It is necessary to assess surveillance systems for infectious animal diseases to ensure they meet their objectives and provide high-quality health information. Each system is generally dedicated to one disease and often comprises various components. In many animal industries, several surveillance systems are implemented separately even if they are based on similar components. This lack of syner...

BACKGROUND Despite the growing popularity of syndromic surveillance, little is known about if or how these systems are accepted, utilized and valued by end users. This study seeks to describe the use of syndromic surveillance systems in Ontario and users' perceptions of the value of these systems within the context of other surveillance systems. METHODS Ontario's 36 public health units, the p...

With growing concerns about international spread of disease and expanding use of early disease detection surveillance methods, the field of syndromic surveillance has received increased attention over the last decade. The purpose of this article is to clarify the various meanings that have been assigned to the term syndromic surveillance and to propose a refined categorization of the characteri...

Development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens our ability to treat common and life threatening infections. Identifying the emergence of AMR requires strengthening of surveillance for AMR, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the burden of infection is highest and health systems are least able to respond. This work aimed, through a combination of desk-based inv...

This paper analyzes practices of counter-surveillance*/particularly against closed-circuit television systems in urban areas*/and theorizes their political implications. Counter-surveillance is defined as intentional, tactical uses, or disruptions of surveillance technologies to challenge institutional power asymmetries. Such activities can include disabling or destroying surveillance cameras, ...

Objective Few countries have tested the sensitivity of their polio surveillance systems, undertaken a comprehensive risk assessment or questioned whether existing polio surveillance strategies are the optimal surveillance at this stage of the global eradication initiative. To address this issue, a risk assessment and review of Australia’s polio surveillance systems were undertaken to assess the...

More than ever before, it is important to maintain the safety and security of citizens, public infrastructure, buildings. This paper is concerned with video surveillance systems. With the growing quantity of security video, it becomes vital that video surveillance system be able to support security personnel in monitoring and tracking activities. In this paper is described new video surveillanc...

--Critical infrastructures are attractive targets for attacks by intruders with different hostile aims. Modern information and sensor technology provides abilities to detect such attacks. The objective of this work is to outline a system design for surveillance systems aimed at protection of critical infrastructures, with the focus on early threat detection at the perimeters of critical facilit...

BACKGROUND Access to good quality information from injury surveillance is essential to develop and monitor injury prevention activities. To determine if information obtained from surveillance is of high quality, the limitations and strengths of a surveillance system are often examined. Guidelines have been developed to assist in evaluating certain types of surveillance systems. However, to date...

Influenza within hospitals is receiving increasing attention as a result of planning for an influenza pandemic and the magnitude and severity of the 2007 influenza season in Australia. This article reviews current approaches to influenza surveillance of admitted patients, as opposed to surveillance of emergency departments, in hospitals internationally. Most examples came from the United States...