Auszug aus dem Gesetz zur Verhütung und Bekämpfung von Infektionskrankheiten beim Menschen (Infektionsschutzgesetz - IfSG)

Until recently, influenza surveillance in Ger- many was conducted through a physician- based sentinel system, the "Arbeitsgemein- schaft Influenza" (AGI), where acute respira- tory illnesses are recorded.With the institu- tion of the Protection against Infection Act (IfSG) in January 2001, the laboratory diag- nosis of influenza has become notifiable via two different reporting lines: according to § 7.1 IfSG, reporting from the local health department to the Robert Koch-Institute must occur within a maximum of 17 days while rapid reporting according to § 12 IfSG must occur within one day.We analyzed data of the new surveillance system and com- pared the results with those of the AGI.The epidemic influenza curve according to § 12 was comparable with that of the AGI sentinel system. Overall, the new reporting system has proven its functional capability.