Assessment of Influenza Severity in Bhutan by Using WHO Framework Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (PISA): An Implementation Research Study
Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses·
- DOI
- 10.1111/irv.70095
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W4408676127
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The study reports that the resulting thresholds can support public health decision-making and preparedness for seasonal and pandemic influenza in Bhutan. The abstract also emphasizes continued year-round monitoring and adaptation of surveillance systems.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study assessed influenza severity in Bhutan using the WHO Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment framework and sought to establish national baseline and threshold values for influenza activity.
Study design
This was an implementation research study using the WHO Average Curve Method. It combined syndromic and influenza-specific data from 2016-2019 and 2023 to define seasonal and intensity thresholds.
Population and setting
The setting was Bhutan, with analysis conducted at the national level using influenza activity data. The supplied abstract does not describe participant-level enrollment or provide further population characteristics.
Main findings
Influenza activity was reported as nearly continuous, with two annual peaks. Thresholds for epidemic, moderate, high, and extraordinary transmissibility and morbidity were established; the 2019 season had the highest reported transmissibility and morbidity, with variation between seasons.
Public-health relevance
The study reports that the resulting thresholds can support public health decision-making and preparedness for seasonal and pandemic influenza in Bhutan. The abstract also emphasizes continued year-round monitoring and adaptation of surveillance systems.
Important limitations
The analysis was based on historical data from 2016-2019 and 2023, as described in the abstract, so the supplied evidence does not establish how the thresholds perform in other periods or settings. This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata; the original paper is required for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
The article is discoverable in the supplied metadata under influenza, Bhutan, and surveillance, and provides context on a national influenza-severity assessment framework. It does not, on the supplied evidence, confirm or characterize a live surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.