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PubMed2006

Continuing communicable disease burden in Eritrea.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: A retrospective study of the national health profile of Eritreans, focusing on acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI), tuberculosis (TB), diarrhoea, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS, was done on data from 1998 to 2003 through a health information management system. Records were included for patients of all ages receiving outpatient and inpatient hospital services during the study period. All incidence rates were given as cases per 100,000 population. RESULTS: The incidence of ARTI increased from 6,500 cases per annum in 1998 to 8 500 in 2003, representing a 30% increase. Diarrhoea rates remained unchanged, averaging 3,000 cases. For both ARTI and diarrhoea, rates were at least 3 times higher in children under 5 years of age than in those over 5 years of age. The incidences of TB and STDs decreased from 370 and 220 in 1998 to 170 and 80 in 2003, respectively. HIV/AIDS incidence increased from 40 in 1998 to 65 in 2003, reflecting a 60% increase. The case fatality rates (CFRs) for HIV/AIDS and TB were 12% and 2% in 1998, increasing to 14% and 3%, respectively, in 2001. The CFR for ARTI and diarrhea remained low at 0.3%. CFRs were higher in children under 5 years than in those over 5 years for all the diseases but rates declined consistently, probably reflecting the positive impact of the introduction of the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI). Although the incidence rate of HIV/AIDS was relatively low compared with rates for TB, ARTI and diarrhoea, the HIV/AIDS CFR was relatively high, posing a threat to the gains made in control of infectious diseases. The disease burden from TB and STDs declined over the 6-year study period, while that from ARTI and HIV/AIDS increased. Consequently the overall disease burden from communicable diseases remained unchanged over the study period.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2006

SmiNet-2: Description of an internet-based surveillance system for communicable diseases in Sweden.

Electronic systems for communicable diseases surveillance enhance quality by simplifying reporting, improving completeness, and increasing timeliness. In this article we outline the ideas and technologies behind SmiNet-2, a new comprehensive regional/national system for communicable disease surveillance in Sweden. The system allows for reporting from physicians (web form) and laboratories (direct from lab data system) over the internet. Using a unique personal identification number, SmiNet-2 automatically merges clinical and laboratory notifications to case records. Privileged users, at national and county level, work against a common central server containing all notifications and case records. In addition, SmiNet-2 has separate county servers with tools for outbreak investigations, contact tracing and case management. SmiNet-2 was first used in September 2004. Individual counties receive up to 90% of all notifications electronically. In its first year, SmiNet-2 received 54 980 clinical notifications and 32,765 laboratory notifications, which generated 58,891 case records. Since most clinicians in Sweden have easy access to the internet, a general web-based reporting has been feasible, and it is anticipated that within a few years all reporting to SmiNet-2 will be over the internet. In this context, some of the major advantages of SmiNet-2 when compared with other systems are timeliness in the dataflow (up to national level), the full integration of clinical and laboratory notifications, and the capability to handle more than 50 diseases with tailor-made notification forms within one single system.

Communicable Diseases↗
PubMed2005

The burden of non communicable diseases in developing countries.

BACKGROUND: By the dawn of the third millennium, non communicable diseases are sweeping the entire globe, with an increasing trend in developing countries where, the transition imposes more constraints to deal with the double burden of infective and non-infective diseases in a poor environment characterised by ill-health systems. By 2020, it is predicted that these diseases will be causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries. Many of the non communicable diseases can be prevented by tackling associated risk factors. METHODS: Data from national registries and international organisms are collected, compared and analyzed. The focus is made on the growing burden of non communicable diseases in developing countries. RESULTS: Among non communicable diseases, special attention is devoted to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic pulmonary diseases. Their burden is affecting countries worldwide but with a growing trend in developing countries. Preventive strategies must take into account the growing trend of risk factors correlated to these diseases. CONCLUSION: Non communicable diseases are more and more prevalent in developing countries where they double the burden of infective diseases. If the present trend is maintained, the health systems in low-and middle-income countries will be unable to support the burden of disease. Prominent causes for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and pulmonary diseases can be prevented but urgent (preventive) actions are needed and efficient strategies should deal seriously with risk factors like smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity and western diet.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Communicable diseases in complex emergencies: impact and challenges.

