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
N1 - Funding Information:
This study is supported by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports of the Netherlands, in the context of the 2013 memorandum of understanding with the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s).
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 - Arbovirus Infections
KW - China
KW - Communicable Diseases
KW - Disease Outbreaks
KW - Humans
KW - Netherlands
KW - Pneumonia
KW - Population Surveillance
KW - Qualitative Research
KW - Risk Assessment
KW - Journal Article
KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019068948&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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 [E]
JF - BMC Public Health [E]
IS - 1
M1 - 415
ER -