TY - JOUR
T1 - Influenza serological studies to inform public health action
T2 - Best practices to optimise timing, quality and reporting
AU - Laurie, Karen L.
AU - Huston, Patricia
AU - Riley, Steven
AU - Katz, Jacqueline M.
AU - Willison, Donald J.
AU - Tam, John S.
AU - Mounts, Anthony W.
AU - Hoschler, Katja
AU - Miller, Elizbeth
AU - Vandemaele, Kaat
AU - Broberg, Eeva
AU - Van Kerkhove, Maria D.
AU - Nicoll, Angus
PY - 2013/3
Y1 - 2013/3
N2 - Background Serological studies can detect infection with a novel influenza virus in the absence of symptoms or positive virology, providing useful information on infection that goes beyond the estimates from epidemiological, clinical and virological data. During the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic, an impressive number of detailed serological studies were performed, yet the majority of serological data were available only after the first wave of infection. This limited the ability to estimate the transmissibility and severity of this novel infection, and the variability in methodology and reporting limited the ability to compare and combine the serological data. Objectives To identify best practices for conduct and standardisation of serological studies on outbreak and pandemic influenza to inform public policy. Methods/Setting An international meeting was held in February 2011 in Ottawa, Canada, to foster the consensus for greater standardisation of influenza serological studies. Results Best practices for serological investigations of influenza epidemiology include the following: classification of studies as pre-pandemic, outbreak, pandemic or inter-pandemic with a clearly identified objective; use of international serum standards for laboratory assays; cohort and cross-sectional study designs with common standards for data collection; use of serum banks to improve sampling capacity; and potential for linkage of serological, clinical and epidemiological data. Advance planning for outbreak studies would enable a rapid and coordinated response; inclusion of serological studies in pandemic plans should be considered. Conclusions Optimising the quality, comparability and combinability of influenza serological studies will provide important data upon emergence of a novel or variant influenza virus to inform public health action.
AB - Background Serological studies can detect infection with a novel influenza virus in the absence of symptoms or positive virology, providing useful information on infection that goes beyond the estimates from epidemiological, clinical and virological data. During the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic, an impressive number of detailed serological studies were performed, yet the majority of serological data were available only after the first wave of infection. This limited the ability to estimate the transmissibility and severity of this novel infection, and the variability in methodology and reporting limited the ability to compare and combine the serological data. Objectives To identify best practices for conduct and standardisation of serological studies on outbreak and pandemic influenza to inform public policy. Methods/Setting An international meeting was held in February 2011 in Ottawa, Canada, to foster the consensus for greater standardisation of influenza serological studies. Results Best practices for serological investigations of influenza epidemiology include the following: classification of studies as pre-pandemic, outbreak, pandemic or inter-pandemic with a clearly identified objective; use of international serum standards for laboratory assays; cohort and cross-sectional study designs with common standards for data collection; use of serum banks to improve sampling capacity; and potential for linkage of serological, clinical and epidemiological data. Advance planning for outbreak studies would enable a rapid and coordinated response; inclusion of serological studies in pandemic plans should be considered. Conclusions Optimising the quality, comparability and combinability of influenza serological studies will provide important data upon emergence of a novel or variant influenza virus to inform public health action.
KW - Antibodies
KW - Influenza
KW - Pandemic
KW - Public health response
KW - Serological studies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84873742115&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2012.0370a.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2012.0370a.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 22548725
AN - SCOPUS:84873742115
SN - 1750-2640
VL - 7
SP - 211
EP - 224
JO - Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses
JF - Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses
IS - 2
ER -