Estimating unreported malaria cases in England: a capture–recapture study

SUMMARYA capture–recapture study was undertaken to estimate the incidence and likely total burden of malaria cases in England. Cases diagnosed by the national Malaria Reference Laboratory (MRL) between July 2003 and December 2004 were matched with cases reported to Hospital Episode Statistics using demographic, geographical, parasitological, and temporal information. A total of 3861 cases were recorded in one or both datasets; the ‘unknown population’ was estimated as 746 cases (95% CI 677–822) giving a total of 4607 cases (95% CI 4446–4767) over 18 months. Eighty-four percent (95% CI 83–85) of cases were recorded in one or both datasets. Fifty-six percent (95% CI 54–58) of cases were captured by the MRL surveillance system; ascertainment for Plasmodium falciparum and London cases was higher at 66% and 62%, respectively. Improving case ascertainment will facilitate effective measures to reduce the burden of this preventable disease in the UK.

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Abstract 012: Capture-Recapture Using Multiple Data Sources: Estimating the Prevalence of Congenital Heart Disease

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.137.suppl_1.012 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Lindsey M Duca ◽

Amber D Khanna ◽

Christopher M Rausch ◽

David Kao ◽

Tessa Crume

Keyword(s):

Surveillance System ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Population Based ◽

Data Sources ◽

Primary Data ◽

Case Ascertainment ◽

Adolescents And Adults ◽

Capture Recapture ◽

Crude Prevalence ◽

The U.S

Introduction: Improvements in the treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD) have resulted in the majority of infants born with CHD surviving into adulthood; completely modifying the epidemiologic profile of patients with CHD. Although the prevalence of CHD at birth has been robustly estimated, the prevalence of CHD in adolescents and adults in the U.S. is uncertain due to a lack of systematically collected population-based data. The unique disjointed healthcare system in the U.S. makes population-based surveillance of conditions like CHD difficult. Hypothesis: Use of capture-recapture methodology in a state-wide CHD surveillance system will result in a higher estimated prevalence of CHD in adolescents and adults by adjusting for incomplete case ascertainment. Methods: Adolescents and adults age 11 to 64 years with a CHD lesion listed as a diagnostic code on an encounter occurring between January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013 were captured by the Colorado CHD surveillance system. Five primary data sources, representing electronic medical records (EMR) from participating healthcare systems and claims data from the All Payer Claims database, were used for case ascertainment. These sources provide inpatient, outpatient and emergency care across the state of Colorado. Once CHD cases were identified in one of the above data sources, a probabilistic record linkage algorithm was used for de-duplication of cases within and across data sources. Crude prevalence estimates were generated and then capture-recapture methods were employed to estimate the number of adolescents and adults with CHD in Colorado that were not captured in the surveillance system. Data were analyzed using a log-linear model incorporating severity of CHD as a variable of potential heterogeneous catchability. Results: The five primary data sources identified 24,907 CHD cases that met our case definition corresponding to 19,849 unique individuals during our 3-year surveillance period. The observed overall crude prevalence rate of CHD in adolescents and adults was 5.19 per 1000 population (95% CI 5.07 - 5.31 per 1000 population). Using capture-recapture methodology, the estimated prevalence of CHD in adolescents and adults corrected for incomplete case ascertainment was 5.68 per 1000 population (95% CI 5.59 - 5.77 per 1000 population), so an estimated 3,641 CHD cases were not identified in the five primary case finding data sources. Conclusion: Our study provides novel insight into strategies for EMR-based surveillance at the population-level by demonstrating the utility of capture-recapture methodology to estimate, and then correct for, cases missed in standard surveillance techniques.

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Isolation and characterization of the new SARS-CoV-2 variant in travellers from the United Kingdom to India: VUI-202012/01 of the B.1.1.7 lineage

Journal of Travel Medicine ◽

10.1093/jtm/taab009 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pragya D Yadav ◽

Dimpal A Nyayanit ◽

Rima R Sahay ◽

Prasad Sarkale ◽

Jayshri Pethani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Surveillance System ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Isolation And Characterization ◽

New Variant ◽

The Uk ◽

Local Transmission

We have isolated the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 variant of concern 202 012/01 from the positive coronavirus disease 2019 cases that travelled from the UK to India in the month of December 2020. This emphasizes the need for the strengthened surveillance system to limit the local transmission of this new variant.

