Implementation of a sentinel surveillance system for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in the country of Georgia, 2015-2016

Giorgi Chakhunashvili; Abram L Wagner; Ann Machablishvili; Irakli Karseladze; Olgha Tarkhan-Mouravi; Khatuna Zakhashvili; Paata Imnadze; Matthew L Boulton

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2017.09.028

Implementation of a sentinel surveillance system for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in the country of Georgia, 2015-2016

Int J Infect Dis. 2017 Dec:65:98-100. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.09.028. Epub 2017 Oct 10.

Authors

Giorgi Chakhunashvili¹, Abram L Wagner², Ann Machablishvili³, Irakli Karseladze⁴, Olgha Tarkhan-Mouravi⁵, Khatuna Zakhashvili⁶, Paata Imnadze⁷, Matthew L Boulton⁸

Affiliations

¹ National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health, 9 M. Asatiani Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: g.chakhunashvili@ncdc.ge.
² Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA. Electronic address: awag@umich.edu.
³ National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health, 9 M. Asatiani Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia; I. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 1 Chavchavadze Ave., 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: a.machablishvili@ncdc.ge.
⁴ National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health, 9 M. Asatiani Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: i.karseladze@ncdc.ge.
⁵ National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health, 9 M. Asatiani Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: vpd@ncdc.ge.
⁶ National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health, 9 M. Asatiani Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: episurv@ncdc.ge.
⁷ National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health, 9 M. Asatiani Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: pimnadze@ncdc.ge.
⁸ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA. Electronic address: mboulton@umich.edu.

PMID: 29030136
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.09.028

Abstract

Objectives: Due to reports of substandard influenza preparedness, the country of Georgia developed two influenza surveillance systems. This paper describes these surveillance systems in their capacity to detect influenza.

Methods: Two surveillance systems for influenza operate in Georgia: an influenza-like illness (ILI) sentinel surveillance system for out-patient cases, based in the capital, Tbilisi, and a severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) sentinel surveillance system for in-patient cases with five sentinel sites - one in Tbilisi, and four in Kutaisi. Patients in these surveillance systems provide samples for laboratory testing, including influenza confirmation.

Results: From 2015-2016, 825 cases were surveilled in the ILI surveillance system and 1367 cases were surveilled in the SARI surveillance system, with 222 (26.9%) and 451 (33.0%) positive for influenza, respectively. Influenza positivity varied by age with adults 30-64 years having highest proportion of influenza-positive cases at 42.2%.

Conclusions: The sensitivity of the surveillance systems to influenza was relatively high compared to neighboring countries. These findings show the importance of influenza surveillance in the country of Georgia.

Keywords: Influenza; Severe acute respiratory illness; Surveillance.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Georgia
Humans
Infant
Influenza, Human / diagnosis*
Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
Male
Middle Aged
Outpatients
Respiratory Tract Infections / diagnosis*
Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology*
Sensitivity and Specificity
Sentinel Surveillance*
Young Adult