Public health practitioners endeavor to expand and refine their syndromic and other advanced surveillance systems which are designed to supplement their existing laboratory testing and disease surveillance toolkit. While much of the development and widespread implementation of these systems was previously supported by public health preparedness funding, the reduction of these monies has greatly constrained the ability of public health agencies to staff and maintain these systems. The appearance of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H3N2v, and other novel influenza A viruses required agencies to carefully identify systems which provide the most cost-effective data to support their public health practice. The global emergence of influenza A (H7N9), Ebola virus strains, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and other viruses associated with high mortality, emphasize the importance of maintaining vigilance for the presence of emerging diseases.
Objective
To continue efforts in characterizing the challenges experienced by influenza surveillance coordinators and other practitioners conducting surveillance for the presence of avian influenza, novel respiratory diseases, and other globally emerging viruses in an era of limited resources among public health agencies.