IDROVO AJ, Fernandez-Nino JA, Bojorquez-Chapela I,. Performance of public health surveillance systems during the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in the Americas: testing a new method based on Benford´s Law. Epidemiol Infect. 2011.
SUMMARYThe A(H1N1) influenza pandemic has been a challenge for public health surveillance systems in all countries. An objective evaluation has not been conducted, as yet, of the performance of those systems during the pandemic. This paper presents an algorithm based on Benford´s Law and the mortality ratio in order to evaluate the quality of the data and the sensitivity of surveillance systems. It analyses records of confirmed cases reported to the Pan American Health Organization by its 35 member countries between epidemiological weeks 13 and 47 in 2009. Seventeen countries did not fulfil Benford´s Law, and mortality exceeded the regional average in 40% of the countries. The results suggest uneven performance by surveillance systems in the different countries, with the most frequent problem being low diagnostic coverage. Benford´s Law proved to be a useful tool for the evaluation of a public health surveillance system´s performance.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- Influenza D Virus Infection in China, 2022-2023 1 days ago
- Evidence of reassortment of avian influenza A (H2) viruses in Brazilian shorebirds 1 days ago
- Epitopes in the HA and NA of H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses that are important for antigenic drift 3 days ago
- Assessment of CD8+ T-cell mediated immunity in an influenza A(H3N2) human challenge model in Belgium: a single centre, randomised, double-blind phase 2 study 3 days ago
- Dual N-linked glycosylation at residues 133 and 158 in the hemagglutinin are essential for the efficacy of H7N9 avian influenza virus like particle vaccine in chickens and mice 3 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]