COMMUNICABLE DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL MANUAL

Manitoba Communicable Disease Health Public Health

Surveillance Communicable Disease Control Unit

Introduction Types of Surveillance Surveillance may be defined as the routine collection, There are two types of surveillance commonly used: analysis and dissemination of various data that 1. Passive disease surveillance refers to the receipt of describe the occurrence and distribution of disease, reports of infections/disease from physicians, events or conditions. Surveillance is a continuous and laboratories and other health care professionals systematic process consisting of three primary required to submit such reports as defined by activities: public health legislation. 1. Collection of relevant data for a specified 2. Active disease surveillance is also based on public population, time period and/or geographic area; health legislation and refers to daily, weekly or 2. Meaningful analysis of data; monthly contacting of physicians, hospitals, laboratories, schools or others to “actively” search 3. Routine dissemination of data with for cases. This type of surveillance is usually accompanying interpretation. seasonal to coincide with periods of high disease The primary objective of disease surveillance is to frequency and generally yields a much higher determine the extent of infections and the risk of percentage of actual cases as compared to passive disease transmission, so that prevention and control surveillance. Active surveillance is used also during measures can be applied both effectively and outbreaks to identify additional cases. efficiently to minimize the burden of illness. Surveillance data must be timely and complete to Sources of Surveillance Data accurately reflect the occurrence and distribution of In Manitoba, several sources of data are used for disease. surveillance: To achieve this objective, health care professionals • Laboratory reports of infections. working in communicable disease control programs • Morbidity reports from health care professionals must carry out the following activities: describing individual cases (e.g., pertussis). • Identify and describe each individual having an • Morbidity reports from health care professionals infection as quickly as possible after exposure. describing groups of cases (e.g., influenza-like • Determine the source of infection. illness). • Identify exposed individuals to whom the infection • Morbidity reports from Manitoba Health (e.g., may have been transmitted. patients admitted to hospital with a communicable disease). • Specify the frequency of occurrence of infection in population groups at risk by person, place and • Reports of outbreak investigations. time. • Mortality reports from Vital Statistics and/or health • Identify populations that are experiencing, or might care professionals. experience, an increased frequency of infection. • Active surveillance for specific infections/diseases. • Prepare and distribute surveillance reports to health • Special surveys (i.e., hospital admissions, disease care professionals participating in disease prevention registers, serologic surveys). and control activities. • Absenteeism data from school or workplaces for selected diseases (e.g., influenza).

1 COMMUNICABLE DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL MANUAL

Health-care professionals, laboratory personnel, or Public health staff will initiate a disease-specific others (e.g., day-care workers/school teachers) aware of follow-up investigation as indicated for each disease an individual with a reportable communicable disease protocol, and ensure that adequate prevention and should notify the appropriate public health officials. control measures are taken.

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