Influenza and respiratory disease surveillance: the US military’s global laboratory‐based network

Abstract

Please cite this paper as: Jeremy Sueker et al. (2010) Influenza and respiratory disease surveillance: the US military’s global laboratory‐based network. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 4(3), 155–161.The US Department of Defense influenza surveillance system now spans nearly 500 sites in 75 countries, including active duty US military and dependent populations as well as host‐country civilian and military personnel. This system represents a major part of the US Government’s contributions to the World Health Organization’s Global Influenza Surveillance Network and addresses Presidential Directive NSTC‐7 to expand global surveillance, training, research and response to emerging infectious disease threats. Since 2006, the system has expanded significantly in response to rising pandemic influenza concerns. The expanded system has played a critical role in the detection and monitoring of ongoing H5N1 outbreaks worldwide as well as in the initial detection of, and response to, the current (H1N1) 2009 influenza pandemic. This article describes the system, details its contributions and the critical gaps that it is filling, and discusses future plans.

Respiratory Infections in the U.S. Military: Recent Experience and Control

“…This system, which complements the MTF-based system operated by the USAFSAM, has significantly enhanced the U.S. military's capacity to monitor influenza virus strain circulation worldwide, including sharing of isolates and original specimens with the CDC and the WHO to facilitate influenza vaccine composition recommendations made by the FDA's VRBPAC each year. Key among this system's contributions is the identification of the initial pH1N1 influenza virus strains in the United States, which have been subsequently used in support of large-scale production of pandemic and seasonal vaccines since 2009 (621). Additionally, this AFHSCsupported system has allowed medical officials to enhance medical policy on influenza vaccination by periodically conducting influenza vaccine effectiveness evaluations (279,(622)(623)(624)(625)(626).…”

“…Toward the end of the 1990s and in the early part of the past decade, the advent of electronic surveillance systems and molecular-based testing for a majority of respiratory pathogens facilitated and refined the conduct of these activities on a broader scale (695). Concomitantly, the U.S. military has engaged in the expansion of respiratory disease surveillance efforts, especially since 2006 (621). These efforts have resulted in major contributions to global public health, such as the early detection of the initial sentinel events that led to the identification of the 2009 pandemic (pH1N1) virus in the United States as well as among many other U.S. and foreign military counterparts worldwide soon thereafter (696).…”

Prevalence and factors influencing the distribution of influenza viruses in Kenya: Seven-year hospital-based surveillance of influenza-like illness (2007–2013)

“…Before 2006, no comprehensive surveillance of influenza or other viral respiratory illnesses was being undertaken in Kenya. With the emergent pandemic threat due to the then little known virulent avian influenza caused by the highly pathogenic influenza A (H5N1) virus in 2003 [6], the United States Department of Defense's (US DoD) Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS) expanded its outreach in respiratory virus surveillance by initiating influenza surveillance to outside continental US (OCONUS) DoD laboratories, including the United States Army Medical Research Unit-Kenya (USAMRU-K) [7]. This was a strategic Force Health Protection response by US DoD to support military readiness by anticipating major health threats to service members in the event of a military operation in this strategic area.…”

Hospital‐based influenza surveillance in Korea: Hospital‐based influenza morbidity and mortality study group

“…In order to allow for earlier detection and response of influenza outbreaks, an effective surveillance system is required. In addition to clinical surveillance, laboratory surveillance would be useful to detect the emergence of resistant virus, and clarify the causes of increasing influenza‐like illnesses: influenza vaccine mismatch versus other respiratory tract infections [Owens et al, 2009; Suzuki et al, 2009; Jeremy Sueker et al, 2010].…”