pedestrian detection can be summarized as: first to estimate moving areas; then to extract features of region of interest; finally to classify using a classifier. Redundant wavelet transform (RWT) overcomes the deficiency of shift variant of discrete wavelet transform, and it has better performance in motion estimation when compared to discrete wavelet transform. Addressing the problem of the detection of multi-pedestrian with different speed, we present an algorithm of pedestrian detection based on motion estimation using RWT, combining histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) and support vector machine (SVM). Firstly, three intensities of movement (IoM) are estimated using RWT and the corresponding areas are segmented. According to the different IoM, a region proposal (RP) is generated. Then, the features of a RP is extracted using HOG. Finally, the features are fed into a SVM trained by pedestrian databases and the final detection results are gained. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm can detect pedestrians accurately and efficiently.

Survey of Clostridium difficile infection surveillance systems in Europe, 2011.

PubMed

Kola, Axel; Wiuff, Camilla; Akerlund, Thomas; van Benthem, Birgit H; Coignard, Bruno; Lyytikäinen, Outi; Weitzel-Kage, Doris; Suetens, Carl; Wilcox, Mark H; Kuijper, Ed J; Gastmeier, Petra

2016-07-21

To develop a European surveillance protocol for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), existing national CDI surveillance systems were assessed in 2011. A web-based electronic form was provided for all national coordinators of the European CDI Surveillance Network (ECDIS-Net). Of 35 national coordinators approached, 33 from 31 European countries replied. Surveillance of CDI was in place in 14 of the 31 countries, comprising 18 different nationwide systems. Three of 14 countries with CDI surveillance used public health notification of cases as the route of reporting, and in another three, reporting was limited to public health notification of cases of severe CDI. The CDI definitions published by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) were widely used, but there were differing definitions to distinguish between community- and healthcare-associated cases. All CDI surveillance systems except one reported annual national CDI rates (calculated as number of cases per patient-days). Only four surveillance systems regularly integrated microbiological data (typing and susceptibility testing results). Surveillance methods varied considerably between countries, which emphasises the need for a harmonised European protocol to allow consistent monitoring of the CDI epidemiology at European level. The results of this survey were used to develop a harmonised EU-wide hospital-based CDI surveillance protocol. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2016.

Open architecture of smart sensor suites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Wilmuth; Kuwertz, Achim; Grönwall, Christina; Petersson, Henrik; Dekker, Rob; Reinert, Frank; Ditzel, Maarten

2017-10-01

Experiences from recent conflicts show the strong need for smart sensor suites comprising different multi-spectral imaging sensors as core elements as well as additional non-imaging sensors. Smart sensor suites should be part of a smart sensor network - a network of sensors, databases, evaluation stations and user terminals. Its goal is to optimize the use of various information sources for military operations such as situation assessment, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target recognition and tracking. Such a smart sensor network will enable commanders to achieve higher levels of situational awareness. Within the study at hand, an open system architecture was developed in order to increase the efficiency of sensor suites. The open system architecture for smart sensor suites, based on a system-of-systems approach, enables combining different sensors in multiple physical configurations, such as distributed sensors, co-located sensors combined in a single package, tower-mounted sensors, sensors integrated in a mobile platform, and trigger sensors. The architecture was derived from a set of system requirements and relevant scenarios. Its mode of operation is adaptable to a series of scenarios with respect to relevant objects of interest, activities to be observed, available transmission bandwidth, etc. The presented open architecture is designed in accordance with the NATO Architecture Framework (NAF). The architecture allows smart sensor suites to be part of a surveillance network, linked e.g. to a sensor planning system and a C4ISR center, and to be used in combination with future RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) for supporting a more flexible dynamic configuration of RPAS payloads.

Diagnostic Performance of Electronic Syndromic Surveillance Systems in Acute Care

PubMed Central

Kashiouris, M.; O’Horo, J.C.; Pickering, B.W.; Herasevich, V.

2013-01-01

Context Healthcare Electronic Syndromic Surveillance (ESS) is the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of ongoing clinical data with subsequent dissemination of results, which aid clinical decision-making. Objective To evaluate, classify and analyze the diagnostic performance, strengths and limitations of existing acute care ESS systems. Data Sources All available to us studies in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, CINAHL and Scopus databases, from as early as January 1972 through the first week of September 2012. Study Selection: Prospective and retrospective trials, examining the diagnostic performance of inpatient ESS and providing objective diagnostic data including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. Data Extraction Two independent reviewers extracted diagnostic performance data on ESS systems, including clinical area, number of decision points, sensitivity and specificity. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated for each healthcare ESS system. A likelihood matrix summarizing the various ESS systems performance was created. Results The described search strategy yielded 1639 articles. Of these, 1497 were excluded on abstract information. After full text review, abstraction and arbitration with a third reviewer, 33 studies met inclusion criteria, reporting 102,611 ESS decision points. The yielded I2 was high (98.8%), precluding meta-analysis. Performance was variable, with sensitivities ranging from 21% –100% and specificities ranging from 5%-100%. Conclusions There is significant heterogeneity in the diagnostic performance of the available ESS implements in acute care, stemming from the wide spectrum of different clinical entities and ESS systems. Based on the results, we introduce a conceptual framework using a likelihood ratio matrix for evaluation and meaningful application of future, frontline clinical decision support systems. PMID:23874359

Concepts for risk-based surveillance in the field of veterinary medicine and veterinary public health: Review of current approaches

PubMed Central

Stärk, Katharina DC; Regula, Gertraud; Hernandez, Jorge; Knopf, Lea; Fuchs, Klemens; Morris, Roger S; Davies, Peter

2006-01-01

Background Emerging animal and zoonotic diseases and increasing international trade have resulted in an increased demand for veterinary surveillance systems. However, human and financial resources available to support government veterinary services are becoming more and more limited in many countries world-wide. Intuitively, issues that present higher risks merit higher priority for surveillance resources as investments will yield higher benefit-cost ratios. The rapid rate of acceptance of this core concept of risk-based surveillance has outpaced the development of its theoretical and practical bases. Discussion The principal objectives of risk-based veterinary surveillance are to identify surveillance needs to protect the health of livestock and consumers, to set priorities, and to allocate resources effectively and efficiently. An important goal is to achieve a higher benefit-cost ratio with existing or reduced resources. We propose to define risk-based surveillance systems as those that apply risk assessment methods in different steps of traditional surveillance design for early detection and management of diseases or hazards. In risk-based designs, public health, economic and trade consequences of diseases play an important role in selection of diseases or hazards. Furthermore, certain strata of the population of interest have a higher probability to be sampled for detection of diseases or hazards. Evaluation of risk-based surveillance systems shall prove that the efficacy of risk-based systems is equal or higher than traditional systems; however, the efficiency (benefit-cost ratio) shall be higher in risk-based surveillance systems. Summary Risk-based surveillance considerations are useful to support both strategic and operational decision making. This article highlights applications of risk-based surveillance systems in the veterinary field including food safety. Examples are provided for risk-based hazard selection, risk-based selection of sampling strata as well as sample size calculation based on risk considerations. PMID:16507106

Improving postapproval drug safety surveillance: getting better information sooner.

PubMed

Hennessy, Sean; Strom, Brian L

2015-01-01

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are an important public health concern, accounting for 5% of all hospital admissions and two-thirds of all complications occurring shortly after hospital discharge. There are often long delays between when a drug is approved and when serious ADEs are identified. Recent and ongoing advances in drug safety surveillance include the establishment of government-sponsored networks of population databases, the use of data mining approaches, and the formal integration of diverse sources of drug safety information. These advances promise to reduce delays in identifying drug-related risks and in providing reassurance about the absence of such risks.

32 CFR 637.20 - Security surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Security surveillance systems. 637.20 Section 637.20 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW... surveillance systems. Closed circuit video recording systems, to include those with an audio capability, may be...

32 CFR 637.20 - Security surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Security surveillance systems. 637.20 Section 637.20 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW... surveillance systems. Closed circuit video recording systems, to include those with an audio capability, may be...

32 CFR 637.20 - Security surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Security surveillance systems. 637.20 Section 637.20 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW... surveillance systems. Closed circuit video recording systems, to include those with an audio capability, may be...

32 CFR 637.20 - Security surveillance systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Security surveillance systems. 637.20 Section 637.20 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW... surveillance systems. Closed circuit video recording systems, to include those with an audio capability, may be...

