Cohort Profile: The Flu Watch Study

Fragaszy, Ellen; Warren‐Gash, Charlotte; Wang, Lili; Copas, Andrew; Dukes, Oliver; Edmunds, W. John; Goonetilleke, Nilu; Harvey, Gabrielle; Johnson, Anne M; Kovar, Jana; Lim, Megan S C; McMichael, Andrew J.; Millett, Elizabeth R C; Nazareth, Irwin; Nguyen-Van-Tam, Jonathan S.; Tabassum, Faiza; Watson, John M.; Wurie, Fatima; Zambon, Maria; Hayward, Andrew

doi:10.1093/ije/dyv370

Cited by 28 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Flu Watch is a previously described, household‐based, community cohort study of acute respiratory disease and influenza infection in England . In brief, the study followed up cohorts during 6 influenza seasons including 3 periods of seasonal influenza (winters 2006‐2007, 2007‐2008 and 2008‐2009) and the first 3 waves of the 2009 influenza pandemic (summer 2009, autumn‐winter 2009/2010 and winter 2010/2011).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of seasonal and pandemic influenza on health‐related quality of life, work and school absence in England: Results from the Flu Watch cohort study

Fragaszy

Warren‐Gash

White

et al. 2018

Influenza Resp Viruses

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BackgroundEstimates of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and work/school absences for influenza are typically based on medically attended cases or those meeting influenza‐like‐illness (ILI) case definitions and thus biased towards severe disease. Although community influenza cases are more common, estimates of their effects on HRQoL and absences are limited.ObjectivesTo measure quality‐adjusted life days and years (QALDs and QALYs) lost and work/school absences among community cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI), ILI and influenza A and B and to estimate community burden of QALY loss and absences from influenza.Patients/methodsFlu Watch was a community cohort in England from 2006 to 2011. Participants were followed up weekly. During respiratory illness, they prospectively recorded daily symptoms, work/school absences and EQ‐5D‐3L data and submitted nasal swabs for RT‐PCR influenza testing.ResultsAverage QALD lost was 0.26, 0.93, 1.61 and 1.84 for ARI, ILI, H1N1pdm09 and influenza B cases, respectively. 40% of influenza A cases and 24% of influenza B cases took time off work/school with an average duration of 3.6 and 2.4 days, respectively. In England, community influenza cases lost 24 300 QALYs in 2010/11 and had an estimated 2.9 million absences per season based on data from 2006/07 to 2009/10.ConclusionsOur QALDs and QALYs lost and work and school absence estimates are lower than previous estimates because we focus on community cases, most of which are mild, may not meet ILI definitions and do not result in healthcare consultations. Nevertheless, they contribute a substantial loss of HRQoL on a population level.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of seasonal and pandemic influenza on health‐related quality of life, work and school absence in England: Results from the Flu Watch cohort study

Fragaszy

Warren‐Gash

White

et al. 2018

Influenza Resp Viruses

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“…This network monitors the influenza strains circulating in human populations, speeding up vaccine development and stockpiling, and acts as a warning system to inform other preparedness activities. Meanwhile, federal and regional health agencies scaled up surveillance practices [83,84]. However, most surveillance is based solely upon patients who seek medical care, thereby excluding asymptomatic or self-limiting infections, underestimating the burden of influenza, and missing important routes of disease transmission [83].…”

Section: 1970s–2000s: Computers Drugs and The Wtomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Meanwhile, federal and regional health agencies scaled up surveillance practices [83,84]. However, most surveillance is based solely upon patients who seek medical care, thereby excluding asymptomatic or self-limiting infections, underestimating the burden of influenza, and missing important routes of disease transmission [83]. Moreover, parallel expansion of federal and regional health agencies was not accompanied by stringent protocols to facilitate inter-agency cooperation.…”

Section: 1970s–2000s: Computers Drugs and The Wtomentioning

confidence: 99%

Reviewing the History of Pandemic Influenza: Understanding Patterns of Emergence and Transmission

2016

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For centuries, novel strains of influenza have emerged to produce human pandemics, causing widespread illness, death, and disruption. There have been four influenza pandemics in the past hundred years. During this time, globalization processes, alongside advances in medicine and epidemiology, have altered the way these pandemics are experienced. Drawing on international case studies, this paper provides a review of the impact of past influenza pandemics, while examining the evolution of our understanding of, and response to, these viruses. This review argues that pandemic influenza is in part a consequence of human development, and highlights the importance of considering outbreaks within the context of shifting global landscapes. While progress in infectious disease prevention, control, and treatment has improved our ability to respond to such outbreaks, globalization processes relating to human behaviour, demographics, and mobility have increased the threat of pandemic emergence and accelerated global disease transmission. Preparedness planning must continue to evolve to keep pace with this heightened risk. Herein, we look to the past for insights on the pandemic experience, underlining both progress and persisting challenges. However, given the uncertain timing and severity of future pandemics, we emphasize the need for flexible policies capable of responding to change as such emergencies develop.

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“…The full study design and methodology has been described previously 13 . Follow-up occurred across three consecutive winter seasons (Nov-Mar 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, the summer and winter waves of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic (May-Sep 2009, Oct-Feb 2009-2010) and 'post-pandemic' winter season (Nov-Mar 2010-2011).…”

Section: Study Design and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonality and immunity to laboratory-confirmed seasonal coronaviruses (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-229E): results from the Flu Watch cohort study

Aldridge

Lewer²,

Beale

et al. 2020

Wellcome Open Res

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Background: There is currently a pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The intensity and duration of this first wave in the UK may be dependent on whether SARS-CoV-2 transmits more effectively in the winter than the summer and the UK Government response is partially built upon the assumption that those infected will develop immunity to reinfection in the short term. In this paper we examine evidence for seasonality and immunity to laboratory-confirmed seasonal coronavirus (HCoV) from a prospective cohort study in England. Methods: In this analysis of the Flu Watch cohort, we examine seasonal trends for PCR-confirmed coronavirus infections (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-229E) in all participants during winter seasons (2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009) and during the first wave of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic (May-Sep 2009). We also included data from the pandemic and ‘post-pandemic’ winter seasons (2009-2010 and 2010-2011) to identify individuals with two confirmed HCoV infections and examine evidence for immunity against homologous reinfection. Results: We tested 1,104 swabs taken during respiratory illness and detected HCoV in 199 during the first four seasons. The rate of confirmed HCoV infection across all seasons was 390 (95% CI 338-448) per 100,000 person-weeks; highest in the Nov-Mar 2008/9 season at 674 (95%CI 537-835). The highest rate was in February at 759 (95% CI 580-975). Data collected during May-Sep 2009 showed there was small amounts of ongoing transmission, with four cases detected during this period. Eight participants had two confirmed infections, of which none had the same strain twice. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence that HCoV infection in England is most intense in winter, but that there is a small amount of ongoing transmission during summer periods. We found some evidence of immunity against homologous reinfection.

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Cohort Profile: The Flu Watch Study

Cited by 28 publications

References 17 publications

Effects of seasonal and pandemic influenza on health‐related quality of life, work and school absence in England: Results from the Flu Watch cohort study

Effects of seasonal and pandemic influenza on health‐related quality of life, work and school absence in England: Results from the Flu Watch cohort study

Reviewing the History of Pandemic Influenza: Understanding Patterns of Emergence and Transmission

Seasonality and immunity to laboratory-confirmed seasonal coronaviruses (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-229E): results from the Flu Watch cohort study

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