A Respiratory Tract Infection Index for SARS and Avian Influenza Outbreaks

A respiratory tract infection index (RTII) was developed to predict potential outbreaks of infectious respiratory diseases in the community. The index incorporates a variety of meteorological conditions and air pollution factors. In the first phase of our study, we reviewed the index values around certain typical epidemiological events by retrospective calculation. The results showed that significantly high index values were recorded right before the occurrences of the events. This finding suggests that the RTII index appears to be a good indicator for public health officials and the public for taking early preventative measures against infectious respiratory diseases such as SARS and avian influenza. Further statistical analyses will be conducted in the second phase of the study to validate the efficiency and generality of the index