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. 2014 Jul;142(7):1355-61.
doi: 10.1017/S0950268813002471. Epub 2013 Oct 8.

Incidence of acute respiratory infections in Australia

Y Chen  1 , M D Kirk  2
Affiliations

Incidence of acute respiratory infections in Australia

Y Chen et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2014 Jul.

Abstract

We used a national survey of 7578 randomly selected respondents in 2008-2009 to identify the period prevalence of acute respiratory infection (ARI) by season and state, and to estimate the incidence of ARI in the Australian community. A case was defined as any episode of cold or flu with at least one of the following symptoms: fever, chills, sore throat, running nose, or cough in the past 4 weeks. Frequency data were weighted to the Australian population. The response rate to the survey was 49%, and 19·9% (1505/7578) of respondents reported an ARI in the previous 4 weeks, which extrapolated to 68·9 million cases [95% confidence interval (CI) 65·1-72·7] of ARI in Australia annually. The incidence was 3·2 (95% CI 3·0-3·4) cases of ARI/person per year, and was highest in young children and lowest in older people. ARI imposes a significant burden on Australian society.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Summary of respondents interviewed and weighted proportion of survey respondents experiencing acute respiratory infection (ARI) in the previous 4 weeks by month of interview, 2008–2009, Australia.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
The weighted 4-week period prevalence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) by state or territory and season, 2008–2009, Australia. NSW/ACT, New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory; NT, Northern Territory; QLD, Queensland; SA, South Australia; TAS, Tasmania; VIC, Victoria; WA, Western Australia.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Incidence of acute respiratory infection/person per year, by age and sex (weighted to the Australian population), 2008–2009. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals (CIs) around point estimates. –■–, Males; –▲–, females.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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