Improved Global Capacity for Influenza Surveillance

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Disease Surveillance

Background:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated a global influenza surveillance strengthening program from 2004-2009.
• This initiative involved partnerships with 39 national governments to enhance their capacity for monitoring influenza.
• Effective influenza surveillance is crucial for tracking circulating strains, detecting novel viruses, and informing vaccine selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively evaluate the progress in global influenza surveillance capacity 4-9 years after the program's inception.
• To assess the impact of capacity strengthening on laboratory and sentinel surveillance.
• To determine the extent to which enhanced surveillance platforms were utilized for detecting other pathogens and improving decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation using World Health Organization (WHO) data.
• Analysis of program evaluation indicators collected by the CDC in 2013.
• A 2013 questionnaire administered to participating countries to assess surveillance capabilities and data utilization.

Main Results:

• Substantial increases in laboratory and sentinel surveillance capacities were observed in partner countries.
• Twenty-eight out of 35 responding countries reported leveraging influenza surveillance platforms for detecting other pathogens, indicating broader health-system strengthening.
• Thirty-four countries reported an improved ability to use surveillance data for decision-making processes.

Conclusions:

• The CDC-led global influenza surveillance program successfully enhanced national capacities.
• Strengthened surveillance systems contribute to improved detection of influenza strains and other pathogens, bolstering global health security.
• Increased data utilization empowers countries to make informed decisions for more effective influenza prevention and control strategies.