Evaluation of the Timeliness and Completeness of Reporting of Salmonella Surveillance in 34 U.S. State Health Departments 2011–2016

We evaluated the timeliness and completeness of reporting of non-typhoidal salmonellosis in the United States. Overall, 24 of the 34 participating (n=136,231 cases) states provided the variables needed to determine timeliness of reporting: date of diagnosis and date of first notification to local or state health authority. The results of our study determined that overall, the timeliness was a median of 2 days (IQR=6; range:0–6). For states where salmonellosis was reportable within 1 days, the timeliness was 1 day (IQR=2, range: 0–2) and the states where salmonellosis was reportable within 7 days, the timeliness was 4 days (IQR=7; range 1–8). Sixteen states provided variables that were > 90% complete; this included age, sex, PFGE, date of specimen collection, date of first report to health authority, and date of specimen collection. Completion was lower than 62% in variables including dates of hospital admission, hospital discharge, case interview, and date of first positive specimen test result, and date of diagnosis. The findings of the study demonstrated that, overall, the reporting of salmonellosis was timely. Although completeness was high among most data fields, it could be improved substantially, predominantly in fields that are entered manually.