Is Varicella still an incident infectious disease in the vaccine era?
Population-based immunization against varicella is not practiced in Peru, though the vaccine is available in private medical attention. Cases are notified to local surveillance system, one of the largest hospitals of the north part of Lima City attends at least 16,338 children by emergency room and registered at least 60 varicella cases annually.
METHODS:
Data was taken from the local surveillance system from January 2006 to October 2013. Variables collected include patient age, sex, state and district of residence and date of illness onset.
RESULTS:
A total of 506 varicella cases were reported to the Epidemiology Office. Most cases of all reported cases occurred among males (n=288, 57%).The mean age was 8.8 years old. The cases peaked among children aged 2 a 5 years (n=212, 49%), however other groups were under 1 year (17.2%, n=87), 6-10 years (19.2%, n=97), 11-15 years (19.2%, n=35), 16-20 years (n=11, 2.2%) and adult 21 years old (n=63, 12.5%). The mean time for notification after the appearance of symptoms and signs was 3 days, this late time don’t permits adequate control spread of disease. Although cases occurred in all months of the year; the majority of patients had onset in spring and early summer months. The cases peaked 2008 to 2010 and then trends decreases maybe the vaccine is more available in private medical attention in the last years.
CONCLUSIONS:
In fact morbidity due to primary varicella is a public health problem in the north part of Lima City and there is not a prevention strategy, hence routine immunization of children and susceptible adults should be recommending as a part public health politics. Surveillance will need to be improving to examine the relevance and effectiveness and impact of related programmed activities.