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. 2014 Aug 20;11(8):8529-41.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph110808529.

An early warning system based on syndromic surveillance to detect potential health emergencies among migrants: results of a two-year experience in Italy

Christian Napoli  1 , Flavia Riccardo  2 , Silvia Declich  3 , Maria Grazia Dente  4 , Maria Grazia Pompa  5 , Caterina Rizzo  6 , Maria Cristina Rota  7 , Antonino Bella  8 ; National Working Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

An early warning system based on syndromic surveillance to detect potential health emergencies among migrants: results of a two-year experience in Italy

Christian Napoli et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Profound geopolitical changes have impacted the southern and eastern Mediterranean since 2010 and defined a context of instability that is still affecting several countries today. Insecurity combined with the reduction of border controls has led to major population movements in the region and to migration surges from affected countries to southern Europe, especially to Italy. To respond to the humanitarian emergency triggered by this migration surge, Italy implemented a syndromic surveillance system in order to rapidly detect potential public health emergencies in immigrant reception centres. This system was discontinued after two years. This paper presents the results of this experience detailing its strengths and weaknesses in order to document the applicability and usefulness of syndromic surveillance in this specific context.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Statistical model for alerts and alarms identification.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Alerts and alarms triggered by “Respiratory Tract Disease” (a), “Watery Diarrhoea” (b) and “Parasite Skin Infection” (c), 1 May 2011–30 June 2013.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Timeliness of the syndromic surveillance system expressed as the mean delay per month in days and confidence interval (95% CI), 1 May 2011–30 June 2013.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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