Details of the evolution of the influenza epidemic process in the city of Bucharest in 1974
Busuioc, C.; Ionescu, V.; Tisu, A.; Stoicescu, A.; Guguianu, E.; Bordeianu, P.; Bordeianu, V.
Revista de Igiena Bacteriologie Virusologie Parazitologie Epidemiologie Pneumoftiziologie. Bacteriologia Virusologia Parazitologia Epidemiologia 20(3): 153-163
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0376-4494 PMID: 128104 Document Number: 93922
The present paper reports on the results of a complex epidemiologic survey of the epidemiologic potential of influenza in Bucharest in 1974, conducted on the basis of a complete, unitary methodology including; (a) Dynamic survey of the morbidity and mortality from influenza, with statistical-mathematical processing of the data per age group and total population; (b) Monthly sero-epidemiologic survey of the antiinfluenza immunologic profile of the population, determined in lots of 540 sera (annual total 7020 serum samples), with statistical-mathematical processing of the serograms; (c) Serodynamic determinations of 67 paired serum smaples collected from patients presenting influenza syndromes during ascension of the epidemic morbidity from influenza; (d) Complex epidemiologic surveys in representative influenza foci in children, adolescent and adult communities. Based upon the result obtained the authors discuss the evolutive particularities of the epidemiologic process in Bucharest, particularly during the epidemic ascension of the first trimester of 1974, caused by the intensified circulation of influenza virus type B. The orientative value of certain elements for the epidemiologic prognosis is emphasized, such as: the immunologic profile of the population per age group with regard to the circulating influenza virus strains (autochtonous or imported strains), active control of the incidence of influenza in communities (technical schools etc.) or enterprises with a large number of employees, laboratory etiologic determinations in cases of a clinical diagnosis of influenza in a preepidemic season. The authors' ten years experience in the active survey of the active epidemiologic potential of influenza in the town of Bucharest shows that the methodology applied was efficient both for scientific assessing of the epidemiologic situation and for an orientation in the choice of preventive and control measures.