OBJECTIVE To estimate the health and economic burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in hospital and outpatient settings in eight Latin American and Caribbean countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela). METHODS An economic model was constructed using epidemiological data from published articles, national health administration studies, and co...

BACKGROUND Viral hepatitis is a major health problem in Brazil and worldwide. The state of Santa Catarina has high endemic areas, and the disease burden is unknown. OBJECTIVES To estimate and analyze the burden of hepatitis B in the state of Santa Catarina, in 2005 - 2010. MATERIALS AND METHODS A time-series analysis was conducted using notification data of incidence and mortality rates fro...

BACKGROUND Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline), a newly licensed rotavirus vaccine requiring 2 doses, may have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives in Africa. Nations such as Malawi, where Rotarix is currently under phase III investigation, may nevertheless face difficult economic choices in considering vaccine adoption. METHODS The cost-effectiveness of implementing a Rotarix vaccine p...

Trichinellosis is a cosmopolitan foodborne disease that may result in severe health disorders and even death. Despite international awareness of the public health risk associated with trichinellosis, current data on its public health impact are still lacking. Therefore we assessed, for the first known time, the global burden of trichinellosis using the Disability-Adjusted Life Year metric. The ...

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of having no disability in the year prior to death in very old age and to examine factors associated with this outcome. Participants were men and women aged 65 years and older who were followed prospectively between 1981 and 1991 from three communities: New Haven, Connecticut; Iowa and Washington counties, Iowa; and East Boston, Massachus...