The rationale for integrated childhood meningoencephalitis surveillance: a case study from Cambodia

PubMed Central

Touch, Sok; Hills, Susan; Rani, Manju; Samnang, Chham; Khalakdina, Asheena; Jacobson, Julie

2009-01-01

Abstract Problem Recent progress in vaccine availability and affordability has raised prospects for reducing death and disability from neurological infections in children. In many Asian countries, however, the epidemiology and public health burden of neurological diseases such as Japanese encephalitis and bacterial meningitis are poorly understood. Approach A sentinel surveillance system for Japanese encephalitis was developed and embedded within the routine meningoencephalitis syndromic surveillance system in Cambodia in 2006. The sentinel surveillance system was designed so surveillance and laboratory testing for other etiologies of neurological infection could be incorporated. Local setting The Communicable Disease Control department of the Ministry of Health in Cambodia worked with partners to establish the sentinel surveillance system. Relevant changes The sentinel surveillance system has provided important information on the disease burden of Japanese encephalitis in Cambodia and is now providing a platform for expansion to incorporate laboratory testing for other vaccine-preventable neurological infections in children. Lessons learned Sentinel surveillance systems, when linked to syndromic reporting systems, can characterize the epidemiology of meningoencephalitis and identify the proportion of hospital-based neurological infection in children that is vaccine preventable. Integrated systems enable consistency in data collection, analysis and information dissemination, and they enhance the capacity of public health managers to provide more credible and integrated information to policy-makers. This will assist decision-making about the potential role of immunization in reducing the incidence of childhood neurological infections. PMID:19551241

Assessment of Arbovirus Surveillance 13 Years after Introduction of West Nile Virus, United States1

PubMed Central

Patel, Dhara; Nasci, Roger S.; Petersen, Lyle R.; Hughes, James M.; Bradley, Kristy; Etkind, Paul; Kan, Lilly; Engel, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Before 1999, the United States had no appropriated funding for arboviral surveillance, and many states conducted no such surveillance. After emergence of West Nile virus (WNV), federal funding was distributed to state and selected local health departments to build WNV surveillance systems. The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists conducted assessments of surveillance capacity of resulting systems in 2004 and in 2012; the assessment in 2012 was conducted after a 61% decrease in federal funding. In 2004, nearly all states and assessed local health departments had well-developed animal, mosquito, and human surveillance systems to monitor WNV activity and anticipate outbreaks. In 2012, many health departments had decreased mosquito surveillance and laboratory testing capacity and had no systematic disease-based surveillance for other arboviruses. Arboviral surveillance in many states might no longer be sufficient to rapidly detect and provide information needed to fully respond to WNV outbreaks and other arboviral threats (e.g., dengue, chikungunya). PMID:26079471

Results of Four-Year Rectal Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Surveillance in a Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Ward: From Colonization to Infection.

PubMed

Aktürk, Hacer; Sütçü, Murat; Somer, Ayper; Karaman, Serap; Acar, Manolya; Ünüvar, Ayşegül; Anak, Sema; Karakaş, Zeynep; Özdemir, Aslı; Sarsar, Kutay; Aydın, Derya; Salman, Nuran

2016-09-05

To investigate the clinical impact of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization in patients with hematologic malignancies and associated risk factors. Patients colonized and infected with VRE were identified from an institutional surveillance database between January 2010 and December 2013. A retrospective case-control study was performed to identify the risk factors associated with development of VRE infection in VRE-colonized patients. Fecal VRE colonization was documented in 72 of 229 children (31.4%). Seven VRE-colonized patients developed subsequent systemic VRE infection (9.7%). Types of VRE infections included bacteremia (n=5), urinary tract infection (n=1), and meningitis (n=1). Enterococcus faecium was isolated in all VRE infections. Multivariate analysis revealed severe neutropenia and previous bacteremia with another pathogen as independent risk factors for VRE infection development in colonized patients [odds ratio (OR): 35.4, confidence interval (CI): 1.7-72.3, p=0.02 and OR: 20.6, CI: 1.3-48.6, p=0.03, respectively]. No deaths attributable to VRE occurred. VRE colonization has important consequences in pediatric cancer patients.

Long-Endurance Maritime Surveillance with Ocean Glider Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

response to fluid viscosity , as well as magnesium sulfate and boric acid molecules found in seawater (Francois and Garrison 1982). As a result, its...Hemipelagic Terrigenous Clay ) is derived from the Bottom Sediment Type (BST) database maintained by the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office Acoustics

The safety helmet detection technology and its application to the surveillance system.

PubMed

Wen, Che-Yen

2004-07-01

The Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) plays an important role in the modem economy. It provides a fast and convenient way to process transactions between banks and their customers. Unfortunately, it also provides a convenient way for criminals to get illegal money or use stolen ATM cards to extract money from their victims' accounts. For safety reasons, each ATM has a surveillance system to record customer's face information. However, when criminals use an ATM to withdraw money illegally, they usually hide their faces with something (in Taiwan, criminals usually use safety helmets to block their faces) to avoid the surveillance system recording their face information, which decreases the efficiency of the surveillance system. In this paper, we propose a circle/circular arc detection method based upon the modified Hough transform, and apply it to the detection of safety helmets for the surveillance system of ATMs. Since the safety helmet location will be within the set of the obtainable circles/circular arcs (if any exist), we use geometric features to verify if any safety helmet exists in the set. The proposed method can be used to help the surveillance systems record a customer's face information more precisely. If customers wear safety helmets to block their faces, the system can send a message to remind them to take off their helmets. Besides this, the method can be applied to the surveillance systems of banks by providing an early warning safeguard when any "customer" or "intruder" uses a safety helmet to avoid his/her face information from being recorded by the surveillance system. This will make the surveillance system more useful. Real images are used to analyze the performance of the proposed method.

Work-Related Injury Surveillance in Vietnam: A National Reporting System Model

PubMed Central

Marucci-Wellman, Helen; Wegman, David H.; Leamon, Tom B.; Tuyet Binh, Ta Thi; Diep, Nguyen Bich; Kriebel, David

2013-01-01

Developing nations bear a substantial portion of the global burden of injury. Public health surveillance models in developing countries should recognize injury risks for all levels of society and all causes and should incorporate various groups of workers and industries, including subsistence agriculture. However, many developing nations do not have an injury registration system; current data collection methods result in gross national undercounts of injuries, failing to distinguish injuries that occur during work. In 2006, we established an active surveillance system in Vietnam’s Xuan Tien commune and investigated potential methods for surveillance of work-related injuries. On the basis of our findings, we recommend a national model for work-related injury surveillance in Vietnam that builds on the existing health surveillance system. PMID:24028255

Visually enhanced CCTV digital surveillance utilizing Intranet and Internet.

PubMed

Ozaki, Nobuyuki

2002-07-01

This paper describes a solution for integrated plant supervision utilizing closed circuit television (CCTV) digital surveillance. Three basic requirements are first addressed as the platform of the system, with discussion on the suitable video compression. The system configuration is described in blocks. The system provides surveillance functionality: real-time monitoring, and process analysis functionality: a troubleshooting tool. This paper describes the formulation of practical performance design for determining various encoder parameters. It also introduces image processing techniques for enhancing the original CCTV digital image to lessen the burden on operators. Some screenshots are listed for the surveillance functionality. For the process analysis, an image searching filter supported by image processing techniques is explained with screenshots. Multimedia surveillance, which is the merger with process data surveillance, or the SCADA system, is also explained.

The Great East Japan Earthquake: a need to plan for post-disaster surveillance in developed countries

PubMed Central

Matsui, Tamano; Partridge, Jeffrey; Kasai, Takeshi

2011-01-01

After a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck north-eastern Japan in March 2011, the public health system, including the infectious disease surveillance system, was severely compromised. While models for post-disaster surveillance exist, they focus predominantly on developing countries during the early recovery phase. Such models do not necessarily apply to developed countries, which differ considerably in their baseline surveillance systems. Furthermore, there is a need to consider the process by which a surveillance system recovers post-disaster. The event in Japan has highlighted a need to address these concerns surrounding post-disaster surveillance in developed countries. In May 2011, the World Health Organization convened a meeting where post-disaster surveillance was discussed by experts and public health practitioners. In this paper, we describe a post-disaster surveillance approach that was discussed at the meeting, based on what had actually occurred and what may have been, or would be, ideal. Briefly, we describe the evolution of a surveillance system as it returns to the pre-existing system, starting from an event-based approach during the emergency relief phase, a syndromic approach during the early recovery phase, an enhanced sentinel approach during the late recovery phase and a return to baseline during the development phase. Our aim is not to recommend a specific model but to encourage other developed countries to initiate their own discussions on post-disaster surveillance and develop plans according to their needs and capacities. As natural disasters will continue to occur, we hope that developing such plans during the “inter-disaster” period will help mitigate the surveillance challenges that will arise post-disaster. PMID:23908893

[Analysis on bacillary dysentery surveillance data collected from the National Surveillance System in 2007.].

PubMed

Zhong, Hao-jie; Chang, Zhao-rui; Zhang, Jing

2010-03-01

To improve the national surveillance plan on bacillary dysentery and to increase the sensitivity of the surveillance system on the disease. Data was collected through China Disease Reporting Information System (CDRIS) and National Sentinel Surveillance Sites on bacillary dysentery. Data from the CDRIS was compared with the data from the National Sentinel Surveillance to identify the exiting problems. Data from the monitoring sites showed that the detection rate of infant cases of bacillary dysentery infection was 1%, less than that of other age groups. The highest rates were seen in children aged 3 through 9 years. Rate on misdiagnosis in all age group was 23.38%, when using the surveillance case definition of clinical cases and suspect case. The rate of misdiagnosis on infant cases of bacillary dysentery infection by clinical diagnosis was 50%. It showed that Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei were dominant with the positive rates as 57.21% and 42.41%, respectively. From the national sentinel surveillance sites, the confirmed cases taking up 43.39% which did not match the figure from the CDRIS. The diagnostic criterion for bacillary dysentery fit well on other age groups in surveillance system except on infants. Active surveillance on bacillary dysentery that combining both clinical and laboratory diagnosis seems quite necessary on CDRIS, especially for infants.

