Influenza Surveillance in Morocco, 1996–2009
Author Information
Author(s): Barakat Amal, Ihazmad Hassan, Benkaroum Samira, Cherkaoui Imad, Benmamoun Abderahman, Youbi Mohammed, El Aouad Rajae
Primary Institution: Centre National de Référence de la Grippe, Institut National d'Hygiène, Ministère de la Santé, Rabat, Morocco
Hypothesis
What is the epidemiology and seasonality of influenza in Morocco from 1996 to 2009?
Conclusion
Influenza results in both mild and severe respiratory infections in Morocco, and accounted for a large proportion of all hospitalizations for severe respiratory illness among children 5 years of age and younger.
Supporting Evidence
- Influenza viruses circulated seasonally in Morocco from October to April.
- Children under 5 years accounted for a large proportion of severe acute respiratory illness hospitalizations.
- The enhanced surveillance system significantly increased the number of respiratory specimens collected.
Takeaway
This study looked at how influenza affects people in Morocco over many years, showing that it can make kids very sick, especially those under 5 years old.
Methodology
Virologic sentinel surveillance was conducted using a network of private practitioners and hospitals to collect respiratory samples from patients with influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness.
Potential Biases
Participating clinicians may not have correctly identified all ILI or SARI cases.
Limitations
The rate of influenza virus detection remains low, and the identification methods used may not be the most sensitive.
Participant Demographics
Patients included both outpatients and inpatients, with a significant number being children under 5 years of age.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI for various age groups and networks provided in the results.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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