Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges

Shobha Broor; Harry Campbell; Siddhivinayak Hirve; Siri Hague; Sandra Jackson; Ann Moen; Harish Nair; Rakhee Palekar; Soatiana Rajatonirina; Peter G. Smith; Marietjie Venter; Niteen Wairagkar; Maria Zambon; Thedi Ziegler; Wenqing Zhang

doi:10.1111/irv.12672

Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges

Shobha Broor, Harry Campbell, Siddhivinayak Hirve, Siri Hague, Sandra Jackson, Ann Moen, Harish Nair, Rakhee Palekar, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Peter G. Smith, Marietjie Venter, Niteen Wairagkar, Maria Zambon, Thedi Ziegler, Wenqing Zhang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

NIS: Divisional Office

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated acute lower respiratory infection is a common cause for hospitalization and hospital deaths in young children globally. There is urgent need to generate evidence to inform immunization policies when RSV vaccines become available. The WHO piloted a RSV surveillance strategy that leverages the existing capacities of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) to better understand RSV seasonality, high-risk groups, validate case definitions, and develop laboratory and surveillance standards for RSV. Methods: The RSV sentinel surveillance strategy was piloted in 14 countries. Patients across all age groups presenting to sentinel hospitals and clinics were screened all year-round using extended severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) case definitions for hospital and primary care settings, respectively. Respiratory specimens were tested for RSV at the National Influenza Centre (NIC) using standardized molecular diagnostics that had been validated by an External Quality Assurance program. The WHO FluMart data platform was adapted to receive case-based RSV data and visualize interactive visualization outputs. Results: Laboratory standards for detecting RSV by RT-PCR were developed. A review assessed the feasibility and the low incremental costs for RSV surveillance. Several challenges were addressed related to case definitions, sampling strategies, the need to focus surveillance on young children, and the data required for burden estimation. Conclusions: There was no evidence of any significant adverse impact on the functioning of GISRS which is primarily intended for virologic and epidemiological surveillance of influenza.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	622-629
Number of pages	8
Journal	Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses
Volume	14
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.12672
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The WHO global RSV surveillance pilot project was supported by an award made to the World Health Organization by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (grant no. OPP1127419). The authors would like to thank all the national and international experts who participated in the informal consultations in March 2015, February 2016, and June 2016 that led to the development of the WHO RSV surveillance strategy. We are grateful to the National Influenza Centres and the Ministries of Health of the participating countries, for piloting the RSV surveillance strategy. We thank the Respiratory Viruses Branch, Division of Viral Diseases, CDC, Atlanta; the Public Health England at Colindale; and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases at Johannesburg for providing support as RSV reference laboratories for this project. We thank colleagues in the Global Influenza Program, Influenza Preparedness and Response, and Dept. of Infectious Hazards Management of the WHO Health Emergencies for supporting this work.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The World Health Organization. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

respiratory syncytial virus
strategy
surveillance

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1111/irv.12672

Cite this

Broor, S., Campbell, H., Hirve, S., Hague, S., Jackson, S., Moen, A., Nair, H., Palekar, R., Rajatonirina, S., Smith, P. G., Venter, M., Wairagkar, N., Zambon, M., Ziegler, T., & Zhang, W. (2020). Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges. Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses, 14(6), 622-629. https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.12672

Broor, Shobha ; Campbell, Harry ; Hirve, Siddhivinayak ; Hague, Siri ; Jackson, Sandra ; Moen, Ann ; Nair, Harish ; Palekar, Rakhee ; Rajatonirina, Soatiana ; Smith, Peter G. ; Venter, Marietjie ; Wairagkar, Niteen ; Zambon, Maria ; Ziegler, Thedi ; Zhang, Wenqing. / Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges. In: Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses. 2020 ; Vol. 14, No. 6. pp. 622-629.

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title = "Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges",

abstract = "Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated acute lower respiratory infection is a common cause for hospitalization and hospital deaths in young children globally. There is urgent need to generate evidence to inform immunization policies when RSV vaccines become available. The WHO piloted a RSV surveillance strategy that leverages the existing capacities of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) to better understand RSV seasonality, high-risk groups, validate case definitions, and develop laboratory and surveillance standards for RSV. Methods: The RSV sentinel surveillance strategy was piloted in 14 countries. Patients across all age groups presenting to sentinel hospitals and clinics were screened all year-round using extended severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) case definitions for hospital and primary care settings, respectively. Respiratory specimens were tested for RSV at the National Influenza Centre (NIC) using standardized molecular diagnostics that had been validated by an External Quality Assurance program. The WHO FluMart data platform was adapted to receive case-based RSV data and visualize interactive visualization outputs. Results: Laboratory standards for detecting RSV by RT-PCR were developed. A review assessed the feasibility and the low incremental costs for RSV surveillance. Several challenges were addressed related to case definitions, sampling strategies, the need to focus surveillance on young children, and the data required for burden estimation. Conclusions: There was no evidence of any significant adverse impact on the functioning of GISRS which is primarily intended for virologic and epidemiological surveillance of influenza.",

