| Abstract [eng] |
Research aim: to describe influenza and acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) epidemiological patterns in Lithuania 1997 – 2007. Method – to determine the dynamics of morbidity of influenza and ARI, it‘s distribution depending on age, gender, administrative territory and identify seasonal variations as well as describe epidemiological patterns according to epidemiological surveillance data based on selective clinical and virological diagnostics, registry data was taken from the Center For Communicable Disease Prevention And Control. Descriptive epidemiological research evaluating viewpoint of those medics who participated in selective clinical virological diagnostics in 2007-2008 and are working in health care institutions was executed using anonoymus questionnaire research method. 57 of 64 medics participating in this diagnostics in Lithuania were surveyed. Results – assessing dynamics of morbidity of influenza and ARI in Lithuania in 1997-2007 it was revealed that there is statistically reliable tendency of decrease in morbidity of influenza (b=-17,36, p=0,01) and increase in morbidity of ARI (b=67,9, p=0,0005). It was established that maximum rates of morbidity are recorded in the age range of 0-17 years old, whereas the smallest and most constant morbidity rates are observed among those older than 65 years. Analysis showed that there is higher morbidity of influenza and ARI when it comes to men rather than women. Evaluation of seasonal variations of influenza and ARI in Lithuania helped to determine that there‘s a rise of morbidity of influenza from January to April, ARI – October to April. The morbidity peak of these illnesses is registered on February, the 8th week of the year. During quetionnaire survey, evaluating viewpoint of those medics participating in selective clinical virological diagnostics it was found that relatively large part of them (26,3%) think that epidemiological surveillance based on selective clinical virological diagnostics is of little importance. Conclusions – opposite tendentions of influenza and ARI perennial dynamics show that customary clinical epidemiological surveillance is not sufficiently reliable. Thus it is necessary to expand and strengthen epidemiological surveillance based on selective clinical virological diagnostics. The highest rates of morbidity in the age range of 0-17 years show that it is essential to evaluate thoroughly the burden of influenza infection in this particular age group and define basic risk groups for seasonal vacination. Furthermore, to increase the effectiveness of epidemiological surveillance that is based on clinical virological diagnostics, it is crussial to improve motivation and knowledge about the importance of implemented surveillance of the participating medics. |
