A Syndrome-Based Surveillance System for Infectious Diseases Among Asylum Seekers in Austrian Reception Centers, 2015-2018: Analysis of Reported Data

JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Ziad El-KhatibDaniela Schmid

Abstract

Austria has been among the main European countries hosting incoming asylum seekers since 2015. Consequently, there was an urgent need to predict any public health threats associated with the arriving asylum seekers. The Department of Surveillance and Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) was mandated to implement a national syndrome-based surveillance system in the 7 reception centers by the Austrian Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Health. We aimed to analyze the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases among asylum seekers using data reported by reception centers through the syndrome-based surveillance system from September 2015 through February 2018. We deployed a daily data collection system for 13 syndromes: rash with fever; rash without fever; acute upper respiratory tract infection; acute lower respiratory tract infection; meningitis or encephalitis; fever and bleeding; nonbloody gastroenteritis or watery diarrhea; bloody diarrhea; acute jaundice; skin, soft tissue, or bone abnormalities; acute flaccid paralysis; high fever with no other signs; and unexplained death. General practitioners, the first professionals to consult for health problems at reception center...Continue Reading

References

Jan 21, 2003·Emerging Infectious Diseases·Michelle WeinbergMartin Cetron
Nov 9, 2006·Statistical Methods in Medical Research·Ken P Kleinman, Allyson M Abrams
Feb 7, 2009·PloS One·Anette HulthAnnika Linde
Feb 24, 2009·BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making·Loïc JosseranPascal Astagneau
Jan 19, 2012·The Lancet Infectious Diseases·John S TamMarie-Paule Kieny
Aug 16, 2012·Epidemiology and Infection·S E HarcourtA J Elliot
May 27, 2014·Lancet·Ziad A MemishRichard Horton
Aug 21, 2014·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Christian NapoliAntonino Bella
Mar 19, 2016·Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Européen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles = European Communicable Disease Bulletin·Frank P MockenhauptPatricia Schlagenhauf
Apr 8, 2016·European Journal of Public Health·Jan C SemenzaPiotr Kramarz
May 5, 2016·International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID : Official Publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases·Cédric AbatDidier Raoult
May 11, 2016·Journal of Infection and Public Health·Assimoula EonomopoulouSotirios Tsiodras
Apr 21, 2017·Journal of Travel Medicine·Androula Pavli, Helena Maltezou
Jul 12, 2017·Public Health Reports·Aaron T Fleischauer, Joanna Gaines
Dec 1, 2017·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Brad K BlitzNicola Montagna

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 10, 2019·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·Robert A Berenson, Alan E Lazaroff
Apr 9, 2020·JMIR Public Health and Surveillance·Mohannad Al Nsour

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

R
SbSS

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.