Key elements of infectious disease syndromic surveillance systems: A scoping review

Syndromic surveillance is an alternative type of public health surveillance which utilizes pre-diagnostic data sources to detect outbreaks earlier than conventional (laboratory) surveillance and monitor the progression of illnesses in populations. These systems are often noted for their ability to detect a wider range of cases in under- reported illnesses, utilize existing data sources, and alert public health authorities of emerging crises. In addition, they are highly versatile and can be applied to a wide range of illnesses (communicable and non-communicable) and environmental conditions. As a result, their implementation in public health practice is expanding rapidly. This scoping review aimed to identify all existing literature detailing the necessary components in the defining, creating, implementing, and evaluating stages of human infectious disease syndromic surveillance systems.