Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), 2016

In 2013, Minnesota established surveillance for severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) in hospitalized patients at three metropolitan area hospitals. Residual respiratory specimens from patients are submitted to the PHL for testing for 20 respiratory pathogens (16 viral, 4 bacterial) and medical records are reviewed.

In 2016, 3,500 patient specimens were received. Children <2 years accounted for 51% of submitted specimens (1,789), and 62% of all specimens came from children <18 years old (2,901). Adults aged 18-44, 45-64, and ≥65 years accounted for 9% (310), 15% (513), and 15% (508) of submitted specimens, respectively. Median patient age was 5 years (range 0-103 years). Of tested specimens, 1,863 (53%) were positive for at least one pathogen; 429 (12%) had ≥2 pathogens detected. Rhinovirus/ enterovirus (832, 24%), respiratory syncytial virus (503, 14%), adenovirus (211, 6%), parainfluenzaviruses 1-4 (187, 5%), human metapneumovirus (201, 6%), and influenzas A, B, and C (180, 5%) were the most commonly detected pathogens.

• For up to date information see>> Infectious Respiratory Illness
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2016