Surveillance Data for Episodes of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) in Medical-Social Institutions (MSIs)

A system for monitoring episodes of acute respiratory infections (ARI) clusters in medical and social institutions (EMS) was put in place in June 2023. This system is based on a unique reporting circuit via the [Portal of Reporting Undesirable Health Events](https://signalement.social-sante.gouv.fr/psig_ihm_utilisateurs/index.html).

This new instrument is part of a broader approach to alerting, facilitating management and monitoring the epidemiology of IRA clustered cases in the EMS. For more information on this device, [please see this page](https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/maladies-et-traumatismes/maladies-et-infections-respiratoires/grippe/articles/surveillance-des-episodes-de-cas-groupes-d-infections-respiratoires-aigues-ira-dans-les-etablissements-medico-sociaux).

**Medical and social institutions involved in this monitoring**: accommodation Establishments for Aged Persons (EHPA) and Accommodation Establishments for Persons with Disabilities (HPH)

**Definition of an IRA bundled case episode in EMS**: occurrence of at least three cases of ARI among residents in four days

**Definition of an IRA case**: anyone who has been found to have a recent occurrence of at least one general sign (Fever, Fridge, Sweat, Arthralgia, Myalgia, Headache, Fatigue) evoking infection and at least one functional or physical sign of low respiratory damage (Sick throat, Rhinorrhea, Cute, Dyspnea chest pain, whistle, auscultatory signs) or a biologically confirmed respiratory infection.

**Files available**:
• ‘EMS @-@ episode @-@hebdo @-@ fra.csv’ = National Data
• ‘EMS @-@ episode @-@hebdo @-@ reg.csv’ = Regional Data

**Indicator description**: Data for new weekly episodes of IRA clustered cases, classified by type of etiology selected.
• ‘week’ = Week in which the first case resides in the group episode appeared
• ‘nb_episode_ira’ = Number of new episodes of IRA clustered cases
• ‘nb_episode_ira_with_covid’ = Number of new episodes of ARI clustered cases with etiological research where COVID @-@19 was retained as the cause of the episode, either alone or in combination with other etiologies.
• ‘nb_episode_ira_with_flu’ = Number of new episodes of ARI clustered cases with etiological research where influenza was retained as the cause of the episode, either alone or in combination with other etiologies.
• ‘nb_episode_ira_with_vrs’ = Number of new episodes of ARI clustered cases with etiological research where VRS was retained as the cause of the episode, either alone or in combination with other etiologies.
• ‘nb_episode_ira_with_autre_etio’ = Number of new episodes of ARI clustered cases with etiological research in which an etiology other than COVID @-@19, RSV or influenza has been identified (bacterial infectious, other virus, unknown), either alone or in combination with other etiologies.
• ‘nb_episode_ira_sans_precision’ = Number of new episodes of IRA clustered cases without etiological research.

> ⚠< **Important**: an episode that can be attributed to several etiologies by the registrant (in case of co-circulation), the sum of the episodes related to the different etiologies in a given week may be greater than the total number of IRA episodes.

> ⚠< **Limit**: Due to late reports of episodes, data from the last two weeks are not consolidated. In addition, since the type of etiology of an episode can be determined at the end of the episode, the data may evolve over time.