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Singapore is situated in the tropics where the seasonality of influenza is not as well defined as that of temperate countries. We examined the circulation of influenza viruses in the community in terms of the characteristics of influenza activity. We reviewed laboratory-confirmed virological data collected between 2010 and 2014 under the national influenza surveillance programme. Influenza activity was measured by the proportion of specimens from outpatients with influenza-like illness tested positive for influenza virus based on 4-weekly moving interval. Seasonal epidemics occurred around the end of previous year or the beginning and middle of the year. Increases in influenza positivity were more pronounced when there was a change in the predominant circulating influenza virus type/subtype to influenza A(H3N2). Influenza epidemics lasted about 12 weeks on average, with longer duration when there was a change in the predominant influenza type/subtype and especially when it was associated with influenza A(H3N2). Continuous influenza surveillance is important as it could provide early warning of imminent surges in virus transmission, and allow for timely implementation of public health prevention and control interventions to minimize influenza-associated disease burden. J. Med. Virol. 88:2069-2077, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We conducted a pediatric seroprevalence study of dengue virus (DENV) infection in Singapore, a dengue endemic city-state. Residual sera from 1,200 Singapore residents aged 1-17 years seen in two hospitals between 2008 and 2010 were tested for anti-DENV IgG antibodies. The overall seroprevalence was 10.4% (95%CI: 8.7-12.1%). There had been a marked decline in seroprevalence in the 15-19-year age group over the last three decades, while the prevalence in the 1-5-year olds (12.6%) was significantly higher than that of the 1996-1997 pediatric survey (0.8%). The overall dengue seroprevalence in children and adolescents remained low.

A national pediatric survey was undertaken to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers in Singapore. The aim was to assess the impact of the national childhood immunization program against hepatitis B implemented for all newborns since 1987. The survey involved prospective collection of residual sera from Singapore residents aged 1–17 years attending inpatient services or day surgery in two public hospitals between August 2008 and July 2010. A total of 1,200 sera were collected comprising 400 in each of the three age groups of 1–6, 7–12, and 13–17 years. The sera were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs). Four of the 1,200 samples tested positive for HBsAg, giving an overall prevalence of 0.3%. One and three in the 7–12 years and 13–17 years age groups, respectively, were positive for HBsAg. About 40% possessed anti-HBs (≥10 mIU/ml); the antibody prevalence decreased significantly from 63.8% in children aged 1–6 years to 32.8% in 7–12 year olds, and 23.5% in 13–17 year olds (P

Singapore is situated in the tropics where the seasonality of influenza is not as well defined as that of temperate countries. We examined the circulation of influenza viruses in the community in terms of the characteristics of influenza activity. We reviewed laboratory-confirmed virological data collected between 2010 and 2014 under the national influenza surveillance programme. Influenza activity was measured by the proportion of specimens from outpatients with influenza-like illness tested positive for influenza virus based on 4-weekly moving interval. Seasonal epidemics occurred around the end of previous year or the beginning and middle of the year. Increases in influenza positivity were more pronounced when there was a change in the predominant circulating influenza virus type/subtype to influenza A(H3N2). Influenza epidemics lasted about 12 weeks on average, with longer duration when there was a change in the predominant influenza type/subtype and especially when it was associated with influenza A(H3N2). Continuous influenza surveillance is important as it could provide early warning of imminent surges in virus transmission, and allow for timely implementation of public health prevention and control interventions to minimize influenza-associated disease burden. J. Med. Virol. 88:2069-2077, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We conducted a pediatric seroprevalence study of dengue virus (DENV) infection in Singapore, a dengue endemic city-state. Residual sera from 1,200 Singapore residents aged 1-17 years seen in two hospitals between 2008 and 2010 were tested for anti-DENV IgG antibodies. The overall seroprevalence was 10.4% (95%CI: 8.7-12.1%). There had been a marked decline in seroprevalence in the 15-19-year age group over the last three decades, while the prevalence in the 1-5-year olds (12.6%) was significantly higher than that of the 1996-1997 pediatric survey (0.8%). The overall dengue seroprevalence in children and adolescents remained low.