Influenzanet is a system to monitor the activity of influenza-like-illness (ILI) with the aid of volunteers via the internet

http://www.influenzanet.eu/

Epiwork Logo
Developing the framework for an epidemic forecast infrastructure.
http://www.epiwork.eu/

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) bundles all research-related EU initiatives.

7th Framework Logo
Participating countries and volunteers:

The Netherlands 20823
Belgium 7247
Portugal 1980
Italy 4137
Great Britain 5520
Sweden 2654
Germany 82
Austria 10
Switzerland 6
France 4444
InfluenzaNet is a system to monitor the activity of influenza-like-illness (ILI) with the aid of volunteers via the internet. It has been operational in The Netherlands and Belgium (since 2003), Portugal (since 2005) and Italy (since 2008), and the current objective is to implement InfluenzaNet in more European countries.

In contrast with the traditional system of sentinel networks of mainly primary care physicians coordinated by the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS), InfluenzaNet obtains its data directly from the population. This creates a fast and flexible monitoring system whose uniformity allows for direct comparison of ILI rates between countries.

Any resident of a country where InfluenzaNet is implemented can participate by completing an online application form, which contains various medical, geographic and behavioural questions. Participants are reminded weekly to report any symptoms they have experienced since their last visit. The incidence of ILI is determined on the basis of a uniform case definition.

Hide this information

The flusurvey

Why is the flusurvey important?

Rapidly updated information on flu is essential to help monitor epidemic progress and understand the impact of flu.

The quickest way to get this information is directly from the public (rather than waiting for people to see a doctor and for that consultation to be reported). You can help by taking part in the flusurvey.

What do I have to do?

1. Register
2. Activate your account (by following the link in the activation email that we'll send you)
3. Log on and complete the background survey (from early November 2011)
4. Then each week, come back and complete the symptoms survey (from early November 2011)

If you don't have any symptoms then then symptoms survey should just take a few seconds.

If you do have any symptoms, we will ask a few follow-up questions, taking a couple of minutes; you will then be given a quick assessment of whether your symptoms suggest flu or something else.

Ideally we would like you to report your health status every week. We would like to hear from you when you are feeling fine, not just when you think you may have flu.

We will provide you with the most up-to-date information on flu and how to prevent it.

Data security and confidentiality

We take the security of your data very seriously. All information we receive will be analysed anonymously, and only named members of the study team will have access to the data; the database will not be shared with any third parties. We do not ask for your full name or address, and all analyses will be performed on an anonymised dataset in which the e-mail addresses have been removed. The data will be used solely for the purpose of monitoring trends in influenza-like-illness in the UK and research about the spread of the infection. The data are held on a secure password protected database behind the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's firewall. A data monitoring committee has been appointed, consisting of experienced medical researchers who are not directly involved in the survey to give advice about data confidentiality issues.

The study has been approved by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's research ethics committee.