Quality assessment and improvement of nationwide cancer registration system in Taiwan: a review.

PubMed

Chiang, Chun-Ju; You, San-Lin; Chen, Chien-Jen; Yang, Ya-Wen; Lo, Wei-Cheng; Lai, Mei-Shu

2015-03-01

Cancer registration provides core information for cancer surveillance and control. The population-based Taiwan Cancer Registry was implemented in 1979. After the Cancer Control Act was promulgated in 2003, the completeness (97%) and data quality of cancer registry database has achieved at an excellent level. Hospitals with 50 or more beds, which provide outpatient and hospitalized cancer care, are recruited to report 20 items of information on all newly diagnosed cancers to the central registry office (called short-form database). The Taiwan Cancer Registry is organized and funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The National Taiwan University has been contracted to operate the registry and organized an advisory board to standardize definitions of terminology, coding and procedures of the registry's reporting system since 1996. To monitor the cancer care patterns and evaluate the cancer treatment outcomes, central cancer registry has been reformed since 2002 to include detail items of the stage at diagnosis and the first course of treatment (called long-form database). There are 80 hospitals, which count for >90% of total cancer cases, involved in the long-form registration. The Taiwan Cancer Registry has run smoothly for >30 years, which provides essential foundation for academic research and cancer control policy in Taiwan. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sensitivity of Bovine Tuberculosis Surveillance in Wildlife in France: A Scenario Tree Approach

PubMed Central

Rivière, Julie

2015-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a common disease in cattle and wildlife, with an impact on animal and human health, and economic implications. Infected wild animals have been detected in some European countries, and bTB reservoirs in wildlife have been identified, potentially hindering the eradication of bTB from cattle populations. However, the surveillance of bTB in wildlife involves several practical difficulties and is not currently covered by EU legislation. We report here the first assessment of the sensitivity of the bTB surveillance system for free-ranging wildlife launched in France in 2011 (the Sylvatub system), based on scenario tree modelling. Three surveillance system components were identified: (i) passive scanning surveillance for hunted wild boar, red deer and roe deer, based on carcass examination, (ii) passive surveillance on animals found dead, moribund or with abnormal behaviour, for wild boar, red deer, roe deer and badger and (iii) active surveillance for wild boar and badger. The application of these three surveillance system components depends on the geographic risk of bTB infection in wildlife, which in turn depends on the prevalence of bTB in cattle. We estimated the effectiveness of the three components of the Sylvatub surveillance system quantitatively, for each species separately. Active surveillance and passive scanning surveillance by carcass examination were the approaches most likely to detect at least one infected animal in a population with a given design prevalence, regardless of the local risk level and species considered. The awareness of hunters, which depends on their training and the geographic risk, was found to affect surveillance sensitivity. The results obtained are relevant for hunters and veterinary authorities wishing to determine the actual efficacy of wildlife bTB surveillance as a function of geographic area and species, and could provide support for decision-making processes concerning the enhancement of surveillance strategies. PMID:26517372

Sensitivity of Bovine Tuberculosis Surveillance in Wildlife in France: A Scenario Tree Approach.

PubMed

Rivière, Julie; Le Strat, Yann; Dufour, Barbara; Hendrikx, Pascal

2015-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a common disease in cattle and wildlife, with an impact on animal and human health, and economic implications. Infected wild animals have been detected in some European countries, and bTB reservoirs in wildlife have been identified, potentially hindering the eradication of bTB from cattle populations. However, the surveillance of bTB in wildlife involves several practical difficulties and is not currently covered by EU legislation. We report here the first assessment of the sensitivity of the bTB surveillance system for free-ranging wildlife launched in France in 2011 (the Sylvatub system), based on scenario tree modelling. Three surveillance system components were identified: (i) passive scanning surveillance for hunted wild boar, red deer and roe deer, based on carcass examination, (ii) passive surveillance on animals found dead, moribund or with abnormal behaviour, for wild boar, red deer, roe deer and badger and (iii) active surveillance for wild boar and badger. The application of these three surveillance system components depends on the geographic risk of bTB infection in wildlife, which in turn depends on the prevalence of bTB in cattle. We estimated the effectiveness of the three components of the Sylvatub surveillance system quantitatively, for each species separately. Active surveillance and passive scanning surveillance by carcass examination were the approaches most likely to detect at least one infected animal in a population with a given design prevalence, regardless of the local risk level and species considered. The awareness of hunters, which depends on their training and the geographic risk, was found to affect surveillance sensitivity. The results obtained are relevant for hunters and veterinary authorities wishing to determine the actual efficacy of wildlife bTB surveillance as a function of geographic area and species, and could provide support for decision-making processes concerning the enhancement of surveillance strategies.

Infectious Disease Surveillance in the Big Data Era: Towards Faster and Locally Relevant Systems

PubMed Central

Simonsen, Lone; Gog, Julia R.; Olson, Don; Viboud, Cécile

2016-01-01

While big data have proven immensely useful in fields such as marketing and earth sciences, public health is still relying on more traditional surveillance systems and awaiting the fruits of a big data revolution. A new generation of big data surveillance systems is needed to achieve rapid, flexible, and local tracking of infectious diseases, especially for emerging pathogens. In this opinion piece, we reflect on the long and distinguished history of disease surveillance and discuss recent developments related to use of big data. We start with a brief review of traditional systems relying on clinical and laboratory reports. We then examine how large-volume medical claims data can, with great spatiotemporal resolution, help elucidate local disease patterns. Finally, we review efforts to develop surveillance systems based on digital and social data streams, including the recent rise and fall of Google Flu Trends. We conclude by advocating for increased use of hybrid systems combining information from traditional surveillance and big data sources, which seems the most promising option moving forward. Throughout the article, we use influenza as an exemplar of an emerging and reemerging infection which has traditionally been considered a model system for surveillance and modeling. PMID:28830112

Intelligent agents for adaptive security market surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kun; Li, Xin; Xu, Baoxun; Yan, Jiaqi; Wang, Huaiqing

2017-05-01

Market surveillance systems have increasingly gained in usage for monitoring trading activities in stock markets to maintain market integrity. Existing systems primarily focus on the numerical analysis of market activity data and generally ignore textual information. To fulfil the requirements of information-based surveillance, a multi-agent-based architecture that uses agent intercommunication and incremental learning mechanisms is proposed to provide a flexible and adaptive inspection process. A prototype system is implemented using the techniques of text mining and rule-based reasoning, among others. Based on experiments in the scalping surveillance scenario, the system can identify target information evidence up to 87.50% of the time and automatically identify 70.59% of cases depending on the constraints on the available information sources. The results of this study indicate that the proposed information surveillance system is effective. This study thus contributes to the market surveillance literature and has significant practical implications.

Surveillance Systems to Track and Evaluate Obesity Prevention Efforts.

PubMed

Hoelscher, Deanna M; Ranjit, Nalini; Pérez, Adriana

2017-03-20

To address the obesity epidemic, the public health community must develop surveillance systems that capture data at levels through which obesity prevention efforts are conducted. Current systems assess body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity behaviors at the individual level, but environmental and policy-related data are often lacking. The goal of this review is to describe US surveillance systems that evaluate obesity prevention efforts within the context of international trends in obesity monitoring, to identify potential data gaps, and to present recommendations to improve the evaluation of population-level initiatives. Our recommendations include adding environmental and policy measures to surveillance efforts with a focus on addressing underserved populations, harmonizing existing surveillance systems, including more sensitive measures of obesity outcomes, and developing a knowledgeable workforce. In addition, the widespread use of electronic health records and new technologies that allow self-quantification of behaviors offers opportunities for innovative surveillance methods.

Address-based versus random-digit-dial surveys: comparison of key health and risk indicators.

PubMed

Link, Michael W; Battaglia, Michael P; Frankel, Martin R; Osborn, Larry; Mokdad, Ali H

2006-11-15

Use of random-digit dialing (RDD) for conducting health surveys is increasingly problematic because of declining participation rates and eroding frame coverage. Alternative survey modes and sampling frames may improve response rates and increase the validity of survey estimates. In a 2005 pilot study conducted in six states as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the authors administered a mail survey to selected household members sampled from addresses in a US Postal Service database. The authors compared estimates based on data from the completed mail surveys (n = 3,010) with those from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone surveys (n = 18,780). The mail survey data appeared reasonably complete, and estimates based on data from the two survey modes were largely equivalent. Differences found, such as differences in the estimated prevalences of binge drinking (mail = 20.3%, telephone = 13.1%) or behaviors linked to human immunodeficiency virus transmission (mail = 7.1%, telephone = 4.2%), were consistent with previous research showing that, for questions about sensitive behaviors, self-administered surveys generally produce higher estimates than interviewer-administered surveys. The mail survey also provided access to cell-phone-only households and households without telephones, which cannot be reached by means of standard RDD surveys.

