Kirk M D, Dalton C B, Beers M, Cameron A S, Murray C
Environmental Health Unit, Department of Human Services, Victoria.
Aust N Z J Public Health. 1999 Apr;23(2):198-200. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1999.tb01235.x.
To evaluate the timeliness of Salmonella serotype and phage type notifications in South Australia.
We surveyed all notifications of Salmonella to the South Australian Department of Human Services between July 1995 and June 1996. We entered data onto an Epi Info 6.02 database and calculated the time interval between various stages of typing notification.
The median time taken between collection of a faecal specimen and receipt of serotype notification was 10 days (range, 5-38), while phage type notification took a further seven days (range 0-40). The time interval between collection of a specimen and notification of a Salmonella final identity was 14 days (range 6-49). The internal mail system of the Department of Human Services delayed notification a median of two days. Environmental Health Officers supplied reports for 224 (58%) of 384 cases, 71% of which occurred before the final Salmonella isolate was known.
We found that the internal departmental mail system delayed the notification of Salmonella. In South Australia, investigations should focus on clusters of cases of known Salmonella identity, rather than all notified cases.
To improve communicable disease investigations, health agencies should evaluate the timeliness of surveillance systems and examine the feasibility of transferring laboratory data electronically.
评估南澳大利亚沙门氏菌血清型和噬菌体分型通报的及时性。
我们调查了1995年7月至1996年6月间向南澳大利亚公共服务部通报的所有沙门氏菌病例。我们将数据录入Epi Info 6.02数据库，并计算了分型通报各阶段之间的时间间隔。
从采集粪便标本到收到血清型通报的中位时间为10天（范围5 - 38天），而噬菌体分型通报还需7天（范围0 - 40天）。从采集标本到通报沙门氏菌最终鉴定结果的时间间隔为14天（范围6 - 49天）。公共服务部的内部邮件系统使通报延迟的中位时间为2天。环境卫生官员为384例病例中的224例（58%）提供了报告，其中71%的病例在沙门氏菌最终分离株确定之前就已发生。
我们发现部门内部邮件系统延迟了沙门氏菌的通报。在南澳大利亚，调查应集中于已知沙门氏菌鉴定结果的病例群，而非所有通报病例。
为改善传染病调查，卫生机构应评估监测系统的及时性，并研究电子传输实验室数据的可行性。
