The epidemiological surveillance of poliomyelitis in the Ukraine]

Correlation has been revealed between the circulation of polioviruses among the population and environmental objects. A rise in the circulation of polioviruses, type I, was caused by a decrease in collective immunity to this virus type. Water supply and sewage system purification was found ineffective with respect to enteroviral contamination. Vaccinal prophylaxis, carried out for many years, did not lead to the elimination of poliovirus strains, genetically different from vaccine ones.     

Current epidemiological surveillance of tuberculosis

Some present-day specific epidemiological, microbiological and clinical features of tuberculosis are presented. A variant of the epidemiological surveillance morbidity scheme, comprising 3 blocks, viz. information, analysis and management, is proposed. In the information block the basic data necessary for epidemic analysis is listed, while the diagnostic block contains the stage-by-stage analysis of the information block data. In the block of management decisions the main directions of the tuberculosis prophylaxis interventions are listed.     

Current aspects of the short-term prognosis of meningococcal infection morbidity for the sake of epidemiological surveillance

The short-term prognosis of the epidemic situation requires the establishment of the system of constant surveillance, which takes into account the data on morbidity rates for several years, both total and in various age groups, the data on the morbidity level and its changes, induced by meningococci of the epidemic group, in the IV quarter of the year, the data on the level of carriership among the indicator groups of the population in this period, as well as the data on changes in antibody titers in the sera of donor blood samples taken in summer and in December.     

Excess mortality--influenza epidemiological surveillance indicator

Observations on "excess mortality" from influenza, carried out in the Moldavia area between 1957 and 1973, are presented in the paper. They made it possible to assess in time and space as well as in severity the knowledge on influenza epidemics. "Excess mortality" proved to be a valuable indicator of increase in influenza mortality, especially, on the occurrence of big epidemics the existence of which was closely related to the appearance of new types and variants of influenza viruses. Though "excess mortality" showed the highest values when death from acute pneumopathies recorded in the preepidemic and postepidemic periods was included in the calculation, it also pointed to the strong effect of influenza on all causes of death, especially chronic diseases of the respiratory and cardio-vascular systems.     

Criteria of the epidemiological surveillance of meningococcal infection

The results of studies carried out with the use of the unified, specially developed methods in eight regions of the USSR are generalized. Basing on the analysis of the results, the leading role of serogroup A meningococci in the rise of morbidity is emphasized, the relation of the morbidity level to the serogroup composition of meningococci circulating among healthy population is revealed, the necessity of carrying out selective bacteriological surveys with a view to establish the serogroups of meningococci circulating among the population is shown. The expedient criteria to be used in the system of epidemiological surveillance of meningococcal infection are presented.     

Epidemiological surveillance and control of poliomyelitis in the Republic of Cuba

Organization and performance of Poliomyelitis Epidemiological Surveillance and control in Cuba are described. Since the first vaccination campaign the average of vaccinated population is of 90% and over. Annual and cyclic epidemic peaks disappeared after oral polio vaccination. During 20 years only 7 sporadic cases were diagnosed; the last one in 1979. Surveillance of disease and immunity of infant population was carried out by clinical examination, isolation techniques for Polio and other enteroviruses and by testing neutralizing antibodies in 0-4 years of age population samples from 1963 to 1979. Satisfactory high antibody levels have been maintained up to date after using different combinations of Polio viruses in vaccines and by having regulated the dose intervals. Subsequent virologic investigation in children under age 3, from nurseries of several provincial capitals, leads us to think that there is no Poliovirus circulation in the country. Behavior of the disease and the laboratory finding indicators reveal very successful results in Poliomyelitis elimination programmes.     

Erroneous information in the epidemiological surveillance of hepatitis B

False positive results obtained in the determination of the immune markers of hepatitis A by the methods of the passive reverse hemagglutination test and the enzyme immunoassay distort the course of the registration of the epidemic process and deteriorate the quality of the antiepidemic measures ensured to the population. The necessity of the standardization of available test systems is postulated.     

Assessment of the separate elements of an epidemiological overview of poliomyelitis today

The materials on the epidemiological supervision of poliomyelitis in a large city, carried out in 1972-1981, are presented. Two periods differing in morbidity rate, in the level of population immunity to poliomyelitis and in the activity of the poliovirus circulation are defined. The supervision of poliomyelitis is shown to be capable of influencing the course of the epidemic process of this infection provided that the individual elements of such supervision are correctly evaluated in different epidemic situations.     

Complex method for epizootiological and epidemiological surveillance

A complex method for the epizootological and epidemiological surveillance of a number of bacterial and viral infections on the territories inside and outside their natural foci has been developed. The investigation techniques are described and the data on the isolation rate of each causative agent in different geographical zones are presented. In the natural foci of plague and tularemia, as well as on the territories outside such foci, the causative agents of intestinal yersiniosis, pseudotuberculosis, salmonellosis, erysipeloid, staphylococci and streptococci, arena- and arboviruses have been isolated from the rodents and ectoparasites under study. The results of this investigation suggest that the method may be recommended for use in medical institutions dealing with the problems of infections originating from natural foci.     

The bases of epidemiological surveillance for postinjection complications

To carry out the epidemiological analysis of postinjection suppurations and to introduce the relevant prophylactic measures, the forms of registration and account for suppurative inflammatory diseases should be legitimized and the data on such cases per the number of injections made at therapeutic and prophylactic institutions and their branches should be calculated. The organization of centralized sterilization of instruments and the 100% provision of all institutions with these instruments can reduce the occurrence of postinjection suppurations.     

Means of optimizing the epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases in the USSR

The present work shows the specific features of the epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases, carried out by the All-Union Centers of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology (sponsored by the Ministry of Health of the USSR) in different regions of the USSR with due consideration of the specific features of each disease.     

Prevention of acute intestinal infections based on the epidemiological surveillance system

The development of the system of epidemiological surveillance and its introduction into the practical work of the district sanitary and epidemiological station made it possible to decrease morbidity in acute intestinal infections 2.4 times in comparison with preceding years, as well as to put an end to the outbreaks of these infections. The work proved the advantage of epidemiological diagnosis permitting the introduction of measures which prevent the formation of the epidemic strain of the infective agent and thus affect the seasonal rise of morbidity.     

A clinical registry of dementia based on the principle of epidemiological surveillance

Background  

Traditional epidemiological studies do not allow elucidating the reality of referral and diagnosis patterns of dementia in routine clinical practice within a defined territory. This information is useful and necessary in order to plan and allocate healthcare resources. This paper presents the results from a dementia case registry based on epidemiological surveillance fundamentals.     

International and national aspects of epidemiological plague surveillance in the USSR.

General principles and organizational forms of epidemiological surveillance of plague in the USSR both in seaports andin natural foci are discussed. On the basis of the analysis of the authors' experience over many years and taking into consideration literary data, the authors recommend a minimum, but in their opinion effective amount of a successful realization of these recommendations, it is expedient to establish a special team (or teams) consisting of 10-12 members.