Incidence and Prevalence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Among Arab and Chaldean Americans in Southeastern Michigan: The Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance Program

PubMed Central

DeGuire, Peter; Lyon-Callo, Sarah; Wang, Lu; Marder, Wendy; McCune, W. Joseph; Helmick, Charles G.; Gordon, Caroline; Dhar, J. Patricia; Leisen, James; Somers, Emily C.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the burden of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among Arab and Chaldean Americans residing in southeast Michigan. Methods. For those meeting SLE criteria from the Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance Registry, we determined Arab or Chaldean ethnicity by links with demographic data from birth certificates and with a database of Arab and Chaldean names. We compared prevalence and incidence of SLE for Arab and Chaldean Americans with estimates for non-Arab and non-Chaldean American Whites and Blacks. Results. We classified 54 individuals with SLE as Arab and Chaldean Americans. The age-adjusted incidence and prevalence estimates for Arab and Chaldean Americans were 7.6 and 62.6 per 100 000, respectively. Arab and Chaldean Americans had a 2.1-fold excess SLE incidence compared with non-Arab and non-Chaldean American Whites. Arab and Chaldean American women had both significantly higher incidence rates (5.0-fold increase) and prevalence estimates (7.4-fold increase) than did Arab and Chaldean American men. Conclusions. Recognizing that Arab and Chaldean Americans experience different disease burdens from Whites is a first step toward earlier diagnosis and designing targeted interventions. Better methods of assigning ethnicity would improve research in this population. PMID:25790387

Incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus among Arab and Chaldean Americans in southeastern Michigan: the Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance Program.

PubMed

Housey, Michelle; DeGuire, Peter; Lyon-Callo, Sarah; Wang, Lu; Marder, Wendy; McCune, W Joseph; Helmick, Charles G; Gordon, Caroline; Dhar, J Patricia; Leisen, James; Somers, Emily C

2015-05-01

We assessed the burden of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among Arab and Chaldean Americans residing in southeast Michigan. For those meeting SLE criteria from the Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance Registry, we determined Arab or Chaldean ethnicity by links with demographic data from birth certificates and with a database of Arab and Chaldean names. We compared prevalence and incidence of SLE for Arab and Chaldean Americans with estimates for non-Arab and non-Chaldean American Whites and Blacks. We classified 54 individuals with SLE as Arab and Chaldean Americans. The age-adjusted incidence and prevalence estimates for Arab and Chaldean Americans were 7.6 and 62.6 per 100 000, respectively. Arab and Chaldean Americans had a 2.1-fold excess SLE incidence compared with non-Arab and non-Chaldean American Whites. Arab and Chaldean American women had both significantly higher incidence rates (5.0-fold increase) and prevalence estimates (7.4-fold increase) than did Arab and Chaldean American men. Recognizing that Arab and Chaldean Americans experience different disease burdens from Whites is a first step toward earlier diagnosis and designing targeted interventions. Better methods of assigning ethnicity would improve research in this population.

Characterizing violence in health care in British Columbia.

PubMed

Kling, Rakel N; Yassi, Annalee; Smailes, Elizabeth; Lovato, Chris Y; Koehoorn, Mieke

2009-08-01

The high rate of violence in the healthcare sector supports the need for greater surveillance efforts. The purpose of this study was to use a province-wide workplace incident reporting system to calculate rates and identify risk factors for violence in the British Columbia healthcare industry by occupational groups, including nursing. Data were extracted for a 1-year period (2004-2005) from the Workplace Health Indicator Tracking and Evaluation database for all employee reports of violence incidents for four of the six British Columbia health authorities. Risk factors for violence were identified through comparisons of incident rates (number of incidents/100,000 worked hours) by work characteristics, including nursing occupations and work units, and by regression models adjusted for demographic factors. Across health authorities, three groups at particularly high risk for violence were identified: very small healthcare facilities [rate ratios (RR) = 6.58, 95% CI =3.49, 12.41], the care aide occupation (RR = 10.05, 95% CI = 6.72, 15.05), and paediatric departments in acute care hospitals (RR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.05, 4.67). The three high-risk groups warrant targeted prevention or intervention efforts be implemented. The identification of high-risk groups supports the importance of a province-wide surveillance system for public health planning.

Automated video surveillance: teaching an old dog new tricks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLeod, Alastair

1993-12-01

The automated video surveillance market is booming with new players, new systems, new hardware and software, and an extended range of applications. This paper reviews available technology, and describes the features required for a good automated surveillance system. Both hardware and software are discussed. An overview of typical applications is also given. A shift towards PC-based hybrid systems, use of parallel processing, neural networks, and exploitation of modern telecomms are introduced, highlighting the evolution modern video surveillance systems.

Imaging Characteristics of Prostate Cancer Patients Who Discontinued Active Surveillance on 3-T Multiparametric Prostate MRI.

PubMed

Habibian, David J; Liu, Corinne C; Dao, Alex; Kosinski, Kaitlin E; Katz, Aaron E

2017-03-01

Early-stage prostate cancer may be followed with active surveillance to avoid overtreatment. Our institution's active surveillance regimen uses annual MRI in place of serial biopsies, and biopsies are performed only when clinically necessary. The objective of our study was to report the multiparametric MRI characteristics of prostate cancer patients who discontinued active surveillance at our institution after repeat imaging revealed possible evidence of tumor upgrading. The Department of Urology at Winthrop University Hospital prospectively maintains a database of prostate cancer patients who are monitored with active surveillance. At the time of this study, there were 200 prostate cancer patients being monitored with active surveillance. Of those patients, 114 patients had an initial multiparametric MRI study that was performed before active surveillance started and at least one follow-up multiparametric MRI study that was performed after active surveillance began. The MRI findings were evaluated and correlated with pathology results, if available. Fourteen patients discontinued active surveillance because changes on follow-up MRI suggested progression of cancer. Follow-up MRI showed an enlarged or more prominent lesion compared with the appearance on a previous MRI in three (21.4%) patients, a new lesion or lesions suspicious for cancer in two (14.3%) patients, and findings suspicious for or confirming extracapsular extension in nine (64.3%) patients. Seven of the 14 (50.0%) patients had a biopsy after follow-up multiparametric MRI, and biopsy results led to tumor upgrading in six of the 14 (42.9%) patients. The duration of active surveillance ranged from 4 to 110 months. All patients received definitive treatment. The small number of patients with follow-up multiparametric MRI findings showing worsening disease supports the role of MRI in patients with early-stage prostate cancer. Multiparametric MRI is useful in monitoring patients on active surveillance and may identify patients with clinically significant cancer amenable to definitive treatment.

Mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system, Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Rosewell, Alexander; Ropa, Berry; Randall, Heather; Dagina, Rosheila; Hurim, Samuel; Bieb, Sibauk; Datta, Siddhartha; Ramamurthy, Sundar; Mola, Glen; Zwi, Anthony B; Ray, Pradeep; MacIntyre, C Raina

2013-11-01

The health care system in Papua New Guinea is fragile, and surveillance systems infrequently meet international standards. To strengthen outbreak identification, health authorities piloted a mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system and used established frameworks to evaluate whether the system was meeting objectives. Stakeholder experience was investigated by using standardized questionnaires and focus groups. Nine sites reported data that included 7 outbreaks and 92 cases of acute watery diarrhea. The new system was more timely (2.4 vs. 84 days), complete (70% vs. 40%), and sensitive (95% vs. 26%) than existing systems. The system was simple, stable, useful, and acceptable; however, feedback and subnational involvement were weak. A simple syndromic surveillance system implemented in a fragile state enabled more timely, complete, and sensitive data reporting for disease risk assessment. Feedback and provincial involvement require improvement. Use of mobile phone technology might improve the timeliness and efficiency of public health surveillance.

Mobile Phone–based Syndromic Surveillance System, Papua New Guinea

PubMed Central

Ropa, Berry; Randall, Heather; Dagina, Rosheila; Hurim, Samuel; Bieb, Sibauk; Datta, Siddhartha; Ramamurthy, Sundar; Mola, Glen; Zwi, Anthony B.; Ray, Pradeep; MacIntyre, C. Raina

2013-01-01

The health care system in Papua New Guinea is fragile, and surveillance systems infrequently meet international standards. To strengthen outbreak identification, health authorities piloted a mobile phone–based syndromic surveillance system and used established frameworks to evaluate whether the system was meeting objectives. Stakeholder experience was investigated by using standardized questionnaires and focus groups. Nine sites reported data that included 7 outbreaks and 92 cases of acute watery diarrhea. The new system was more timely (2.4 vs. 84 days), complete (70% vs. 40%), and sensitive (95% vs. 26%) than existing systems. The system was simple, stable, useful, and acceptable; however, feedback and subnational involvement were weak. A simple syndromic surveillance system implemented in a fragile state enabled more timely, complete, and sensitive data reporting for disease risk assessment. Feedback and provincial involvement require improvement. Use of mobile phone technology might improve the timeliness and efficiency of public health surveillance. PMID:24188144

Cost Analysis of Various Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Surveillance Systems in the Dutch Egg Layer Sector

PubMed Central

Rutten, Niels; Gonzales, José L.; Elbers, Armin R. W.; Velthuis, Annet G. J.