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author = "Shobha Broor and Harry Campbell and Siddhivinayak Hirve and Siri Hague and Sandra Jackson and Ann Moen and Harish Nair and Rakhee Palekar and Soatiana Rajatonirina and Smith, {Peter G.} and Marietjie Venter and Niteen Wairagkar and Maria Zambon and Thedi Ziegler and Wenqing Zhang",

note = "Funding Information: The WHO global RSV surveillance pilot project was supported by an award made to the World Health Organization by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (grant no. OPP1127419). The authors would like to thank all the national and international experts who participated in the informal consultations in March 2015, February 2016, and June 2016 that led to the development of the WHO RSV surveillance strategy. We are grateful to the National Influenza Centres and the Ministries of Health of the participating countries, for piloting the RSV surveillance strategy. We thank the Respiratory Viruses Branch, Division of Viral Diseases, CDC, Atlanta; the Public Health England at Colindale; and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases at Johannesburg for providing support as RSV reference laboratories for this project. We thank colleagues in the Global Influenza Program, Influenza Preparedness and Response, and Dept. of Infectious Hazards Management of the WHO Health Emergencies for supporting this work. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The World Health Organization. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

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doi = "10.1111/irv.12672",

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Broor, S, Campbell, H, Hirve, S, Hague, S, Jackson, S, Moen, A, Nair, H, Palekar, R, Rajatonirina, S, Smith, PG, Venter, M, Wairagkar, N, Zambon, M, Ziegler, T & Zhang, W 2020, 'Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges', Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 622-629. https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.12672

Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges. / Broor, Shobha; Campbell, Harry; Hirve, Siddhivinayak; Hague, Siri; Jackson, Sandra; Moen, Ann; Nair, Harish; Palekar, Rakhee; Rajatonirina, Soatiana; Smith, Peter G.; Venter, Marietjie; Wairagkar, Niteen; Zambon, Maria; Ziegler, Thedi; Zhang, Wenqing.

In: Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses, Vol. 14, No. 6, 01.11.2020, p. 622-629.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges

AU - Broor, Shobha

AU - Campbell, Harry

AU - Hirve, Siddhivinayak

AU - Hague, Siri

AU - Jackson, Sandra

AU - Moen, Ann

AU - Nair, Harish

AU - Palekar, Rakhee

AU - Rajatonirina, Soatiana

AU - Smith, Peter G.

AU - Venter, Marietjie

AU - Wairagkar, Niteen

AU - Zambon, Maria

AU - Ziegler, Thedi

AU - Zhang, Wenqing

N1 - Funding Information: The WHO global RSV surveillance pilot project was supported by an award made to the World Health Organization by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (grant no. OPP1127419). The authors would like to thank all the national and international experts who participated in the informal consultations in March 2015, February 2016, and June 2016 that led to the development of the WHO RSV surveillance strategy. We are grateful to the National Influenza Centres and the Ministries of Health of the participating countries, for piloting the RSV surveillance strategy. We thank the Respiratory Viruses Branch, Division of Viral Diseases, CDC, Atlanta; the Public Health England at Colindale; and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases at Johannesburg for providing support as RSV reference laboratories for this project. We thank colleagues in the Global Influenza Program, Influenza Preparedness and Response, and Dept. of Infectious Hazards Management of the WHO Health Emergencies for supporting this work. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 The World Health Organization. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2020/11/1

Y1 - 2020/11/1

N2 - Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated acute lower respiratory infection is a common cause for hospitalization and hospital deaths in young children globally. There is urgent need to generate evidence to inform immunization policies when RSV vaccines become available. The WHO piloted a RSV surveillance strategy that leverages the existing capacities of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) to better understand RSV seasonality, high-risk groups, validate case definitions, and develop laboratory and surveillance standards for RSV. Methods: The RSV sentinel surveillance strategy was piloted in 14 countries. Patients across all age groups presenting to sentinel hospitals and clinics were screened all year-round using extended severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) case definitions for hospital and primary care settings, respectively. Respiratory specimens were tested for RSV at the National Influenza Centre (NIC) using standardized molecular diagnostics that had been validated by an External Quality Assurance program. The WHO FluMart data platform was adapted to receive case-based RSV data and visualize interactive visualization outputs. Results: Laboratory standards for detecting RSV by RT-PCR were developed. A review assessed the feasibility and the low incremental costs for RSV surveillance. Several challenges were addressed related to case definitions, sampling strategies, the need to focus surveillance on young children, and the data required for burden estimation. Conclusions: There was no evidence of any significant adverse impact on the functioning of GISRS which is primarily intended for virologic and epidemiological surveillance of influenza.

AB - Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated acute lower respiratory infection is a common cause for hospitalization and hospital deaths in young children globally. There is urgent need to generate evidence to inform immunization policies when RSV vaccines become available. The WHO piloted a RSV surveillance strategy that leverages the existing capacities of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) to better understand RSV seasonality, high-risk groups, validate case definitions, and develop laboratory and surveillance standards for RSV. Methods: The RSV sentinel surveillance strategy was piloted in 14 countries. Patients across all age groups presenting to sentinel hospitals and clinics were screened all year-round using extended severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) case definitions for hospital and primary care settings, respectively. Respiratory specimens were tested for RSV at the National Influenza Centre (NIC) using standardized molecular diagnostics that had been validated by an External Quality Assurance program. The WHO FluMart data platform was adapted to receive case-based RSV data and visualize interactive visualization outputs. Results: Laboratory standards for detecting RSV by RT-PCR were developed. A review assessed the feasibility and the low incremental costs for RSV surveillance. Several challenges were addressed related to case definitions, sampling strategies, the need to focus surveillance on young children, and the data required for burden estimation. Conclusions: There was no evidence of any significant adverse impact on the functioning of GISRS which is primarily intended for virologic and epidemiological surveillance of influenza.

KW - respiratory syncytial virus

KW - strategy

KW - surveillance

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U2 - 10.1111/irv.12672

DO - 10.1111/irv.12672

M3 - Article

C2 - 31444997

AN - SCOPUS:85071041324

VL - 14

SP - 622

EP - 629

JO - Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses

JF - Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses

SN - 1750-2640

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ER -

Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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