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Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a Canadian resident

Weekly releases (1997–2007) ◽

10.2807/esw.06.33.01865-en ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 6 (33) ◽

Author(s):

◽

Keyword(s):

Surveillance System ◽

Collaborative Study ◽

Personal Communication ◽

National Network ◽

Incidence Data ◽

First Case ◽

Collaborative Study Group ◽

Jakob Disease ◽

The Uk ◽

Health Canada

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) has been confirmed in a resident of Saskatchewan, Canada (1). The patient, a man under the age of 50, was first notified to the Canadian national CJD surveillance system at Health Canada in April 2002 when his clinical presentation, age, and history of residence in the United Kingdom (UK) led Canadian doctors to suspect vCJD. Post-mortem examination of brain tissues by experts in Canada and the UK has now confirmed the diagnosis of vCJD. Since 1998, when the national CJD surveillance system was launched, all suspect cases of CJD are reported to Health Canada through a national network of specialist physicians. Incidence data are also shared with European and other allied countries as part of the Collaborative Study Group of CJD (EUROCJD, http://www.eurocjd.ed.ac.uk/euroindex.htm). This patient is the first case of vCJD reported in Canada, which together with 6 cases reported in France and one each in the Republic of Ireland, Italy and USA, brings the total number of cases with onset outside the UK to 10 (personal communication National CJD Surveillance Unit, Edinburgh).

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Australian National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory annual report, 2017

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2020.44.32 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

Author(s):

Jason A Roberts ◽

Linda K Hobday ◽

Aishah Ibrahim ◽

Bruce R Thorley

Keyword(s):

Surveillance System ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Performance Criterion ◽

World Health ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

Surveillance Systems ◽

Disease Surveillance System ◽

Enterovirus A71 ◽

Clinical Surveillance ◽

Health Organization

Australia monitors its polio-free status by conducting surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in children less than 15 years of age, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cases of AFP in children are notified to the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit or the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance System and faecal specimens are referred for virological investigation to the National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory. In 2017, no cases of poliomyelitis were reported from clinical surveillance and Australia reported 1.33 non-polio AFP cases per 100,000 children, meeting the WHO performance criterion for a sensitive surveillance system. Three non-polio enteroviruses, coxsackievirus B1, echovirus 11 and enterovirus A71, were identified from clinical specimens collected from AFP cases. Australia established enterovirus and environmental surveillance systems to complement the clinical system focussed on children and an ambiguous vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was isolated from sewage in Melbourne. In 2017, 22 cases of wild polio were reported with three countries remaining endemic: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

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UK epidemic strains of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in clinical samples from Malta

Journal of Medical Microbiology ◽

10.1099/jmm.0.2008/003509-0 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 57 (11) ◽

pp. 1394-1398 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Simon W. J. Gould ◽

Jess Rollason ◽

Anthony C. Hilton ◽

Paul Cuschieri ◽

Laura McAuliffe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Great Britain ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Geographical Distance ◽

Pfge Analysis ◽

Dna Profile ◽

The Uk ◽

Dna Profiles ◽

Southern European Countries

Since 1999, the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) has monitored the rise in infection due to a number of organisms, including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The EARSS reported that MRSA infections within intensive care units account for 25–50 % of infections in many central and southern European countries, these included France, Spain, Great Britain, Malta, Greece and Italy. Each country has defined epidemic MRSA (EMRSA) strains; however, the method of spread of these strains from one country to another is unknown. In this current study, DNA profiles of 473 isolates of MRSA collected from the UK and Malta were determined by PFGE. Analysis of the data showed that two countries separated by a large geographical distance had a similar DNA profile pattern. Additionally it was demonstrated that strains of EMRSA normally found in the UK were also found in the Maltese cohort (EMRSA 15 and 16). A distinct DNA profile was found in the Maltese cohort, which may be a local EMRSA, and accounted for 14.4 % of all Maltese isolates. The appearance of the same MRSA and EMRSA profiles in two separate countries suggests that MRSA can be transferred out of their country of origin and potentially establish in a new locality or country.

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Information about Antimalarial Chemoprophylaxis in Hospitalised Patients — Is it Adequate?

