Overview of the 2009 Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1)v in Vojvodina, Serbia
Author Information
Author(s): Vladimir Petrović, Zorica Šeguljev, Gorana Ćosić, Mioljub Ristić, Jasminka Nedeljković, Nataša Dragnić, Snežana Ukropina
Primary Institution: Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina
Hypothesis
Does including severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) hospitalization data provide a more complete picture of the impact of influenza during the pandemic?
Conclusion
Sentinel surveillance of influenza-like illness and SARI, followed by virological surveillance, is the best method to monitor the full scope of the influenza pandemic in Vojvodina.
Supporting Evidence
- The highest incidence rate was 1090 per 100,000 inhabitants during week 50.
- Children aged 5-14 years were the most affected age group.
- The case fatality rate was 2% among hospitalized patients.
- Hospitalization rate was 78.3 per 100,000 inhabitants.
- 46% of hospitalized patients tested positive for A(H1N1)v.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many people got sick from the flu in Vojvodina and found that keeping track of serious cases helps understand how bad the flu was.
Methodology
The study used sentinel surveillance for influenza-like illnesses and SARI, along with virological testing from September 2009 to September 2010.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on clinical definitions and the limited number of laboratories for testing.
Limitations
The study relied on clinical case definitions for influenza-like illness due to limited laboratory capacity for confirmation.
Participant Demographics
The population of Vojvodina is approximately 2 million, with a focus on hospitalized patients with SARI.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% confidence interval of mean
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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