Epidemiologic particularities of influenza in 1986 in a large urban centre of Romania.

The study presents the evolutive peculiarities of the epidemiologic influenza process in 1986 in a large urban centre in Romania, inferrable from the active control by a complex methodology based on clinical, epidemiologic and laboratory investigations. The prevalent part of A (H1N1 and H3N2) and B influenza viruses in causing seasonal morbidity risings is being stressed. A (H3N2) and B influenza viruses determined an epidemic rising during the first trimester and A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) during the fourth trimester in 1986. The epidemiologic influenza impact in 1986 is discussed from the point of view of the complex relationships between the antigenic structure of circulating influenza viruses and the antiinfluenza immune structure of the population.

[Evolutive peculiarities of streptococcal infections in the year 1980, in the city of Bucharest]. / Particularitatile evolutive ale infectiilor streptococice, în cursul anului 1980, în municipiul Bucuresti.

In further investigations on the evolutive trends of the epidemiologic streptococcal process, an extensive epidemiological survey was carried out in prescholar and school communities in the town of Bucharest with a view to applying efficient antiepidemic measures able to limit primary streptococcal infections and prevent late, redoubtable complications. In 1980, in Bucharest, morbidity from scarlet fever was at its lowest level (92.7 per 100,000) during the last 31 years; it was in general benign, affecting especially in the month of March the 5-9 years age group (623.9 per 100,000) and the 1-4 years age group (529.4 per 100,000). The trailing evolution of a scarlet fever focus in a prescholar community suggested the hypothesis of the potentiation of the induction of streptococcal toxigenesis under the influence of intercurrent vital infections, especially measles. There were no deaths from scarlet fever. Laboratory investigations for the active detection and treatment of anginas, of carriers at risk, totalled 52101 tests; of these 4478 (8.59%) were positive for group "A" streptococci. In the prescholar communities surveyed no poststreptococcal complications were reported (acute articular rheumatism and glomerulonephritis). In 1980, there were 63 cases of acute articular rheumatism (code 250) in the 0-18 year-old group. The results suggest the need of continued epidemiological survey of streptococcal infections in children with a view to improving the health status of the population.

[Improvement of rapid laboratory methods for the diagnosis of streptococcal infections]. / Imbunatatirea metodelor rapide de laborator în diagnosticul infectiilor streptococice

In 1975, clinical and epidemiological investigations were carried out on streptococcal infections, affecting 261 persons in a children's community. Rapid laboratory tests were used, employing commercial sodium amyl polyethylen microtablets. Of the total persons investigated 24.5% (64) presented primary streptococcal infections and 0.3% (1) complications. Environmental complications was 5% greater in the communities with scarlet fever foci than in the intact communities. The absence of late manifestations in the 1--4 year-old children attests to the effectiveness of the preventive measures taken.

[Sero-epidemiological surveillance, a method of prevention of complications of streptococcal infections]. / Supravegherea seroepidemiologica - metoda de profilaxie a complicatiilor poststreptococice

In order to find methods for the prevention and control of streptococcal infections of 711 day schoolchildren and boarders, aged 7 to 14 years, were followed up during the 1969-1973 period. The clinical and epidemiologic investigations revealed a great number of acute infections with varied clinical manifestations and high proportions of the acute articular rheumatism (3.1%) in the boarding schools as compared to the day schools (0.5%). The bacteriologic examinations confirmed and established the etiology of the cases, revealing moreover the role of carriers in maintaining and spreading the infection. The ASLO test showed persistent and high gammaglobulin titers in the children of the boarding schools, pointing to a state of hypersensitivity consequent to repeated streptococcal infections.