TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparing national infectious disease surveillance systems
T2 - China and the Netherlands
AU - Vlieg, Willemijn L.
AU - Fanoy, Ewout B.
AU - van Asten, Liselotte
AU - Liu, Xiaobo
AU - Yang, Jun
AU - Pilot, Eva
AU - Bijkerk, Paul
AU - van der Hoek, Wim
AU - Krafft, Thomas
AU - van der Sande, Marianne A.
AU - Liu, Qi-Yong
PY - 2017/5/8
Y1 - 2017/5/8
N2 - Background: Risk assessment and early warning (RAEW) are essential components of any infectious disease surveillance system. In light of the International Health Regulations (IHR)(2005), this study compares the organisation of RAEW in China and the Netherlands. The respective approaches towards surveillance of arboviral disease and unexplained pneumonia were analysed to gain a better understanding of the RAEW mode of operation. This study may be used to explore options for further strengthening of global collaboration and timely detection and surveillance of infectious disease outbreaks.Methods: A qualitative study design was used, combining data retrieved from the literature and from semi-structured interviews with Chinese (5 national-level and 6 provincial-level) and Dutch (5 national-level) experts.Results: The results show that some differences exist such as in the use of automated electronic components of the early warning system in China ('CIDARS'), compared to a more limited automated component in the Netherlands ('barometer'). Moreover, RAEW units in the Netherlands focus exclusively on infectious diseases, while China has a broader 'all hazard' approach (including for example chemical incidents). In the Netherlands, veterinary specialists take part at the RAEW meetings, to enable a structured exchange/assessment of zoonotic signals.Conclusion: Despite these differences, the main conclusion is that for the two infections studied, the early warning system in China and the Netherlands are remarkably similar considering their large differences in infectious disease history, population size and geographical setting. Our main recommendations are continued emphasis on international corporation that requires insight into national infectious disease surveillance systems, the usage of a One Health approach in infectious disease surveillance, and further exploration/strengthening of a combined syndromic and laboratory surveillance system.
AB - Background: Risk assessment and early warning (RAEW) are essential components of any infectious disease surveillance system. In light of the International Health Regulations (IHR)(2005), this study compares the organisation of RAEW in China and the Netherlands. The respective approaches towards surveillance of arboviral disease and unexplained pneumonia were analysed to gain a better understanding of the RAEW mode of operation. This study may be used to explore options for further strengthening of global collaboration and timely detection and surveillance of infectious disease outbreaks.Methods: A qualitative study design was used, combining data retrieved from the literature and from semi-structured interviews with Chinese (5 national-level and 6 provincial-level) and Dutch (5 national-level) experts.Results: The results show that some differences exist such as in the use of automated electronic components of the early warning system in China ('CIDARS'), compared to a more limited automated component in the Netherlands ('barometer'). Moreover, RAEW units in the Netherlands focus exclusively on infectious diseases, while China has a broader 'all hazard' approach (including for example chemical incidents). In the Netherlands, veterinary specialists take part at the RAEW meetings, to enable a structured exchange/assessment of zoonotic signals.Conclusion: Despite these differences, the main conclusion is that for the two infections studied, the early warning system in China and the Netherlands are remarkably similar considering their large differences in infectious disease history, population size and geographical setting. Our main recommendations are continued emphasis on international corporation that requires insight into national infectious disease surveillance systems, the usage of a One Health approach in infectious disease surveillance, and further exploration/strengthening of a combined syndromic and laboratory surveillance system.
KW - Risk assessment and early warning
KW - Infectious disease surveillance systems
KW - Surveillance of unexplained pneumonia
KW - Arthropod borne virus disease surveillance
KW - China
KW - The Netherlands
KW - MAINLAND CHINA
KW - SOUTH-AMERICA
KW - PNEUMONIA
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-017-4319-3
DO - 10.1186/s12889-017-4319-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 28482830
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 17
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
M1 - 415
ER -