Epidemiological surveillance of influenza in family physicians practice.

Purpose: To identify the pros and cons of routine and sentinel influenza epidemiological surveillance. Objectives: 1. To analyze the results of the epidemiological seurveillance of influenza in 2017-2018. 2. To compare the data of routine and sentinel epidemiological surveillance of influenza in 2017-2018. Methods: One-year epidemiological data on influenza were analyzed. The analysis covered the period from 36th week of 2017 until 35th week of 2018. The data were collected using two systems, an optional virological (sentinel) surveillance of influenza and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), and routine influenza and SARI surveillance and received data compared. The study covered influenza and SARI surveillance data in Kaunas city. Data obtained from the National Public Health Center under the Ministry of Health of Kaunas Department. Research results: The study found that both selective virological (sentinel) and routine ifluenza and SARI surveillance systems reflect the same processes but show different process intensities. Both systems of influenza and SARI surveillance work smoothly. A statistically significant difference between the two systems comparison in 10,000 population was found (Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.933). In the case of influenza and SARI cases, the highest incidence was between 1st and 17th weeks. Most patients were registered at 7th week. The highest morbidity was in the 15-64 age group, the lowest in the age group ≥65 years. Conclusions: 1. The analysis of the morbidity of influenza and SARI in different age groups shows differences between them. The highest morbidity was in the 15-64 age group, the lowest in the age group of ≥65 years. 2. A statistically significant difference was found between both influenza and SARI surveillance systems. The average morbidity rate of selective viral (sentinel) influenza and SARI surveillance was 1.25 times higher than the rate of routine influenza and SARI surveillance. We can assume that the selective virological (sentinel) surveillance system of influenza and SARI more effective than routine influenza and SARI surveillance system