Przegla̧d epidemiologiczny
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Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO), in accordance with the requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005), were obliged to establish National Focal Points for International Health Regulations (IHR NFP), whose task is, among others, consolidating information on public health events of international importance that occur abroad or in the country. The aim of this article is to review information on measles-related events posted on the Event Information Site for IHR National Focal Points, in the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS), received by email directly from other IHR National Focal Points located in WHO member states, and from all organs of the State Sanitary Inspectorate in Poland in the years 2016-2018. In this time period, the IHR NFP recorded 92 measles-related events of which 38 related to individual cases, 37 to outbreaks of the disease, and 17 involved exposure to a measles case. 36% of reported events were aviationrelated. The number of events in 2018 has tripled compared to 2017 and increased eightfold in comparison to 2016. The current situation indicates the need to take appropriate actions, including implementation of the National Vaccination Program as well as introducing vaccination interventions.
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In the last years, attention has been paid to Zika virus (ZIKV) infection, the emerging vector-borne disease. It is responsible for major outbreaks in Africa, Asia and, more recently, in previously infection-naïve territories of the Pacific area, South America and Caribbean. The etiology, epidemiology, transmission, and clinical manifestations of ZIKV disease are discussed, along with the diagnostic possibilities in the aim to assessing the risk of its introduction to Poland. ⋯ As the awareness of the infection risk will increase among medical staff and travelers, the number of suspected cases of travel-related ZIKV infections may rise in Poland. Medical staff should be informed where and how to report such cases. Thorough surveillance, adequate assessment of possible threats, action plans, rapid and effective intervention development, spread of up to date information of ZIKV, as well as other emerging or re-emerging infectious pathogens can play a key role in guaranteeing population health.
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Patients in the intensive care units (ICU) are exposed to many factors that may cause hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP), a particular type of which is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The specific risk factors for developing VAP affect patients already on the day of their admission to a unit and are associated with their underlying diseases and invasive medical procedures, which they undergo. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for VAP associated with a patient and the used invasive treatment. ⋯ In the analyzed unit, 58 cases of VAP were detected in patents who underwent mechanical ventilation. Infections were more common among men (43 cases, that is 6%) than in women (15 cases, that is 3%). Mechanical ventilation longer than 20 days was a major determinant of VAP (p < 0.001). Patient's underlying diseases (which are the reason for patient's admission to a unit) had an impact on the incidence of VAP, and the most important of them are: multiple trauma (20 cases of VAP per 217 patients (9.2% incidence)), sepsis (3 cases of VAP per 31 patients (9.7% incidence)), central nervous system disease (10 cases of VAP per 124 patients (8.1% incidence)), endocrine system (1 case of VAP per 12 patients (8.3% incidence)), respiratory diseases (11 cases of VAP per 168 patients (6.5% incidence)). Invasive medical procedures performed in the patients' respiratory tract were significant risk factors (p < 0.001) for developing VAP: reintubation (R=0.271), tracheostomy (R=0.309) and bronchoscopy (R=0.316). In the period from 2010 to 2014 VAP incidence was 4.7% and incidence density per 1000 ventilation-days was 10.5 and the mortality rate with VAP was 32.8%. The most common etiological factors of VAP were Acinetobacter Baumannie (21 isolates, that is 36.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8 isolates, that is 13.8%), Escherichia coli (7 isolates, that is 12%).
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Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a zoonosis of high virulence in humans. Current epidemic in West Africa is the largest EVD epidemic reported so far, exceeding the number of cases notified and geographical regions affected. This article discusses selected aspects of Ebola virus biology and ecology which are of significance for the processes of primary infection in humans and the spread of epidemic in population. A special attention was drawn to the issues essential for the diagnosis of infection and safety of testing.
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Thiomersal is an organomercury compound known for its antiseptic and antifungal properties and used as an antibacterial agent in pharmaceutical products, including vaccines and other injectable biological products. In recent years, concerns about the possible link between immunization with thiomersal-containing vaccines and autism development have grown. ⋯ There are no contraindications to the use of vaccines with thiomersal in infants, children and non-pregnant women. The risk of serious complications associated with the development of diseases in unvaccinated individuals far outweighs the potential risk of adverse consequences associated with immunization with thiomersal-containing vaccines.