2012-01-01

Background As low pathogenic avian influenza viruses can mutate into high pathogenic viruses the Dutch poultry sector implemented a surveillance system for low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) based on blood samples. It has been suggested that egg yolk samples could be sampled instead of blood samples to survey egg layer farms. To support future decision making about AI surveillance economic criteria are important. Therefore a cost analysis is performed on systems that use either blood or eggs as sampled material. Methodology/Principal Findings The effectiveness of surveillance using egg or blood samples was evaluated using scenario tree models. Then an economic model was developed that calculates the total costs for eight surveillance systems that have equal effectiveness. The model considers costs for sampling, sample preparation, sample transport, testing, communication of test results and for the confirmation test on false positive results. The surveillance systems varied in sampled material (eggs or blood), sampling location (farm or packing station) and location of sample preparation (laboratory or packing station). It is shown that a hypothetical system in which eggs are sampled at the packing station and samples prepared in a laboratory had the lowest total costs (i.e. € 273,393) a year. Compared to this a hypothetical system in which eggs are sampled at the farm and samples prepared at a laboratory, and the currently implemented system in which blood is sampled at the farm and samples prepared at a laboratory have 6% and 39% higher costs respectively. Conclusions/Significance This study shows that surveillance for avian influenza on egg yolk samples can be done at lower costs than surveillance based on blood samples. The model can be used in future comparison of surveillance systems for different pathogens and hazards. PMID:22523543

How Can We Identify the Elimination of Infectious Diseases? Experience From an Active Measles Laboratory Surveillance System in the Republic of Korea.

PubMed

Yang, Tae Un; Kang, Hae Ji; Eom, Hye Eun; Park, Young-Joon; Park, Ok; Kim, Su Jin; Nam, Jeong-Gu; Kim, Sung Soon; Jeong, Eun Kyeong

2015-11-01

Global efforts have markedly decreased the disease burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. Many countries have made considerable progress toward the elimination of measles. As elimination is approached, the very low incidence achieved by high vaccination coverage has underscored the need for a sensitive and timely surveillance system. In the Republic of Korea, an active laboratory surveillance system (ALSS) was implemented to supplement the existing passive surveillance system in 2006. The ALSS connects 5 major commercial laboratories and the national measles reference laboratory, where referred samples with positive or equivocal results are retested. Annually, from 2009 to 2013, 3714 suspected cases were detected through the ALSS, an expansion of 8- to 57-fold, compared with only the passive surveillance system. The ALSS, with its sensitivity and timeliness, is a reasonable strategy to supplement the existing measles surveillance system and to help identify the elimination of measles. © 2015 APJPH.

Three parallel information systems for malaria elimination in Swaziland, 2010-2015: are the numbers the same?

PubMed

Zulu, Z; Kunene, S; Mkhonta, N; Owiti, P; Sikhondze, W; Mhlanga, M; Simelane, Z; Geoffroy, E; Zachariah, R

2018-04-25

Background: To be able to eliminate malaria, accurate, timely reporting and tracking of all confirmed malaria cases is crucial. Swaziland, a country in the process of eliminating malaria, has three parallel health information systems. Design: This was a cross-sectional study using country-wide programme data from 2010 to 2015. Methods: The Malaria Surveillance Database System (MSDS) is a comprehensive malaria database, the Immediate Disease Notification System (IDNS) is meant to provide early warning and trigger case investigations to prevent onward malaria transmission and potential epidemics, and the Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) reports on all morbidity at health facility level. Discrepancies were stratified by health facility level and type. Results: Consistent over-reporting of 9-85% was noticed in the HMIS, principally at the primary health care level (clinic and/or health centre). In the IDNS, the discrepancy went from under-reporting (12%) to over-reporting (32%); this was also seen at the primary care level. At the hospital level, there was under-reporting in both the HMIS and IDNS. Conclusions: There are considerable discrepancies in the numbers of confirmed malaria cases in the HMIS and IDNS in Swaziland. This may misrepresent the malaria burden and delay case investigation, predisposing the population to potential epidemics. There is an urgent need to improve data integrity in order to guide and evaluate efforts toward elimination.

Three parallel information systems for malaria elimination in Swaziland, 2010–2015: are the numbers the same?

PubMed Central

Kunene, S.; Mkhonta, N.; Owiti, P.; Sikhondze, W.; Mhlanga, M.; Simelane, Z.; Geoffroy, E.; Zachariah, R.

2018-01-01

Background: To be able to eliminate malaria, accurate, timely reporting and tracking of all confirmed malaria cases is crucial. Swaziland, a country in the process of eliminating malaria, has three parallel health information systems. Design: This was a cross-sectional study using country-wide programme data from 2010 to 2015. Methods: The Malaria Surveillance Database System (MSDS) is a comprehensive malaria database, the Immediate Disease Notification System (IDNS) is meant to provide early warning and trigger case investigations to prevent onward malaria transmission and potential epidemics, and the Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) reports on all morbidity at health facility level. Discrepancies were stratified by health facility level and type. Results: Consistent over-reporting of 9–85% was noticed in the HMIS, principally at the primary health care level (clinic and/or health centre). In the IDNS, the discrepancy went from under-reporting (12%) to over-reporting (32%); this was also seen at the primary care level. At the hospital level, there was under-reporting in both the HMIS and IDNS. Conclusions: There are considerable discrepancies in the numbers of confirmed malaria cases in the HMIS and IDNS in Swaziland. This may misrepresent the malaria burden and delay case investigation, predisposing the population to potential epidemics. There is an urgent need to improve data integrity in order to guide and evaluate efforts toward elimination. PMID:29713588

Computer Ethics Topics and Teaching Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLay, Jeanine A.

An overview of six major issues in computer ethics is provided in this paper: (1) unauthorized and illegal database entry, surveillance and monitoring, and privacy issues; (2) piracy and intellectual property theft; (3) equity and equal access; (4) philosophical implications of artificial intelligence and computer rights; (5) social consequences…

HIV surveillance in MENA: recent developments and results.

PubMed

Bozicevic, Ivana; Riedner, Gabriele; Calleja, Jesus Maria Garcia

2013-11-01

To provide an overview of the current level of development and results from the national HIV surveillance systems of the 23 countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and to assess the quality of HIV surveillance systems in the period 2007-2011. A questionnaire was used to collect the information about the structure, activities and the results of HIV surveillance systems from the National AIDS Programmes. Assessment of the quality was based on four indicators: timeliness of data collection, appropriateness of populations under surveillance, consistency of the surveillance sites and groups measured over time, and coverage of the surveillance system. Only in four countries did surveillance systems enable assessment of epidemic trends in the same populations and locations over time, such as in pregnant women (Morocco, Iran), injecting drug users (Iran, Pakistan), female sex workers (Djibouti, Morocco) and male sex workers (Pakistan). There is increasing evidence of HIV infection being firmly established in at least one of the populations most at risk of HIV in nine MENA countries, while lower risk populations show elevated HIV prevalence in South Sudan, Djibouti and some parts of Somalia. The performance of HIV surveillance systems in several of the MENA countries has improved in recent years. The extent of HIV epidemics in the populations most at risk of HIV is still largely unknown in 10 countries. Multiple data sources that most of the countries still lack would enable indirectly estimation not only of the patterns of HIV epidemics but also the effectiveness of HIV responses.

An Assessment of Information Exchange Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities to Support US Disease Surveillance in 3 States.

PubMed

Garcia, Macarena C; Garrett, Nedra Y; Singletary, Vivian; Brown, Sheereen; Hennessy-Burt, Tamara; Haney, Gillian; Link, Kimberly; Tripp, Jennifer; Mac Kenzie, William R; Yoon, Paula

2017-12-07

State and local public health agencies collect and use surveillance data to identify outbreaks, track cases, investigate causes, and implement measures to protect the public-s health through various surveillance systems and data exchange practices. The purpose of this assessment was to better understand current practices at state and local public health agencies for collecting, managing, processing, reporting, and exchanging notifiable disease surveillance information. Over an 18-month period (January 2014-June 2015), we evaluated the process of data exchange between surveillance systems, reporting burdens, and challenges within 3 states (California, Idaho, and Massachusetts) that were using 3 different reporting systems. All 3 states use a combination of paper-based and electronic information systems for managing and exchanging data on reportable conditions within the state. The flow of data from local jurisdictions to the state health departments varies considerably. When state and local information systems are not interoperable, manual duplicative data entry and other work-arounds are often required. The results of the assessment show the complexity of disease reporting at the state and local levels and the multiple systems, processes, and resources engaged in preparing, processing, and transmitting data that limit interoperability and decrease efficiency. Through this structured assessment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a better understanding of the complexities for surveillance of using commercial off-the-shelf data systems (California and Massachusetts), and CDC-developed National Electronic Disease Surveillance System Base System. More efficient data exchange and use of data will help facilitate interoperability between National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance Systems.