Communicable diseases, alone or in combination with malnutrition, account for most deaths in complex emergencies. Factors promoting disease transmission interact synergistically leading to high incidence rates of diarrhoea, respiratory infection, malaria, and measles. This excess morbidity and mortality is avoidable as effective interventions are available. Adequate shelter, water, food, and sanitation linked to effective case management, immunisation, health education, and disease surveillance are crucial. However, delivery mechanisms are often compromised by loss of health staff, damage to infrastructure, insecurity, and poor co-ordination. Although progress has been made in the control of specific communicable diseases in camp settings, complex emergencies affecting large geographical areas or entire countries pose a greater challenge. Available interventions need to be implemented more systematically in complex emergencies with higher levels of coordination between governments, UN agencies, and non-governmental organisations. In addition, further research is needed to adapt and simplify interventions, and to explore novel diagnostics, vaccines, and therapies.

Africa↗
PubMed2003

Communicable diseases surveillance: Highlights for 3rd quarter, 2003.

Communicable diseases surveillance highlights for 3rd quarter, 2003 (bloodborne diseases, gastrointestinal disease, vaccine preventable diseases, vectorborne diseases, zoonoses, other bacterial infections), and surveillance outcomes from several reporting series as follows: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System tables, 1 July to 30 September 2003; Laboratory Serology and Virology Reporting Scheme tables, 1 July to 30 September 2003; Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network, reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2003; Gonococcal surveillance, reporting period 1 April to 30 June 2003; HIV and AIDS surveillance, reporting period 1 April to 30 June 2003, assessed as at 30 September 2003; Australian childhood immunisation coverage, 1 April to 30 June 2003 cohort, assessed as at 30 September 2003; National Enteric Pathogens Surveillance System, reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2003. These national data collections are complemented by intelligence provided by State and Territory communicable disease epidemiologists and/or data managers. This additional information has enabled the reporting of more informative highlights each quarter.

Australia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases: a follow-up model.

Chronic non-communicable diseases are caused by interaction between numerous environmental and socio-economic factors and biological response of the human body. They are gaining importance due to the fact that they largely depend on common risk factors, of which more than 70% can be prevented. In 1996, an integrated health prevention program for chronic non-communicable disease based on the Aims of the World Health Organization "Health for all in the 21st century" was designed in the Republic of Serbia. This program concerns the whole population and measures for its implementation. For its successful realization it is necessary to define standard procedures: uniform terminology, diagnostics, therapy and rehabilitation, its risk factors. The aim of this study was to establish data from basic medical documentation of the primary health care and propose a more efficient and effective evidence, as well as to establish a program for surveillance, prevention and control of mass non-communicable diseases within the existing medical documentation. The data were gathered from medical records of the general practice and occupational health services. A special questionnaire was designed to register data from medical records. Medical records of general practice and occupational health service in Kikinda have been analyzed. The existing medical documentation is insufficient regarding data necessary for evidence, surveillance and analysis of risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases. A follow-up model for surveillance and evidence of risk factors in basic medical documentation, which should be incorporated in routine statistical reports, would actively include medical professionals--doctors and medical staff in prevention and detection of risk factors.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed2003

The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre 1977-2002: an overview.

