New Vaccine Surveillance Network

The goal of the NVSN program is to evaluate the impact of new vaccines and vaccine policies through a network of sites in the U.S. The current NVSN sites are affiliated with the University of Rochester, Vanderbilt University, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The NVSN sites conduct population-based inpatient and enhanced outpatient surveillance for vaccine-preventable disease outcomes, applied epidemiologic and health service research, and investigator-initiated studies to achieve the goals of the network.

The New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) was established in 1999 to evaluate the impact of new vaccines and vaccine policies through active sentinel surveillance at three U.S. medical centers. These NVSN sentinel sites include the University of Rochester in Rochester NY, Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The sites conduct population-based inpatient and enhanced outpatient surveillance for vaccine-preventable disease outcomes, applied epidemiologic and health service research, and investigator-initiated studies to achieve the goals of the network.

The program complements existing surveillance programs for vaccine-preventable diseases by conducting seasonal active population-based surveillance for hospitalizations associated with acute respiratory illness (ARI) and acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children who reside within the counties under NVSN surveillance (Monroe County NY, Davidson County TN, Hamilton County OH). Active surveillance is also conducted in emergency departments and outpatient clinics.

Specimens are collected for laboratory testing for both ARI and AGE surveillance. ARI specimens are tested using viral culture and RT-PCR for respiratory pathogens. The viruses tested depend on study year and setting and have included influenza A and B annually as well as RSV, parainfluenza, human metapneumovirus, rhinovirus, bocavirus, and coronaviruses for selected years. AGE specimens are tested for rotavirus antigens using an EIA and positive specimens undergo typing using RT-PCR.

In addition to surveillance, the NVSN has conducted special studies regarding new vaccines/vaccine recommendations including vaccine effectiveness, feasibility/KAP of implementing new vaccine recommendation, uptake and impact of vaccination with influenza and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), and collected data on other childhood vaccines. Although new vaccines and vaccine policies have focused on young children with ARI and AGE, the NVSN is not restricted to this age group or to respiratory and enteric pathogens. Future activities may include other vaccines that are in development.