Monitoring the emergence of community transmission of influenza A/H1N12009 in England: a cross sectional opportunistic survey of self sampled telephone callers to NHS Direct.

The article discusses a study which investigated the emergence of community transmission of influenza A/H1N1 in England based on results from self sampling of NHS Direct callers with influenza-like illness. People in six Strategic Health Authorities with cold of flu symptoms or both were involved in the study, who called the NHS Direct multi-channel health advice and information service. It was found that a reliable indication of local community transmission was provided by Testing in Health Protection Agency regional laboratories.