FluCAN (Influenza surveillance)

Learn more about FluCAN below.

FluCAN (The Influenza Complications Alert Network)

In 2009, A Rapid Alert System for Severe Respiratory Illness: The FluCAN Surveillance system was created with the involvement and support of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and funding from the NHMRC.  The aim of FluCAN was to establish and maintain a real-time sentinel hospital surveillance system for acute respiratory disease requiring hospitalisation, which could provide a reliable and timely source of information that could be used to inform public health policy. In 2010 the Seasonal Influenza Surveillance Strategy Working Group (SISSWG) approved enhancing FluCAN sentinel hospitalisation data, and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging extended funding support.

FluCAN reporting hospitals

• The Alfred Hospital (VIC)

• Royal Melbourne Hospital (VIC)

• Canberra Hospital (ACT)

• Calvary Hospital (ACT)

• Monash Medical Centre (VIC)

• Geelong Hospital (VIC)

• Royal Perth Hospital (WA)

• Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA)

• Royal Hobart Hospital (TAS)

• Mater Hospital (QLD)

• Princess Alexandra Hospital (QLD)

• Cairns Base Hospital (QLD)

• Alice Springs Hospital (NT)

• Westmead Hospital (NSW)

• John Hunter Hospital (NSW)

Aims
1. Collect detailed clinical and laboratory information from all patients hospitalised within the network with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of influenza during the current season to determine the non-pneumonia burden of disease requiring hospitalisation associated with influenza.

2. To estimate the effectiveness of influenza vaccine against hospitalisation against influenza

Study Coordinator: A/Prof. Allen Cheng
Publications
Influenza vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation with confirmed influenza in the 2010-11 seasons: a test-negative observational study.
Cheng AC,  Holmes M,  Irving LB, Brown SG, Waterer GW, Korman TM, Friedman ND, Senanayake S, Dwyer DE,  Brady S, Simpson G, Wood-Baker R, Upham J, Paterson D, Jenkins C, Wark P, Kelly PM. Kotsimbos T.
PLOS One 2013 Jul 16;8(7):e68760. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068760. Print 2013.
PMID: 23874754 [PubMed – in process]

Hospital-acquired influenza in an Australian sentinel surveillance system.
Macesic N, Kotsimbos TC, Kelly P, Cheng AC.FluCAN Investigators,
Med J Aust. 2013 Apr 15;198(7):370-2.
PMID:23581956 [PubMed – in process]

Hospitalisation with confirmed influenza in a sentinel surveillance system in 2010 and 2011.
Cheng AC, FluCAN Investigators,
Med J Aust. 2012 Aug 2s0;197(4):217.
PMID: 22900868 [PubMed – in process]

Effectiveness of H1N1/09 monovalent and trivalent influenza vaccines against hospitalization with laboratory-confirmed H1N1/09 influenza in Australia: A test-negative case control study.
Cheng AC, Kotsimbos T, Kelly HA, Irving LB, Bowler SD, Brown SG, Holmes M, Jenkins CR, Thompson P, Simpson G, Wood-Baker R, Senanayake SN, Brady SJ, Paterson DL, Wark PA, Upham JW, Korman TM, Dwyer DE, Waterer GW, Kelly PM.
Vaccine. 2011 Oct 6;29(43):7320-5. Epub 2011 Jul 31.
PMID: 21810450 [PubMed – in process]

FluCAN 2009: initial results from sentinel surveillance for adult influenza and pneumonia in eight Australian hospitals.
Kelly PM, Kotsimbos T, Reynolds A, Wood-Baker R, Hancox B, Brown SG, Holmes M, Simpson G, Bowler S, Waterer G, Irving LB, Jenkins C, Thompson PJ, Cheng AC.
Med J Aust. 2011 Feb 21;194(4):169-74.
PMID: 21401456 [PubMed – in process]