Evaluation of the national tuberculosis surveillance program in Haiti

PubMed Central

Salyer, S. J.; Fitter, D. L.; Milo, R.; Blanton, C.; Ho, J. L.; Geffrard, H.; Morose, W.; Marston, B. J.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To assess the quality of tuberculosis (TB) surveillance in Haiti, including whether underreporting from facilities to the national level contributes to low national case registration. METHODS We collected 2010 and 2012 TB case totals, reviewed laboratory registries, and abstracted individual TB case reports from 32 of 263 anti-tuberculosis treatment facilities randomly selected after stratification/weighting toward higher-volume facilities. We compared site results to national databases maintained by a non-governmental organization partner (International Child Care [ICC]) for 2010 and 2012, and the National TB Program (Programme National de Lutte contre la Tuberculose, PNLT) for 2012 only. RESULTS Case registries were available at 30/32 facilities for 2010 and all 32 for 2012. Totals of 3711 (2010) and 4143 (2012) cases were reported at the facilities. Case totals per site were higher in site registries than in the national databases by 361 (9.7%) (ICC 2010), 28 (0.8%) (ICC 2012), and 31 (0.8%) cases (PNLT 2012). Of abstracted individual cases, respectively 11.8% and 6.8% were not recorded in national databases for 2010 (n = 323) and 2012 (n = 351). CONCLUSIONS The evaluation demonstrated an improvement in reporting registered TB cases to the PNLT in Haiti between 2010 and 2012. Further improvement in case notification will require enhanced case detection and diagnosis. PMID:26260822

In an occupational health surveillance study, auxiliary data from administrative health and occupational databases effectively corrected for nonresponse.

PubMed

Santin, Gaëlle; Geoffroy, Béatrice; Bénézet, Laetitia; Delézire, Pauline; Chatelot, Juliette; Sitta, Rémi; Bouyer, Jean; Gueguen, Alice

2014-06-01

To show how reweighting can correct for unit nonresponse bias in an occupational health surveillance survey by using data from administrative databases in addition to classic sociodemographic data. In 2010, about 10,000 workers covered by a French health insurance fund were randomly selected and were sent a postal questionnaire. Simultaneously, auxiliary data from routine health insurance and occupational databases were collected for all these workers. To model the probability of response to the questionnaire, logistic regressions were performed with these auxiliary data to compute weights for correcting unit nonresponse. Corrected prevalences of questionnaire variables were estimated under several assumptions regarding the missing data process. The impact of reweighting was evaluated by a sensitivity analysis. Respondents had more reimbursement claims for medical services than nonrespondents but fewer reimbursements for medical prescriptions or hospitalizations. Salaried workers, workers in service companies, or who had held their job longer than 6 months were more likely to respond. Corrected prevalences after reweighting were slightly different from crude prevalences for some variables but meaningfully different for others. Linking health insurance and occupational data effectively corrects for nonresponse bias using reweighting techniques. Sociodemographic variables may be not sufficient to correct for nonresponse. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Declining incidence of chickenpox in the absence of universal childhood immunisation

PubMed Central

Lowe, G; Salmon, R; Thomas, D; Evans, M

2004-01-01

Objective: To examine the epidemiology of chickenpox in Wales from 1986 to 2001. Design: Descriptive analysis of chickenpox consultations reported by the Welsh general practice sentinel surveillance scheme for infectious diseases, compared with annual shingles consultation rates from the same scheme to exclude reporting fatigue and data from a general practice morbidity database to validate results. Setting: A total of 226 884 patients registered with one of 30 volunteer general practices participating in the sentinel surveillance scheme. Main outcome measures: Age standardised and age specific incidence of chickenpox. Results: Crude and age standardised consultation rates for chickenpox declined from 1986 to 2001, with loss of epidemic cycling. Rates remained stable in 0–4 year olds but declined in all older age groups, particularly those aged 5–14 years. Shingles consultation rates remained constant over the same period. Data from the morbidity database displayed similar trends. Conclusion: General practitioner consultation rates for chickenpox are declining in Wales except in pre-school children. These findings are unlikely to be a reporting artefact but may be explained either by an overall decline in transmission or increased social mixing in those under 5 years old, through formal child care and earlier school entry, and associated increasing rates of mild or subclinical infection in this age group. Further investigation, particularly by serological surveillance, is necessary before universal varicella immunisation can be considered in the UK. PMID:15383443

Adapting Nepal's polio eradication programme.

PubMed

Paudel, Krishna P; Hampton, Lee M; Gurung, Santosh; Bohara, Rajendra; Rai, Indra K; Anaokar, Sameer; Swift, Rachel D; Cochi, Stephen

2017-03-01

Many countries have weak disease surveillance and immunization systems. The elimination of polio creates an opportunity to use staff and assets from the polio eradication programme to control other vaccine-preventable diseases and improve disease surveillance and immunization systems. In 2003, the active surveillance system of Nepal's polio eradication programme began to report on measles and neonatal tetanus cases. Japanese encephalitis and rubella cases were added to the surveillance system in 2004. Staff from the programme aided the development and implementation of government immunization policies, helped launch vaccination campaigns, and trained government staff in reporting practices and vaccine management. Nepal eliminated indigenous polio in 2000, and controlled outbreaks caused by polio importations between 2005 and 2010. In 2014, the surveillance activities had expanded to 299 sites, with active surveillance for measles, rubella and neonatal tetanus, including weekly visits from 15 surveillance medical officers. Sentinel surveillance for Japanese encephalitis consisted of 132 sites. Since 2002, staff from the eradication programme have helped to introduce six new vaccines and helped to secure funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Staff have also assisted in responding to other health events in the country. By expanding the activities of its polio eradication programme, Nepal has improved its surveillance and immunization systems and increased vaccination coverage of other vaccine-preventable diseases. Continued donor support, a close collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization, and the retention of the polio eradication programme's skilled workforce were important for this expansion.

Development concerns for satellite-based air traffic control surveillance systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, K. D.

1985-01-01

Preliminary results of an investigation directed toward the configuration of a practical system design which can form the baseline for assessing the applications and value of a satellite based air traffic surveillance system for future use in the National Airspace System (NAS) are described. This work initially studied the characteristics and capabilities of a satellite configuration which would operate compatibly with the signal structure and avionics of the next generation air traffic control secondary surveillance radar system, the Mode S system. A compatible satellite surveillance system concept is described and an analysis is presented of the link budgets for the various transmission paths. From this, the satellite characteristics are established involving a large multiple feed L band antenna of approximately 50 meter aperture dimension. Trade offs involved in several of the alternative large aperture antennas considered are presented as well as the influence of various antenna configurations on the performance capabilities of the surveillance system. The features and limitations of the use of large aperture antenna systems for air traffic surveillance are discussed. Tentative results of this continuing effort are summarized with a brief description of follow on investigations involving other space based antenna systems concepts.

Interstitial lung disease induced by fluoxetine: Systematic review of literature and analysis of Vigiaccess, Eudravigilance and a national pharmacovigilance database.

PubMed

Deidda, Arianna; Pisanu, Claudia; Micheletto, Laura; Bocchetta, Alberto; Del Zompo, Maria; Stochino, Maria Erminia

2017-06-01

We investigated a pulmonary adverse drug reaction possibly induced by fluoxetine, the Interstitial Lung Disease, by performing a systematic review of published case reports on this subject, a review of the World Health Organization VigiAccess database, of the European EudraVigilance database and of a national Pharmacovigilance database (Italian Pharmacovigilance Network). The research found a total of seven cases linking fluoxetine to Interstitial Lung Disease in the literature. 36 cases of interstitial lung disease related to fluoxetine were retrieved from the VigiAccess database (updated to July 2016), and 36 reports were found in EudraVigilance database (updated to June 2016). In the Italian Pharmacovigilance database (updated to August 2016), we found only one case of Interstitial Lung Disease, codified as "pulmonary disease". Our investigation shows that fluoxetine might be considered as a possible cause of Interstitial Lung Disease. In particular, although here we do not discuss the assessment of benefits and harms of fluoxetine, since this antidepressant is widely used, our review suggests that fluoxetine-induced Interstitial Lung Disease should be considered in patients with dyspnea, associated or not with dry cough, who are treated with this drug. An early withdrawn of fluoxetine could be useful to obtain a complete remission of this adverse drug reaction and special attention should be particularly devoted to long-term therapy, and to female and elderly patients. Although the spontaneous reporting system is affected by important limitations, drug post- marketing surveillance represents an important tool to evaluate the real world effectiveness and safety of drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postdischarge surveillance for infection following cesarean section: A prospective cohort study comparing methodologies.

