Previous studies have demonstrated the benefit of laboratory surveillance and its capability to accurately detect influenza outbreaks earlier than syndromic surveillance. Current laboratory surveillance has an approximate 2-week lag due to laboratory test turn–around time and data collection. In order to provide real-time access to aggregated test results, we utilized direct cloud connectivity with a rapid PCR-based influenza test, Xpert Flu, to centrally consolidate test results along with GIS data. On-site, type-specific results were available to physicians and uploaded for public health awareness within 100 minutes of patient nasopharyngeal swab.
Objective
To demonstrate the feasibility and validity of a novel electronic surveillance system utilizing a cloud-based interface that consolidates laboratory test results and geographical information in real-time.