BC's Influenza Sentinel Network
is a member of the Canadian Influenza Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network (SPSN).
What does the BC SPSN do?
Family physicians, nurses, and support staff at Sentinel sites obtain specimens and data every year to enable the epidemiologists and virologists on the Influenza and Respiratory Pathogens team at BCCDC to assess how well the influenza vaccine works every season.
We are also the headquarters of the national SPSN. This pioneering team first developed the test-negative design for monitoring influenza vaccine effectiveness in 2004 and this method is now used by multiple countries globally to monitor annual influenza vaccine protection.
Influenza vaccine effectiveness findings from the Canadian SPSN over the past 18 years
Sentinel sites also report weekly tallies of patients seen with influenza-like illness. This is one of the indicators we monitor for signals of changing levels of flu-like illness in the community. These numbers are reported in our regular
provincial influenza bulletins. Our Sentinels may also choose to contribute to
national reporting.
The Canadian Influenza Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network (SPSN) has produced a number of
scientific publications over the past decade.
Are you a general practitioner, family physician or nurse practitioner treating patients in BC?
The SPSN is seeking participants! To find out more:
In the summer of 2015, the names of the BC and Canadian SPSNs were updated from "Sentinel Physician Surveillance Network" to "Sentinel
Practitioner Surveillance Network", to acknowledge the range of clinical expertise managing our Sentinel sites.