PubMed

Halwani, Muhammad A; Turnbull, Alison E; Harris, Meredith; Witter, Frank; Perl, Trish M

2016-04-01

To assess how enhanced postdischarge telephone follow-up calls would improve case finding for surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance after cesarean section. We conducted a prospective cohort study of all patients who delivered by cesarean section between April 22 and August 22, 2010. In addition to our routine surveillance, using clinical databases and electronic patient records, we also made follow-up calls to the patients at 7, 14, and 30 days postoperation. A standard questionnaire with questions about symptoms of SSI, health-seeking behaviors, and treatment received was administered. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were performed to assess the effect of the enhanced surveillance. One hundred ninety-three patients underwent cesarean section during this study period. Standard surveillance identified 14 infections with telephone follow-ups identifying an additional 5 infections. Using the call as a gold standard, the sensitivity of the standard methodology to capture SSI was 73.3%. The duration of the calls ranged from 1 to 5 minutes and were well received by the patients. Results suggest that follow-up telephone calls to patients following cesarean section identifies 26.3% of the total SSIs. Enhanced surveillance can provide more informed data to enhance performance and avoid underestimation of rates. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Face consciousness among South Korean women: a culture-specific extension of objectification theory.

PubMed

Kim, Si Yeon; Seo, Young Seok; Baek, Keun Young

2014-01-01

This study tested key tenets of objectification theory with South Korean women and explored the roles of sexually objectifying media and culture-specific standards of beauty in body image and eating disorder symptoms. Two pilot studies with South Korean college women (n = 40, n = 30) revealed that facial characteristics such as size and shape represent a discrete variable among culture-specific standards of beauty for South Korean women. Results with a sample of 562 South Korean college women indicated that media exposure had significant positive indirect relations with body shame and eating disorder symptoms through the mediating roles of internalization, body surveillance, and face surveillance. Internalization of cultural standards of beauty had significant positive direct relations with body surveillance and face surveillance and had both direct and indirect relations with body shame and eating disorder symptoms. Body and face surveillances had significant positive direct relations with body shame and had indirect relations with eating disorder symptoms. Finally, body shame mediated the links from internalization and surveillance variables to eating disorder symptoms. The results support the applicability of objectification theory as it relates to South Korean women and point to the significance of culture-specific standards of beauty within that framework. These findings could contribute to the broader field of multicultural body image research, with potential implications for therapist practices and training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Reporting and Surveillance for Norovirus Outbreaks

MedlinePlus

... Institutes of Health NoroCORE Food Virology Reporting and Surveillance for Norovirus Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir ... the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) and CaliciNet. Surveillance Systems NORS NORS was launched by CDC in ...

The U.S.-Mexico Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Project: Establishing Binational Border Surveillance

PubMed Central

Waterman, Stephen; Lucas, Carlos Alvarez; Falcon, Veronica Carrion; Morales, Pablo Kuri; Lopez, Luis Anaya; Peter, Chris; Gutiérrez, Alejandro Escobar; Gonzalez, Ernesto Ramirez; Flisser, Ana; Bryan, Ralph; Valle, Enrique Navarro; Rodriguez, Alfonso; Hernandez, Gerardo Alvarez; Rosales, Cecilia; Ortiz, Javier Arias; Landen, Michael; Vilchis, Hugo; Rawlings, Julie; Leal, Francisco Lopez; Ortega, Luis; Flagg, Elaine; Conyer, Roberto Tapia; Cetron, Martin

2003-01-01

In 1997, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Mexican Secretariat of Health, and border health officials began the development of the Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS) project, a surveillance system for infectious diseases along the U.S.-Mexico border. During a 3-year period, a binational team implemented an active, sentinel surveillance system for hepatitis and febrile exanthems at 13 clinical sites. The network developed surveillance protocols, trained nine surveillance coordinators, established serologic testing at four Mexican border laboratories, and created agreements for data sharing and notification of selected diseases and outbreaks. BIDS facilitated investigations of dengue fever in Texas-Tamaulipas and measles in California–Baja California. BIDS demonstrates that a binational effort with local, state, and federal participation can create a regional surveillance system that crosses an international border. Reducing administrative, infrastructure, and political barriers to cross-border public health collaboration will enhance the effectiveness of disease prevention projects such as BIDS. PMID:12533288

Rollerblading injuries in young people.

PubMed

Heller, D R; Routley, V; Chambers, S

1996-02-01

To study injuries in young people associated with the use of rollerblades, draw comparisons with skateboarding and rollerskating injuries, and suggest strategies for injury prevention. Injuries associated with the use of rollerblades, skateboards and rollerskates in young people aged < or = 14 years recorded on the Victorian Injury Surveillance System database since its inception in 1989 were examined to identify secular trends. All injuries associated with these pastimes recorded on the database by three sentinel hospitals during a 1 year period were examined in detail. Medical notes were perused to verify features of the event and obtain further information. A semi-structured telephone interview of a sample of 10-14 year old rollerbladers, the most commonly injured age-group, was carried out to obtain more specific information. There has been a marked increase in the absolute numbers of injuries associated with the use of rollerblades since 1989. In 1992, they were most common in the 10-14 year age group, which sustained 59% of all injuries; 47% of injuries were fractures of the forearm and wrist. Of a sample of 33 of those injured in the 10-14 year age group, 10 (30%) had been using rollerblades for the first time. There is some evidence to suggest a concomitant fall in skateboarding injuries. Injury surveillance data collected in Melbourne suggest an increasingly important contribution by rollerblading to the pattern of injury seen in young people. Preventive strategies require further evaluation but could include learning basic techniques in a controlled setting, separation from road traffic and the wearing of helmets and wrist, elbow and knee guards.

Comparing data mining methods on the VAERS database.

PubMed

Banks, David; Woo, Emily Jane; Burwen, Dale R; Perucci, Phil; Braun, M Miles; Ball, Robert

2005-09-01

Data mining may enhance traditional surveillance of vaccine adverse events by identifying events that are reported more commonly after administering one vaccine than other vaccines. Data mining methods find signals as the proportion of times a condition or group of conditions is reported soon after the administration of a vaccine; thus it is a relative proportion compared across vaccines, and not an absolute rate for the condition. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) contains approximately 150 000 reports of adverse events that are possibly associated with vaccine administration. We studied four data mining techniques: empirical Bayes geometric mean (EBGM), lower-bound of the EBGM's 90% confidence interval (EB05), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), and screened PRR (SPRR). We applied these to the VAERS database and compared the agreement among methods and other performance properties, particularly focusing on the vaccine-event combinations with the highest numerical scores in the various methods. The vaccine-event combinations with the highest numerical scores varied substantially among the methods. Not all combinations representing known associations appeared in the top 100 vaccine-event pairs for all methods. The four methods differ in their ranking of vaccine-COSTART pairs. A given method may be superior in certain situations but inferior in others. This paper examines the statistical relationships among the four estimators. Determining which method is best for public health will require additional analysis that focuses on the true alarm and false alarm rates using known vaccine-event associations. Evaluating the properties of these data mining methods will help determine the value of such methods in vaccine safety surveillance. (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Electronic Sentinel Surveillance of Influenza-like Illness. Experience from a pilot study in New Zealand.

PubMed

Adnan, Mehnaz; Peterkin, Donald; Lopez, Liza; Mackereth, Graham

2017-02-01

Electronic reporting of Influenza-like illness (eILI) from primary care was implemented and evaluated in three general medical practices in New Zealand during May to September 2015. To measure the uptake of eILI and to identify the system's strength and limitations. Analysis of transactional data from the eILI system; comparative study of influenza-like illness cases reported using manual methods and eILI; questionnaire administered to clinical and operational stakeholders. Over the study period 66% of total ILI cases were reported using eILI. Reporting timeliness improved significantly compared to manual reporting with an average of 24 minutes from submission by the clinician to processing in the national database. Users found the system to be user-friendly. eILI assists clinicians to report ILI cases to public health authorities within a stipulated time period and is associated with faster, more reliable and improved information transfer.

Accelerometer-based measures in physical activity surveillance: current practices and issues.

PubMed

Pedišić, Željko; Bauman, Adrian

2015-02-01

Self-reports of physical activity (PA) have been the mainstay of measurement in most non-communicable disease (NCD) surveillance systems. To these, other measures are added to summate to a comprehensive PA surveillance system. Recently, some national NCD surveillance systems have started using accelerometers as a measure of PA. The purpose of this paper was specifically to appraise the suitability and role of accelerometers for population-level PA surveillance. A thorough literature search was conducted to examine aspects of the generalisability, reliability, validity, comprehensiveness and between-study comparability of accelerometer estimates, and to gauge the simplicity, cost-effectiveness, adaptability and sustainability of their use in NCD surveillance. Accelerometer data collected in PA surveillance systems may not provide estimates that are generalisable to the target population. Accelerometer-based estimates have adequate reliability for PA surveillance, but there are still several issues associated with their validity. Accelerometer-based prevalence estimates are largely dependent on the investigators' choice of intensity cut-off points. Maintaining standardised accelerometer data collections in long-term PA surveillance systems is difficult, which may cause discontinuity in time-trend data. The use of accelerometers does not necessarily produce useful between-study and international comparisons due to lack of standardisation of data collection and processing methods. To conclude, it appears that accelerometers still have limitations regarding generalisability, validity, comprehensiveness, simplicity, affordability, adaptability, between-study comparability and sustainability. Therefore, given the current evidence, it seems that the widespread adoption of accelerometers specifically for large-scale PA surveillance systems may be premature. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Strengthening National Disease Surveillance and Response-Haiti, 2010-2015.

