Subject(s)
Disease Outbreaks , Population Surveillance , West Nile Fever/epidemiology , West Nile Fever/virology , West Nile virus/isolation & purification , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Child , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Greece/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Viral , Sex Distribution , West Nile Fever/blood , West Nile Fever/cerebrospinal fluid , West Nile Fever/diagnosis , West Nile virus/immunology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Leishmaniasis is endemic and mandatorily notifiable in Greece. Epidemiological surveillance data for leishmaniasis in Greece between 1981 and 2011 are presented. In 1998, the notification system began distinguishing between visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis. The mean annual incidence of reported leishmaniasis cases between 1998 and 2011 was 0.36 per 100,000 population. Of a total 563 leishmaniasis cases reported after 1998, 523 (93%) were visceral leishmaniasis cases. Incidence of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases fluctuated during this period, generally decreasing after 2007, with a small re-increase in 2011. The mean annual incidence rate of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases was significantly higher in less than four year-olds (p <0.001). Leishmaniasis cases occurred both in the country mainland and islands. Between 1998 and 2011, Attica concentrated almost half of the reported visceral leishmaniasis cases, with incidence rates in western Attica and western Athens above 12.00 per 100,000 population. Compared to visceral leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis had a rather sporadic distribution, with many prefectures appearing free of cases. From 2004, the notification also included risk factors and of 287 cases with known immune status, 44 (15%) were immunocompromised. Moreover having a dog at home was reported by 209 of 312 leishmaniasis cases (67%), whereas 229 of 307 cases (75%) reported the presence of stray dogs near their residence. Linking clinical surveillance data with laboratory data and improving collaboration with the veterinary public health sector are some of the future challenges for leishmaniasis surveillance in Greece.
Subject(s)
Leishmaniasis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Greece/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Mandatory Reporting , Middle Aged , Population Surveillance , Risk Factors , Sex Distribution , Young AdultABSTRACT
A measles outbreak (126 reported cases to date) has been ongoing in Greece, since January 2010, originally related to the recent outbreak in Bulgaria. Cases are mostly unvaccinated, and mainly belong to three groups: Roma population of Bulgarian nationality, Greek Roma population, and Greek non-minority population. In these population groups, 67%, 95%, and 25% of cases respectively were children aged 0-14 years. Measures were taken to raise clinical awareness, and vaccination of specific population groups was undertaken. Policies are necessary to increase routine vaccination uptake of hard-to-reach groups.
