RATIONALE FOR SURVEILLANCE

Acute infections of the lower respiratory tract, of which pneumonia is the most deadly, kill more than 4 million people a year, mainly among children <5 years. Acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) are the leading cause of death in that age group; ARI have a major impact on health services and household income, accounting for up to 50% of visits by children to health facilities. Antibiotics are often inappropriately prescribed and used for these conditions.

WHO strategy is to support heath authorities in reducing morbidity and mortality through integrated case management of children at primary and first referral level, in collaboration with other agencies. Surveillance is necessary to monitor disease trends and control programmes, including the provision and use of essential drugs.

RECOMMENDED CASE DEFINITION

Clinical case definition and classification

PNEUMONIA

 

Symptoms: Cough or difficult breathing and

Signs: breathing >50/minute for infant aged 2 months to < 1 year breathing >40/minute for child aged 1 to 5 years and no chest indrawing, stridor or danger signs.

SEVERE PNEUMONIA

 

Symptoms: cough or difficult breathing + any general danger sign or chest indrawing or stridor in a calm child.

General danger signs:

For children aged 2 months to 5 years.

Unable to drink or breast feed, vomits everything, convulsions, lethargic or unconscious.

RECOMMENDED TYPES OF SURVEILLANCE

Routine monthly aggregated reporting from peripheral to intermediate and central level.

Community surveys/sentinel surveillance to complement routine data and for the evaluation of control programme activities.

Sentinel surveillance reporting monthly to intermediate and central level. Quarterly reporting of community/household surveys from peripheral to central level.

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DATA ELEMENTS

Aggregated data for reporting

Number of cases by age, severity, geographical area, treatment (Y/N), hospitalization (Y/N), outcome.

RECOMMENDED DATA ANALYSES, PRESENTATION, REPORTS

 

• Cases/incidence by month, geographical area, age, sex
• Comparisons with same month, age group and geographical area in previous years
• Information on seasonal and secular trends best presented as line graphs
• Annual surveillance summaries should be produced nationally and regionally and fed back
• Annual overview helpful in trying to identify areas of concern and set priorities

PRINCIPAL USES OF DATA FOR DECISION-MAKING

 

• Monitor trends in disease incidence
• Monitor treatment guidelines
• Support essential drugs supply
• Detect peaks in incidence
• Identify high risk areas for further targeting intervention

SPECIAL ASPECTS

Management of acute lower respiratory tract infections is part of the integrated case management approach to child health. The syndrome-based reporting approach is recommended as the most effective way to report on cases. However, this approach has not been proven from the perspective of surveillance of diseases: since multiple diagnoses are frequently made in children, the integrated case management approach may present difficulties for single disease surveillance.

CONTACT

Regional Offices

See Regional Communicable Disease contacts on section "Communicable disease contacts in Regional Offices".

Headquarters: 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland

Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH)

 

E-mail: robinsond@who.ch / Surveillancekit@who.ch
Tel: (41 22) 791 2969/2629/2111
Fax: (41 22) 791 4853
Website: http://cdrwww.who.ch