Scottish Medical Journal ◽

10.1177/003693309704200105 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 13-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

D. Nathwani ◽

J Spiteri

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Plasmodium Falciparum ◽

East Coast ◽

Central Africa ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Oil Boom ◽

North East ◽

The North ◽

Hospitalised Patients ◽

The Uk

Malaria remains a huge public health problem worldwide, with over 100 million new cases annually, causing one to two million deaths.1 This global problem spills over into the UK, with around 2000 cases of reported annually.2 The proportion of infections due to Plasmodium falciparum (PF) continues to increase and worse still accounts for five to 12 deaths per year. In 1992, Nathwani et al reported the 10 year experience of malaria cases admitted to the Regional Infection Unit, in Aberdeen, Scotland-the “Oil Capital”.3 This study was of interest in that 46% of those British residents who acquired infection had travelled to West or Central Africa on oil related business. The Oil boom of the 1980‘ s appeared to very much centred around Aberdeen and the neighbouring hinterland but did not appear to extend to Dundee which was only 60 miles further down the North-East coast. We, therefore, carried out a retrospective study of patients with malaria admitted to the Regional Infectious Diseases Unit in Dundee over a fifteen year period between 1980 and 1994.

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RSV burden among hospitalized patients: 6-years surveillance of Liguria regional reference lab

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.522 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

F Grammatico ◽

F Butera ◽

I G Iavarone ◽

I Schenone ◽

C Arcuri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surveillance System ◽

Adult Population ◽

Respiratory Viruses ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

University Hospital ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

Rsv Infection ◽

Syncytial Virus ◽

Virological Surveillance ◽

Regional Reference

Abstract Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) represents one of the most common agent causing respiratory infections in infants and adults. It causes seasonal epidemics, with a peak prevalence in winter. RSV epidemiology and burden are still under-recognized, although it leads to complications and increased mortality in patients at risk, such as infants, pregnant women, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. Materials/Methods Data analyzed in this study were collected during the virological surveillance system activities at the Policlinico San Martino university hospital in Genoa, Italy. The regional reference laboratory receive swabs from all Liguria region, and detects the main circulating respiratory viruses by using molecular methods. The proportion rate of RSV (subtypes A and B) positive samples was determined in the period January 2013 - December 2018, stratifying data by gender, age and hospital units. Results From January 2013 to December 2018, 14911 swabs were analyzed, 585 patients reported at least once RSV positive respiratory sample. The median age of RSV positive patients was 56 years (IQR 27-71), with a males: females ratio of 0.93: 1. The peak RSV infection period occurred mainly during first quarter, confirming the seasonal trend of the virus. Greatest proportion of RSV positive samples were received from hematology-oncology wards (45.2% of isolations) and medicine units (31.9%). From 2013 to 2018 an increase of swabs collection of 207% was observed. Neonatology and pediatrics resulted in the highest rate of positive swabs (above 30%), hemato-oncology departments collected 7932 swabs with 3,3 % resulted positive. Conclusions A virological surveillance system able to detect the principal respiratory viruses circulating in adult population is a key element to better understand the RSV epidemiology and evaluate therapeutical strategies, in view of the availability of effective vaccines able to prevent RSV infection in the next future. Key messages RSV represents a leading cause of respiratory disease in hospitalized patients, especially in hematology-oncology, medicine and intensive care unit wards. Virological surveillance is a key element to better understand RSV epidemiology in all ages, in view of the availability of new effective vaccines.

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COVID-19-Associated Invasive Aspergillosis: Data from the UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.02136-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 59 (1) ◽

pp. e02136-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Andrew M. Borman ◽

Michael D. Palmer ◽

Mark Fraser ◽

Zoe Patterson ◽

Ciara Mann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Critically Ill ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽

