Megge Miller, Paul Roche, Keflemariam Yohannes, Jenean Spencer, Mark Bartlett, Julia Brotherton, Jenny Hutchinson, Martyn Kirk, Ann McDonald, Claire Vadjic

Other communicable disease surveillance

Australian Sentinel Practice Research Network

The Research and Health Promotion Unit of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners operates the Australian Sentinel Practice Research Network (ASPREN). ASPREN is a national network of general practitioners that report each week on a number of conditions selected annually. The data provide an indicator of the burden of disease in the primary care setting and allows trends in consultation rates to be detected.

In 2003, influenza-like illnesses (ILI), gastroenteritis, and varicella infections (chickenpox and shingles) were the communicable diseases reported to ASPREN. Each week an average of 47 general practitioner practices (range 32 to 62 practices) provided information on an average of 4,962 consultations per week.

Influenza-like illness reports showed a typical seasonal pattern with a peak in mid-August at 24 cases per 1,000 consultations. This was a higher peak rate than in 2002 (18 cases per 1,000 consultations) and occurred later in the year. Unlike other years however, reports of ILI continued to be reported at above base-line levels through the remainder of the year (Figure 66).

Figure 66. Consultation rates for influenza-like illness, ASPREN, 2003, by week of report

Consultations for gastroenteritis peaked as in previous years in the summer months (December, Figure 67).

Figure 67. Consultation rates for gastroenteritis, ASPREN, 2003, by week of report

Reports of varicella infections were recorded at a lower rate than in 2002. Rates of chickenpox exceeded those for shingles in most weeks and there was a suggestion of higher rates of chickenpox in spring and early summer (Figure 68).

Figure 68. Consultation rates for varicella infections, ASPREN, 2003, by week of report

 

This article {extract} was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Vol 29 No 1 March 2005 and may be downloaded as a full version PDF from the Table of contents page.