Seasonal Influenza and Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Surveillance among Inpatients and Outpatients, East Jakarta, Indonesia, 2011–2014

Abstract

During October 2011–September 2014, we screened respiratory specimens for seasonal and avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infections among outpatients with influenza-like illness and inpatients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in East Jakarta, an Indonesia district with high incidence of H5N1 virus infection among poultry. In total, 31% (1,875/6,008) of influenza-like illness case-patients and 15% (571/3,811) of SARI case-patients tested positive for influenza virus. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), and influenza B virus infections were detected in all 3 years, and the epidemic season extended from November through May. Although 28% (2,810/10,135) of case-patients reported exposure to poultry, only 1 SARI case-patient with an H5N1 virus infection was detected. Therefore, targeted screening among case-patients with high-risk poultry exposures (e.g., a recent visit to a live bird market or close proximity to sick or dead poultry) may be a more efficient routine surveillance strategy for H5N1 virus in these types of settings.

Keywords

• influenza
• human
• influenza in birds
• seasonal influenza
• public health surveillance
• viruses