AIM We describe the epidemiology of a community outbreak of Meningococcal C disease in Northland in 2011, and national trends in serogroup C disease in New Zealand. METHODS Notification data from EpiSurv for all meningococcal C cases were analysed for 2011 for Northland and for the period 2001-2011 nationally. RESULTS In 2011, the rate of group C meningococcal disease for the population in ...

BACKGROUND In China, few studies have described annual mortality associated with epilepsy in a general population and these have provided a range of 3.0-7.9 deaths per 100,000 people. We calculated the case fatality rate (CFR), proportional mortality rate (PMR), and standardised mortality ratio (SMR) to assess mortality in people with epilepsy in rural China. METHODS The target population was...

OBJECTIVE To analyze trends in the incidence and pathogen distribution of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections (HABSIs) over a 20-year period (1992-2011). DESIGN Historical cohort study. SETTING Thirty-two-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS Neonates with HABSIs defined according to the criteria of the National Institute of Child Healt...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute onset of jaundice and a high case-fatality ratio in pregnant women. We provide a clinical description of hospitalized case patients and assess the specific impact on pregnant women during a large epidemic of HEV infection in a displaced population in Mornay camp (78,800 inhabitants), western Darfur, Sudan. METHODS We reviewed hospital records. A...

An analysis of 382 patients, aged 12 and over, admitted to the infectious disease ward of Amin Hospital in Isfahan over a 20 year period with clinically diagnosed tetanus is reported. The study comprised 297 patients, 77.7% from rural areas and 85(22.3%) from the city of Isfahan. The male- female ratio for both groups was approximately 2:1. Rural patients were younger and showed a lower cr...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Seasonal variation in stroke has long been recognized. To date, there are minimal published data on seasonal variations in rates of stroke and subsequent case fatality in the Southern Hemisphere. The aim of this study was to examine stroke seasonality through the use of data from a hospital-based stroke register in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. METHOD...

OBJECTIVE To detect and explain changing trends in incidence, case fatality rates, and mortality for unintentional injuries in the Netherlands for the years 1950 through 1995. METHODS Using national registry data, the authors analyzed trends in traffic injuries, occupational injuries, and home and leisure injuries. RESULTS Between 1950 and 1970, mortality from unintentional injuries rose, r...

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in Pakistan. The National ARI Control Programme was launched in 1989 in order to reduce the mortality attributed to pneumonia, and rationalize the use of drugs in the management of patients with ARI. WHO's standard ARI case management guidelines were adopted to achieve these objectives. The medical staff...