Recent influenza activity in tropical Puerto Rico has become synchronized with mainland US.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:We used data from the Sentinel Enhanced Dengue Surveillance System (SEDSS) to describe influenza trends in southern Puerto Rico during 2012-2018 and compare them to trends in the United States. METHODS:Patients with fever onset ≤ 7 days presenting were enrolled. Nasal/oropharyngeal swabs were tested for influenza A and B viruses by PCR. Virologic data were obtained from the US World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Laboratories System and the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS). We compared influenza A and B infections identified from SEDSS and WHO/NREVSS laboratories reported by US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) region using time series decomposition methods, and analysed coherence of climate and influenza trends by region.

SUBMITTER: Paz-Bailey G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7431640 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature