FluSTAR.com®
Each year, the influenza virus attacks over 100 million people
around the world. In the United States alone, an estimated 65
million people annually fall victim to the flu and complications
such as pneumonia.
The impact of influenza in the United States is considerable;
over 300,000 people hospitalized, and from 20,000 to 40,000
people killed each year. Certain groups of people are particularly
at risk: the elderly, people with diabetes and weakened immune
systems, and people with chronic heart, lung and kidney
disease.
The impact of this disease makes it critical that current and
accurate information is collected and disseminated.
As the leader in near real-time disease surveillance in America,
SDI developed and manages FluSTAR, a comprehensive
influenza surveillance network sponsored by Roche Laboratories,
Inc.
FluSTAR was developed to provide health care professionals
and consumers with the most up to date information on the
spread and severity of influenza during the season, and this
information is updated twice weekly through the www.flustar.com website.
FluSTAR data is gathered from four different surveillance
methods, including rapid assay data, laboratory confirmation
and clinical diagnosis data. Based on all of these surveillance
methods, a regional as well as a national picture of influenza
activity is generated, providing the most current and
comprehensive picture of influenza in America.
For more information, please contact us.
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