Fever Screening for Influenza at Narita Airport
Author Information
Author(s): Nishiura Hiroshi, Kamiya Kazuko
Primary Institution: Narita Airport Quarantine Station
Hypothesis
Can fever screening effectively detect influenza cases during the H1N1-2009 pandemic at Narita International Airport?
Conclusion
Fever screening alone is unlikely to be a feasible measure for detecting influenza cases at entry points.
Supporting Evidence
- The sensitivity of fever for detecting H1N1-2009 was estimated to be as low as 22.2%.
- 55.6% of confirmed H1N1-2009 cases were under antipyretic medications upon arrival.
- The positive predictive value of infrared thermoscanners was as low as 37.3-68.0%.
- The study included 1,049 passengers screened from September 2009 to January 2010.
- Age and gender were not significantly associated with hyperthermia among confirmed cases.
- Infrared thermoscanners showed sensitivities ranging from 50.8% to 70.4% for detecting hyperthermia.
- The study emphasizes that reliance on fever screening alone is insufficient for effective entry screening.
- Confounding factors such as age and outdoor temperature influenced the readings of infrared thermoscanners.
Takeaway
The study looked at how well checking for fever could find people with the flu at the airport, and it found that it doesn't work very well.
Methodology
The study analyzed two datasets: confirmed influenza cases and a selected group of passengers screened for fever.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the influence of antipyretic medications on fever detection.
Limitations
The study's sample size for confirmed cases was small, and the screening was based on non-random sampling.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of participants was approximately 30 years, with a majority being male.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.11
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0, 55.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website