The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) is now firmly established within the new Health Protection Agency (HPA), which was inaugurated on 1st April 2003. In 2002, CDSC celebrated its 25th anniversary. Its achievements over those 25 years, a period when it evolved from a small unit with three staff to an international centre of excellence with over 250 staff, are recalled in this paper. The development of the Centre is reviewed, as are the ways in which it identified and responded to changing patterns of communicable disease over the quarter century. The considerable benefits of placing CDSC within the Public Health Laboratory Service are demonstrated through several examples. The fact that the expansion of CDSC took place during an era when public expenditure was constrained indicates that government valued the service it provided. The elements required and put in place for effective control and prevention of communicable diseases are highlighted and several themes emerge including the close working relationship needed between the various agencies and disciplines, particularly those between epidemiologists, microbiologists and clinicians. Another theme is the commitment to training, (which is necessary to ensure that work is practiCed to the highest standards), as well as to innovation through research and development. A rigorous approach to field investigation is essential, not just to enable the most appropriate control measures to be applied but to increase the knowledge base on infections and the means of prevention. Good surveillance and reference microbiology stand out as the vital components needed to produce the timely and precise information required to influence practice and policy.

Cholera↗
PubMed1981

[Control of veterinary communicable diseases in swine and fattening cattle stocks by serological testing of slaughtered animal blood samples].

Economy of prophylactic haemoserological control of pig stocks in a district as well as of a sow breeding unit and of cattle stocks on two industrialised fattening farms has been enhanced by including blood samples from routine slaughtering. Preliminary organisational experience is reported in this paper. The samples collected samples collected from normally slaughtered selected sows may contribute to an improvement of veterinary production control.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1998

The prevention of communicable diseases in Hong Kong.

Some of the recent communicable disease problems in Hong Kong are summarised to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of how Hong Kong currently controls and prevents communicable diseases. Suggestions on how Hong Kong could improve the control and prevention of communicable diseases are made.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

The double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries.

Now, at the dawn of the third millennium, non-communicable diseases are sweeping the entire globe. There is an increasing trend in developing countries, where the demographic and socio-economic transition imposes more constraints on dealing with the double burden of infectious and non-infectious diseases in a poor environment, characterized by ill-health systems. It is predicted that, by 2020, non-communicable diseases will cause seven out of every ten deaths in developing countries. Among non-communicable diseases, special attention is devoted to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic pulmonary disease. The burden of these conditions affects countries worldwide but with a growing trend in developing countries. Preventative strategies must take into account the growing trend of risk factors correlated to these diseases. In parallel, despite the success of vaccination programmes for polio and some childhood diseases, other diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and dengue are still out of control in many regions of the globe. This paper is a brief review of recent literature dealing with communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries. It gives a global view of the main diseases and their impact on populations living in low- and middle-income nations.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1998

PHLS overview of communicable diseases 1997: results of a priority setting exercise.

In early 1997, the PHLS Overview of Communicable Diseases (OVCD) Committee carried out a consultation exercise to inform the development of PHLS priorities in communicable diseases for the years 1997 to 1999. The views of PHLS senior staff and scientific committees and consultants in communicable disease control in district health authorities were sought by postal questionnaire, and several organisations of health professionals were asked for their views on the initial findings. The main findings of the exercise are summarised in three areas of priority. Priority 1 diseases--those of major importance to public health--included food poisoning, meningitis, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, vaccine preventable diseases, hospital acquired infections, and antimicrobial resistance. Priority 2 diseases--those of moderate importance to public health--included respiratory syncytial virus and varicella zoster virus infections and emerging problems such as travel associated infections. Priority 3 diseases included those whose prevalence is declining as a result of public health action, such as listeriosis, and diseases of low prevalence and/or associated morbidity. The exercise identified four areas of possible future work for the PHLS: activities in prion diseases, helping to tackle inequalities in health, taking a more active approach to documenting the socioeconomic burden of disease, and engaging more with those consulted. The PHLS has used the results of the priority setting exercise to guide major programme initiatives in tuberculosis, measles, mumps, and rubella, meningococcal and pneumococcal diseases, and in antibiotic resistance. In addition, they have helped to shape agenda in service delivery and research in hospital acquired infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases. This exercise of engaging corporately with key professionals in communicable disease has paved the way for a wider engagement with stakeholders in the setting of future priorities.

Adolescent↗