This report summarizes a series of seven meetings of the Syndrome Definition Workgroup held in 2014 and 2015.
Objective
To review, validate, and modify syndromes and provide community input on a process to update or develop syndromes.
Summary of activities: The syndrome definitions workgroup was initially tasked to review, validate, and modify syndromes as well as create a process to update or develop syndromes. The group began this task with the review of the influenza-like illness (ILI) definition, the gold standard use case for syndromic surveillance. The workgroup evaluated the BioSense 2.0 ILI definition and those used in other platforms and provided resulting data trends and comments. A final definition was not established due to a need for future consideration of ICD9 and ICD10 diagnosis criteria. Starting 2015, the workgroup discussion centered around governance group requests for guidance on community desired syndrome operationalization, sensitivity and specificity, priority, and criteria for syndrome inclusion in a surveillance platform.