Assessing 3 Outbreak Detection Algorithms in an Electronic Syndromic Surveillance System in a Resource-Limited Setting

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Sep;26(9):2196-2200. doi: 10.3201/eid2609.191315.

Abstract

We evaluated the performance of X-bar chart, exponentially weighted moving average, and C3 cumulative sums aberration detection algorithms for acute diarrheal disease syndromic surveillance at naval sites in Peru during 2007-2011. The 3 algorithms' detection sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 97%-99%, and positive predictive value was 27%-46%.

Keywords: acute diarrheal disease; enteric infections; outbreak detection algorithms; resource-limited setting; syndromic surveillance.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Electronics
  • Peru / epidemiology
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sentinel Surveillance*