Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan
Abstract Background The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden is significant, especially in infants and children with an underlying disease. Prophylaxis with palivizumab is recommended for these high-risk groups. Early recognition of a RSV epidemic is important for timely administration o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13899-y |
| _version_ | 1828437996895993856 |
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| author | Kazuhiro Uda Hideharu Hagiya Takashi Yorifuji Toshihiro Koyama Mitsuru Tsuge Masato Yashiro Hirokazu Tsukahara |
| author_facet | Kazuhiro Uda Hideharu Hagiya Takashi Yorifuji Toshihiro Koyama Mitsuru Tsuge Masato Yashiro Hirokazu Tsukahara |
| author_sort | Kazuhiro Uda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden is significant, especially in infants and children with an underlying disease. Prophylaxis with palivizumab is recommended for these high-risk groups. Early recognition of a RSV epidemic is important for timely administration of palivizumab. We herein aimed to assess the correlation between national surveillance and Google Trends data pertaining to RSV infections in Japan. Methods The present, retrospective survey was performed between January 1, 2018 and November 14, 2021 and evaluated the correlation between national surveillance data and Google Trends data. Joinpoint regression was used to identify the points at which changes in trends occurred. Results A strong correlation was observed every study year (2018 [r = 0.87, p < 0.01], 2019 [r = 0.83, p < 0.01], 2020 [r = 0.83, p < 0.01], and 2021 [r = 0.96, p < 0.01]). The change-points in the Google Trends data indicating the start of the RSV epidemic were observed earlier than by sentinel surveillance in 2018 and 2021 and simultaneously with sentinel surveillance in 2019. No epidemic surge was observed in either the Google Trends or the surveillance data from 2020. Conclusions Our data suggested that Google Trends has the potential to enable the early identification of RSV epidemics. In countries without a national surveillance system, Google Trends may serve as an alternative early warning system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:56:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff5a86a2881745d4b2984dc690de11be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:56:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff5a86a2881745d4b2984dc690de11be2022-12-22T01:35:39ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-08-012211610.1186/s12889-022-13899-yCorrelation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in JapanKazuhiro Uda0Hideharu Hagiya1Takashi Yorifuji2Toshihiro Koyama3Mitsuru Tsuge4Masato Yashiro5Hirokazu Tsukahara6Department of Pediatrics, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical ScienceDepartment of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityDepartment of Health Data Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics Acute Diseases, Okayama University Academic Field of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical ScienceDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesAbstract Background The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden is significant, especially in infants and children with an underlying disease. Prophylaxis with palivizumab is recommended for these high-risk groups. Early recognition of a RSV epidemic is important for timely administration of palivizumab. We herein aimed to assess the correlation between national surveillance and Google Trends data pertaining to RSV infections in Japan. Methods The present, retrospective survey was performed between January 1, 2018 and November 14, 2021 and evaluated the correlation between national surveillance data and Google Trends data. Joinpoint regression was used to identify the points at which changes in trends occurred. Results A strong correlation was observed every study year (2018 [r = 0.87, p < 0.01], 2019 [r = 0.83, p < 0.01], 2020 [r = 0.83, p < 0.01], and 2021 [r = 0.96, p < 0.01]). The change-points in the Google Trends data indicating the start of the RSV epidemic were observed earlier than by sentinel surveillance in 2018 and 2021 and simultaneously with sentinel surveillance in 2019. No epidemic surge was observed in either the Google Trends or the surveillance data from 2020. Conclusions Our data suggested that Google Trends has the potential to enable the early identification of RSV epidemics. In countries without a national surveillance system, Google Trends may serve as an alternative early warning system.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13899-yRSVSurveillanceGoogle TrendsEpidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Kazuhiro Uda Hideharu Hagiya Takashi Yorifuji Toshihiro Koyama Mitsuru Tsuge Masato Yashiro Hirokazu Tsukahara Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan BMC Public Health RSV Surveillance Google Trends Epidemiology |
| title | Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan |
| title_full | Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan |
| title_fullStr | Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan |
| title_short | Correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in Japan |
| title_sort | correlation between national surveillance and search engine query data on respiratory syncytial virus infections in japan |
| topic | RSV Surveillance Google Trends Epidemiology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13899-y |
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