| 'Population based surveillance of
seasonal Influenza in rural population of Western
India [Pune district]'. Over 500 nasal and oropharyngial
samples of secretions from people suffering from
mild to severe influenza will be collected per year
for three years. Study aims at looking at the incidence,
severity of cases and the strains of virus involved.
To increase the sensitivity of surveillance system
co-operation from private practitioners as well
as pharmacists will be sought. Sponsors: CDC Atlanta.
'Influenza Disease Burden in India (IDBI)' study:
Population based surveillance of severe Influenza
in rural populations of Western India [VRHP, Pune],
North India [Ballabhgarh, AIIMS], Southern India
[CMC Vellore]. Involves a sensitive system to catch
incidence of severe influenza in the study area.
Surveillance at two levels: Hospital based- to catch
severe admitted cases and household survey- to catch
missed hospitalizations and non-medical care seeking
patients. Involves demographic surveillance, risk
factor surveillance and death surveys. Disease burden
estimation will be done for medical burden and direct
and indirect economic costs to the society. Surveillance
of H1N1 influenza and study of evolution of epidemic
in the study area will be included soon. Understanding
of influenza Seasonality in the area will be bolstered
with the help of weather stations set up in the
area by one of our collaborators- Chest Research
Foundation [CRF]. A comprehensive study to asses
burden of disease on rural populations.
For the first time at VRHP data collection will
be done by EDC [electronic data capture] method.
The data entry software, synchronization and database
creation was done indigenously by Mr. Prasad Joshi and
Mr. Neeraj Kashyap- our data management team. It will be
an exemplary activity where field workers [Field
Research Assistants] will collect data using mini
laptops.
With the novel H1N1 epidemic spreading fast from
Pune city [which is the epicentre of 'Swine' outbreak
in India] which is just 30 kms away, they team is
in a unique position to carry out outbreak investigation
and study transmission dynamics of the spread.
Innovation suggested by Vadu team have resulted
in incorporation of data collected through Weather
stations to be considered for better understanding
of seasonality in the area. 30 percent co-infection
rates with Malaria observed in the area is a finding
interesting to many scientists and epidemiologists.
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