Evaluation of Electronic Ambulatory Care Data for Use in the Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet)

Washington State Department of Health and Public Health Seattle King County sought to evaluate the utility of electronic ambulatory data for monitoring influenza-like illness (ILI). A definition of ILI that was previously validated using emergency department data was applied to ambulatory care records. During August 2007 through August 2012, the proportion of ILI visits strongly correlated with the number and percentage of positive influenza tests reported by the network laboratory. The results will aid in formulating guidance for ambulatory care providers who wish to utilize electronic medical record systems for weekly ILINet reporting

Laboratory Practices and Incidence of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Infections

We surveyed laboratories in Washington State, USA, and found that increased use of Shiga toxin assays correlated with increased reported incidence of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections during 2005–2010. Despite increased assay use, only half of processed stool specimens underwent Shiga toxin testing during 2010, suggesting substantial underdetection of non-O157 STEC infections