TY - JOUR
T1 - Excess Mortality associated with influenza A and B virus in Hong Kong, 1998-2009
AU - Wu, Peng
AU - Goldstein, Edward
AU - Ho, Lai Ming
AU - Yang, Lin
AU - Nishiura, Hiroshi
AU - Wu, Joseph T.
AU - Ip, Dennis K M
AU - Chuang, Shuk Kwan
AU - Tsang, Thomas
AU - Cowling, Benjamin J.
PY - 2012/12/15
Y1 - 2012/12/15
N2 - Background Although deaths associated with laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infections are rare, the excess mortality burden of influenza estimated from statistical models may more reliably quantify the impact of influenza in a population.Methods We applied age-specific multiple linear regression models to all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates in Hong Kong from 1998 through 2009. The differences between estimated mortality rates in the presence or absence of recorded influenza activity were used to estimate influenza-associated excess mortality.Results The annual influenza-associated all-cause excess mortality rate was 11.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.2-14.6) per 100 000 person-years. We estimated an average of 751 (95% CI, 488-990) excess deaths associated with influenza annually from 1998 through 2009, with 95% of the excess deaths occurring in persons aged ≥65 years. Most of the influenza-associated excess deaths were from respiratory (53%) and cardiovascular (18%) causes. Influenza A(H3N2) epidemics were associated with more excess deaths than influenza A(H1N1) or B during the study period.Conclusions Influenza was associated with a substantial number of excess deaths each year, mainly among the elderly, in Hong Kong in the past decade. The influenza-associated excess mortality rates were generally similar in Hong Kong and the United States.
AB - Background Although deaths associated with laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infections are rare, the excess mortality burden of influenza estimated from statistical models may more reliably quantify the impact of influenza in a population.Methods We applied age-specific multiple linear regression models to all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates in Hong Kong from 1998 through 2009. The differences between estimated mortality rates in the presence or absence of recorded influenza activity were used to estimate influenza-associated excess mortality.Results The annual influenza-associated all-cause excess mortality rate was 11.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.2-14.6) per 100 000 person-years. We estimated an average of 751 (95% CI, 488-990) excess deaths associated with influenza annually from 1998 through 2009, with 95% of the excess deaths occurring in persons aged ≥65 years. Most of the influenza-associated excess deaths were from respiratory (53%) and cardiovascular (18%) causes. Influenza A(H3N2) epidemics were associated with more excess deaths than influenza A(H1N1) or B during the study period.Conclusions Influenza was associated with a substantial number of excess deaths each year, mainly among the elderly, in Hong Kong in the past decade. The influenza-associated excess mortality rates were generally similar in Hong Kong and the United States.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84870190643&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/infdis/jis628
DO - 10.1093/infdis/jis628
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23045622
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 206
SP - 1862
EP - 1871
JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - 12
ER -