Content Type ◽

Specific Pcr ◽

The Uk ◽

Respiratory Specimens

ABSTRACTCOVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) was recently reported as a potential infective complication affecting critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, with incidence rates varying from 8 to 33% depending on the study. However, definitive diagnosis of CAPA is challenging. Standardized diagnostic algorithms and definitions are lacking, clinicians are reticent to perform aerosol-generating bronchoalveolar lavages for galactomannan testing and microscopic and cultural examination, and questions surround the diagnostic sensitivity of different serum biomarkers. Between 11 March and 14 July 2020, the UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory received 1,267 serum and respiratory samples from 719 critically ill UK patients with COVID-19 and suspected pulmonary aspergillosis. The laboratory also received 46 isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus from COVID-19 patients (including three that exhibited environmental triazole resistance). Diagnostic tests performed included 1,000 (1-3)-β-d-glucan and 516 galactomannan tests on serum samples. The results of this extensive testing are presented here. For a subset of 61 patients, respiratory specimens (bronchoalveolar lavage specimens, tracheal aspirates, and sputum samples) in addition to serum samples were submitted and subjected to galactomannan testing, Aspergillus-specific PCR, and microscopy and culture. The incidence of probable/proven and possible CAPA in this subset of patients was approximately 5% and 15%, respectively. Overall, our results highlight the challenges in biomarker-driven diagnosis of CAPA, especially when only limited clinical samples are available for testing, and the importance of a multimodal diagnostic approach involving regular and repeat testing of both serum and respiratory samples.

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Sensitivity of the Swedish statutory surveillance system for communicable diseases 1998–2002, assessed by the capture–recapture method

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268804003632 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 133 (3) ◽

pp. 401-407 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

A. JANSSON ◽

M. ARNEBORN ◽

K. EKDAHL

Keyword(s):

Surveillance System ◽

Reporting System ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Meningococcal Infection ◽

New Disease ◽

Notifiable Disease ◽

Electronic Reporting ◽

Capture Recapture ◽

All Diseases

To assess the sensitivity of the Swedish surveillance system, four notifiable communicable diseases in Sweden were examined during 1998–2002 with the two-sources capture–recapture method, based on parallel clinical and laboratory notifications. The sensitivity (proportion of diagnosed diseases actually being notified) was highest for salmonellosis (99·9%), followed by meningococcal infection (98·7%), and tularaemia (98·5%). For penicillin-resistant pneumococci, introduced as a notifiable disease in 1996, the overall sensitivity was 93·4% – increasing from 86·5% in 1998 to 98·5% in 2002. The system benefited from parallel reporting, with a sensitivity of clinical and laboratory notifications alone (all diseases combined) of 91·6% and 95·9% respectively. The sensitivity of both clinical and laboratory notifications was markedly higher in counties using the national electronic reporting system, SmiNet. Thus, sensitivity was higher for diseases with a long tradition of reporting, and there is a run-in period after a new disease becomes notifiable.

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Evaluation of measles and rubella integrated surveillance system in Apulia region, Italy, 3 years after its introduction

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268818000407 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 146 (5) ◽

pp. 594-599 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

I. A. Turiac ◽

F. Fortunato ◽

M. G. Cappelli ◽

A. Morea ◽

M. Chironna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Laboratory Investigation ◽

Median Time ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Case Reports ◽

Quality Data ◽

Time Interval ◽

System Sensitivity ◽

Apulia Region ◽

Median Time Interval ◽

Capture Recapture

AbstractThis study aimed at evaluating the integrated measles and rubella surveillance system (IMRSS) in Apulia region, Italy, from its introduction in 2013 to 30 June 2016. Measles and rubella case reports were extracted from IMRSS. We estimated system sensitivity at the level of case reporting, using the capture–recapture method for three data sources. Data quality was described as the completeness of variables and timeliness of notification as the median-time interval from symptoms onset to initial alert. The proportion of suspected cases with laboratory investigation, the rate of discarded cases and the origin of infection were also computed. A total of 127 measles and four rubella suspected cases were reported to IMRSS and 82 were laboratory confirmed. Focusing our analysis on measles, IMRSS sensitivity was 82% (95% CI: 75–87). Completeness was >98% for mandatory variables and 57% for ‘genotyping’. The median-time interval from symptoms onset to initial alert was 4.5 days, with a timeliness of notification of 33% (41 cases reported ⩽48 h). The proportion of laboratory investigation was 87%. The rate of discarded cases was 0.1 per 100 000 inhabitants per year. The origin of infection was identified for 85% of cases. It is concluded that IMRSS provides good quality data and has good sensitivity; still efforts should be made to improve the completeness of laboratory-related variables, timeliness and to increase the rate of discarded cases.

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