PubMed

Juin, Stanley; Schaad, Nicolas; Lafontant, Donald; Joseph, Gerard A; Barzilay, Ezra; Boncy, Jacques; Barrais, Robert; Louis, Frantz Jean; Jean Charles, Nadia Lapierre; Corvil, Salomon; Barthelemy, Nickolsno; Dismer, Amber; Pierre, Jean Samuel; Archer, Roodly W; Antoine, Mayer; Marston, Barbara; Katz, Mark; Dely, Patrick; Adrien, Paul; Fitter, David L; Lowrance, David; Patel, Roopal

2017-10-01

Haiti's health system has faced many challenges over the years, with competing health priorities in the context of chronic financial and human resource limitations. As a result, the existing notifiable disease surveillance system was unable to provide the most basic epidemiologic data for public health decision-making and action. In the wake of the January 2010 earthquake, the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population collaborated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization, and other local and international partners to implement a functional national surveillance system. More than 7 years later, it is important to take the opportunity to reflect on progress made on surveillance and response in Haiti, including disease detection, reporting, outbreak investigation, and response. The national epidemiologic surveillance network that started with 51 sites in 2010 has been expanded to 357 sites as of December 2015. Disease outbreaks identified via the surveillance system, or other surveillance approaches, are investigated by epidemiologists trained by the Ministry of Health's Field Epidemiology Training Program. Other related surveillance modules have been developed on the same model and electronic platform, allowing the country to document the impact of interventions, track progress, and monitor health problems. Sustainability remains the greatest challenge since most of the funding for surveillance come from external sources.

75 FR 60493 - Advisory Circular 120-79A, Developing and Implementing an Air Carrier Continuing Analysis and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-30

... and Implementing an Air Carrier Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System AGENCY: Federal Aviation... Analysis and Surveillance System''. This new advisory circular (AC) updates AC 120-79 originally issued on... Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS) required for commercial operators and air carriers certificated...

Task-oriented situation recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Alexander; Fischer, Yvonne

2010-04-01

From the advances in computer vision methods for the detection, tracking and recognition of objects in video streams, new opportunities for video surveillance arise: In the future, automated video surveillance systems will be able to detect critical situations early enough to enable an operator to take preventive actions, instead of using video material merely for forensic investigations. However, problems such as limited computational resources, privacy regulations and a constant change in potential threads have to be addressed by a practical automated video surveillance system. In this paper, we show how these problems can be addressed using a task-oriented approach. The system architecture of the task-oriented video surveillance system NEST and an algorithm for the detection of abnormal behavior as part of the system are presented and illustrated for the surveillance of guests inside a video-monitored building.

48 CFR 242.1104 - Surveillance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Surveillance requirements... Surveillance and Reporting 242.1104 Surveillance requirements. (a) The cognizant contract administration office (CAO)— (i) Shall perform production surveillance on all contractors that have Criticality Designator A...

48 CFR 242.1104 - Surveillance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Surveillance requirements... Surveillance and Reporting 242.1104 Surveillance requirements. (a) The cognizant contract administration office (CAO)— (i) Shall perform production surveillance on all contractors that have Criticality Designator A...

48 CFR 237.172 - Service Contracts Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Surveillance. 237.172 Section 237.172 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS...-General 237.172 Service Contracts Surveillance. Ensure that quality assurance surveillance plans are....) Retain quality assurance surveillance plans in the official contract file. See https://sam.dau.mil, Step...

48 CFR 237.172 - Service Contracts Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Surveillance. 237.172 Section 237.172 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS...-General 237.172 Service Contracts Surveillance. Ensure that quality assurance surveillance plans are....) Retain quality assurance surveillance plans in the official contract file. See https://sam.dau.mil, Step...

48 CFR 237.172 - Service Contracts Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Surveillance. 237.172 Section 237.172 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS...-General 237.172 Service Contracts Surveillance. Ensure that quality assurance surveillance plans are....) Retain quality assurance surveillance plans in the official contract file. See https://sam.dau.mil, Step...

48 CFR 237.172 - Service Contracts Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Surveillance. 237.172 Section 237.172 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS...-General 237.172 Service Contracts Surveillance. Ensure that quality assurance surveillance plans are....) Retain quality assurance surveillance plans in the official contract file. See https://sam.dau.mil, Step...

48 CFR 242.1104 - Surveillance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Surveillance requirements... Surveillance and Reporting 242.1104 Surveillance requirements. (a) The cognizant contract administration office (CAO)— (i) Shall perform production surveillance on all contractors that have Criticality Designator A...

48 CFR 242.1104 - Surveillance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Surveillance requirements... Surveillance and Reporting 242.1104 Surveillance requirements. (a) The cognizant contract administration office (CAO)— (i) Shall perform production surveillance on all contractors that have Criticality Designator A...

48 CFR 237.172 - Service Contracts Surveillance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Surveillance. 237.172 Section 237.172 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS...-General 237.172 Service Contracts Surveillance. Ensure that quality assurance surveillance plans are....) Retain quality assurance surveillance plans in the official contract file. See https://sam.dau.mil, Step...

Knowledge-based public health situation awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirhaji, Parsa; Zhang, Jiajie; Srinivasan, Arunkumar; Richesson, Rachel L.; Smith, Jack W.

2004-09-01

There have been numerous efforts to create comprehensive databases from multiple sources to monitor the dynamics of public health and most specifically to detect the potential threats of bioterrorism before widespread dissemination. But there are not many evidences for the assertion that these systems are timely and dependable, or can reliably identify man made from natural incident. One must evaluate the value of so called 'syndromic surveillance systems' along with the costs involved in design, development, implementation and maintenance of such systems and the costs involved in investigation of the inevitable false alarms1. In this article we will introduce a new perspective to the problem domain with a shift in paradigm from 'surveillance' toward 'awareness'. As we conceptualize a rather different approach to tackle the problem, we will introduce a different methodology in application of information science, computer science, cognitive science and human-computer interaction concepts in design and development of so called 'public health situation awareness systems'. We will share some of our design and implementation concepts for the prototype system that is under development in the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Informatics Research, in the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The system is based on a knowledgebase containing ontologies with different layers of abstraction, from multiple domains, that provide the context for information integration, knowledge discovery, interactive data mining, information visualization, information sharing and communications. The modular design of the knowledgebase and its knowledge representation formalism enables incremental evolution of the system from a partial system to a comprehensive knowledgebase of 'public health situation awareness' as it acquires new knowledge through interactions with domain experts or automatic discovery of new knowledge.

Detection of Adverse Drug Reactions using Medical Named Entities on Twitter.

PubMed

MacKinlay, Andrew; Aamer, Hafsah; Yepes, Antonio Jimeno

2017-01-01

Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are unintentional reactions caused by a drug or combination of drugs taken by a patient. The current ADR reporting systems inevitably have delays in reporting such events. The broad scope of social media conversations on sites such as Twitter means that inevitably health-related topics will be covered. This means that these sites could then be used to detect potentially novel ADRs with less latency for subsequent further investigation. In this work, we investigate ADR surveillance using a large corpus of Twitter data, containing around 50 billion tweets spanning 3 years (2012-2014), and evaluate against over 3000 drugs reported in the FAERS database. This is both a larger corpus and broader selection of drugs than previous work in the domain. We compare the ADRs identified using our method to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database of ADRs reported using more traditional techniques, and find that Twitter is a useful resource for ADR detection up to 72% micro-averaged precision. Micro-averaged recall of 6% is achievable using only 10% of Twitter, indicating that with a higher-volume or targeted feed it would be possible to detect a large percentage of ADRs.

Recognition of Clostridium difficile PCR-ribotypes 001, 027 and 126/078 using an extended MALDI-TOF MS system.

PubMed

Reil, M; Erhard, M; Kuijper, E J; Kist, M; Zaiss, H; Witte, W; Gruber, H; Borgmann, S

2011-11-01

During the last decade, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) increased markedly inside as well as outside of hospitals. In association with the occurrence of new hypervirulent C. difficile strains, CDI became more important. Until now typing of C. difficile strains has been enabled by PCR-ribotyping. However, this method is restricted to specialized laboratories combined with high maintenance cost. Therefore, we tested MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for typing of C. difficile to provide a fast method for surveillance of CDI. Using a standard set of 25 different C. difficile PCR ribotypes a database was made by different mass spectra recorded in the SARAMIS software (AnagnosTec, Zossen, Germany). The database was validated with 355 C. difficile strains belonging to 29 different PCR ribotypes collected prospectively from all submitted feces samples in 2009. The most frequent PCR ribotypes were type 001 (70%), 027 (4.8%) and 078/126 (4.7%). All three types were recognized by MALDI-TOF MS. We conclude that an extended MALDI-TOF system was capable to recognize specific markers for ribotypes 001, 027 and 078/126 allowing an effective identification of these strains.