Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 58 (4), 241-243, 2005

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Short Communication

Trial Surveillance of Cases with Acute Respiratory Symptoms at IMCJ Hospital

Akihiko Kawana*, Katsuji Teruya, Toshihiro Hama, Emi Kuroda, Jun-ichiro Sekiguchi, Teruo Kirikae, Goh Naka, Satoshi Kimura, Tadatoshi Kuratsuji, Hiroshi Ohara@and Koichiro Kudo

International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan

(Received February 1, 2005. Accepted May 18, 2005)


*Corresponding author: Mailing address: International Medical Center of Japan, 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan. Tel: +81-3-3202-7181, Fax: +81-3-3207-1038, E-mail: akawana@imcj.hosp.go.jp


SUMAMRY: We have developed a surveillance system that can detect a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in a hospital as quickly as possible using the "SARS alert" strategy proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Our research examined hospital staff and in-patients during the winter of 2003/2004. We defined patients with a fever of over 38C and respiratory symptoms as "cases with acute respiratory symptoms." During the study period, 215 such cases (78% in-patients; 22% hopital staff members) were reported. A rapid diagnostic test for influenza was performed on 131 individuals, with 52 having positive results. There were no cases fulfilling the definition of SARS provided by the WHO in their SARS alert. The present surveillance system will be of use in the early detection of a SARS epidemic in a hospital as well as in early detection of similar illnesses accompanied by acute respiratory symptoms, such as influenza.


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