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NEWS AND COMMENTS
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Pandemic proclaimed
On June 11. 2009 the World
health organization announced that basing on the assessment of the Emergency
committee, the situation with new influenza has evolved further from the
previous phase 5 (see ENEWS No 4/2009) and the phase 6 was diagnosed i.e. the
stage of pandemic. All countries of the world including Croatia were informed
about that through the IHR informative channel and through national IHR focal
points by a letter from WHO director general informing that pandemic phase 6
emerged, and pandemics declared. In the letter, the first assessment of the
ongoing pandemic was given. Beside a global spread approving declaration of the
pandemics, the impact of pandemic was assessed as moderate, and in many ways
similar to seasonal outbreaks (epidemics) with certain differences however, for
instance young previously healthy people seem to be more affected. Necessity of
further monitoring was enhanced because the experiences from previous pandemics
taught us, that viral strains could turn to more pathogenic variants.
Such a fast development of
the situation, was closely followed with epidemiological and other activities in
the country. Among other, only one day after the pandemic was declared, a
meeting of Croatian epidemiological society of the CMA was organized, having the
main topic: the pandemic flu and our response to the pandemic (see next
article).
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Meeting of Croatian epidemiological society, Virovitica
In the town of Virovitica on
12th and 13th of June 2009. a regular 66th scientific meeting of the Croatian
epidemiological society of the Croatian medical association took place. The
organizers and hosts of the meeting were the coleagues from the Institute of
public health of the Viroviticko podravska county. The meeting was honored by
the presence and greetings of highest representatives of the County and town of
Virovitica representatives. There were over 70 participants from all over
Croatia.
The main thematic part of
the meeting was dedicated to new influenza pandemic, declared just a day ago.
Beside information about the actual situation (no cases in Croatia at the time),
as well as analyses of genesis of pandemic and assessments of further
development, a detailed discussion was dedicated to practical tasks regarding
current pandemic situation and implementation of the National preparedness plan.
In the second part of the meeting other topics within the domain of epidemiology
i.e. epidemiology of communicable diseases and non communicable diseases, were
presented and discussed .
On the second day,
participants spent a pleasant time in the vicinity of Virovitica having a lot of
informal discussions and in addition as usual, some epidemiologically
interesting points were visited This time it was interesting recreational lake
Orahovica, with ingenious solution of water exchange and water quality ensurance,
quality constantly monitored and supervised by the County institute of public
health.
Professional topics of the
meeting were the following:
* Information
about current state of new influenza in the world and in the country
* Vaccine and
vaccination against new influenza
* Antiviral
drugs, treatment and chemoprophylaxis
*Analysis of
New influenza H1N1 2009 development, and epidemiological prognoses
*Organization
of response to pandemic flu
* Discussion
and conclusions regarding new flu
* Rubella in
Dubrovnik
* Ethics of
epidemiological research, example of endemic nephropathy disinfection of water
distribution network in a large newly built dwelling-business building, a
requirements for technical attest (a movie film)
* Pericardial
diseases epidemiology
* Adverse
affects of newly introduced five component vaccine pediacel (DPT-polio-Hib)
* Vine as a
medicine, later we will speak about adverse effects
* Legionnaires
diseases outbreak at the World handball championship 2009.
Conclusions
regarding pandemic flu were promptly sent after meeting to all epidemiology
services in the country.
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Bacterial meningitis, etiology 2008
Total of 55
bacterial meningitis cases were reported in 2008, excluding meningococcal
meningitis which is monitored separately. Among them in 28 the etiology was
determined. The table is showing which causative agents were involved.
Table 1
Bacterial meningitis etiology Croatia 2008
|
Causative
agent |
No |
|
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) |
19 |
|
Streptoccocus spp. |
1 |
|
Listeria
monocytogenes |
4 |
|
Haemophilus
influenzae |
2 |
|
Klebsiella
pneumoniae |
1 |
|
Escherichia
coli |
1 |
Like in
previous years, the most prominent was Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).
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