Burden of acute respiratory disease of epidemic and pandemic potential in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: a literature review

There are gaps in the knowledge about the burden of severe respiratory disease in the Eastern Mediterranean Region [EMR]. This literature review was therefore conducted to describe the burden of epidemic- and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections [ARI] in the Region which may help in the development of evidence-based disease prevention and control policies. Relevant published and unpublished reports were identified from searches of various databases; 83 documents fulfilled the search criteria. The infections identified included: ARI, avian influenza A[H5N1], influenza A[H1N1]pdm09 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus [MERS-CoV] infection. Pneumonia and ARIs were leading causes of disease and death in the Region. Influenza A[H1N1] was an important cause of morbidity during the 2009 pandemic. This review provides a descriptive summary of the burden of acute respiratory diseases in the Region, but there still remains a lack of necessary data

On observe des lacunes en matière de connaissances concernant la charge des maladies respiratoires sévères dans la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. La présente analyse documentaire détaille la charge des infections respiratoires aiguës [IRA] à potentiel épidémique et pandémique dans la Région, ce qui peut aider à l'élaboration de politiques et programmes de prévention et de lutte contre les maladies reposant sur des données factuelles. Des articles pertinents publiés et non publiés ont été identifiés grâce à des recherches dans différentes bases de données ; 83 documents satisfaisaient à nos critères de recherche. Les infections identifiées comprenaient les infections respiratoires aiguës [IRA], la grippe aviaire A[H5N1], la grippe A[H1N1]pdm09 et l'infection par le coronavirus du syndrome respiratoire du Moyen-Orient [MERS-CoV]. La pneumonie et les IRA constituaient les principales causes de morbidité et de mortalité dans la Région. La grippe A[H1N1] était une cause importante de morbidité durant la pandémie de 2009. Cette analyse fournit un résumé descriptif de la charge des maladies respiratoires aiguës dans la Région mais il existe toujours une lacune concernant les donneés nécessaires à cet égard

Burden of acute respiratory disease of epidemic and pandemic potential in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: A literature review

There are gaps in the knowledge about the burden of severe respiratory disease in the Eastern Mediterranean Region [EMR]. This literature review was therefore conducted to describe the burden of epidemic- and pandemic-prone acute respiratory infections [ARI] in the Region which may help in the development of evidence-based disease prevention and control policies. Relevant published and unpublished reports were identified from searches of various databases; 83 documents fulfilled the search criteria. The infections identified included: ARI, avian influenza A[H5N1], influenza A[H1N1]pdm09 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus [MERS-CoV] infection. Pneumonia and ARIs were leading causes of disease and death in the Region. Influenza A[H1N1] was an important cause of morbidity during the 2009 pandemic. This review provides a descriptive summary of the burden of acute respiratory diseases in the Region, but there still remains a lack of necessary data

On observe des lacunes en matière de connaissances concernant la charge des maladies respiratoires sévères dans la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. La présente analyse documentaire détaille la charge des infections respiratoires aiguës [IRA] à potentiel épidémique et pandémique dans la Région, ce qui peut aider à l'élaboration de politiques et programmes de prévention et de lutte contre les maladies reposant sur des données factuelles. Des articles pertinents publiés et non publiés ont été identifiés grâce à des recherches dans différentes bases de données ; 83 documents satisfaisaient à nos critères de recherche. Les infections identifiées comprenaient les infections respiratoires aiguës [IRA], la grippe aviaire A[H5N1], la grippe A[H1N1]pdm09 et l'infection par le coronavirus du syndrome respiratoire du Moyen-Orient [MERS-CoV]. La pneumonie et les IRA constituaient les principales causes de morbidité et de mortalité dans la Région. La grippe A[H1N1] était une cause importante de morbidité durant la pandémie de 2009. Cette analyse fournit un résumé descriptif de la charge des maladies respiratoires aiguës dans la Région mais il existe toujours une lacune concernant les donneés nécessaires à cet égard

Effectiveness of seasonal 2012/13 vaccine in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza infection in primary care in the United Kingdom: mid-season analysis 2012/13.

The early experience of the United Kingdom (UK) is that influenza B has dominated the influenza 2012/13 season. Overall trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) against all laboratory-confirmed influenza in primary care was 51% (95% confidence interval (CI): 27% to 68%); TIV adjusted VE against influenza A alone or influenza B alone was 49% (95% CI: -2% to 75%) and 52% (95% CI: 23% to 70%) respectively. Vaccination remains the best protection against influenza.

Enhanced surveillance and investigation of coronavirus: what is required?

Following the discovery in September 2012 of 2 patients, both with links to the Eastern Mediterranean Region, with serious respiratory illness due to novel coronavirus, all countries have instigated surveillance and laboratory activities to detect further cases, with intensive case contact investigations undertaken on laboratory confirmation of cases. A total of 30 cases, of whom 18 have died, and at least 3 clusters have been detected to date [1 cluster among health-care workers and another 2 clusters among family members]. To date, transmission studies have shown a low risk of onward human transmission, with clinical presentation remaining severe for the majority. Many questions remain including the zoonotic source and geographical extent of infection. Surveillance has been extended to include clusters of cases or health-care workers with severe, undiagnosed respiratory illness regardless of travel history. Environmental studies, on-going surveillance and linked case-contact investigations will provide a critical role in answering some of these issues