Viviana Sotomayor

Rubella Outbreaks Following Virus Importations: The Experience of Chile

BACKGROUND Strategies for accelerated control of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in Chile included mass vaccination of women of childbearing age in 1999 but did not include vaccination of adult men. METHODS We reviewed data from Chiles integrated surveillance system for measles, rubella, and CRS from 2004 through 2009 and describe the epidemiology of rubella outbreaks and implementation of control measures in 2005 and 2007 following mass vaccination of women. Population estimates from census data were used to calculate rubella incidence rates. The age distribution of rubella cases during 2007 was compared with rubella vaccination opportunities by birth cohort to orient mass vaccination of adult men. RESULTS In 2005, an institutional outbreak of rubella occurred among male naval recruits 18-22 years of age, with 46 confirmed cases over a 5-month period. Beginning in March 2007, rubella outbreaks among young adults in the capital of Santiago spread throughout Chile, resulting in >4000 confirmed rubella cases. Delayed control measures and rapid dissemination among young adults led to widespread transmission. From 2007 through 2009, rubella incidence was highest among adult men not included in previous vaccination strategies. Mass vaccination of men 19-29 years of age was conducted in November 2007 to interrupt rubella transmission. CONCLUSIONS Chiles experience suggests that vaccination strategies for rubella and CRS elimination need to include both men and women.

Brote de influenza A (H1N1) humano en pavos en un criadero comercial, Valparaíso, Chile: 2009

El MINSAL lidero una investigacion para identificar factores asociados a infeccion por influenza A(H1N1) en pavos de planteles avicolas, Valparaiso. El Servicio Agricola Ganadero informo la deteccion de influenza A (baja patogenicidad) en pavos y el ISP confirmo influenza A(H1N1). El estudio incluyo 100% de los pabellones operativos: 31% presento evento positivo (influenza A(H1N1); 60% al considerar solo pabellones de reproduccion. La diseminacion y velocidad de dispersion de 13 pabellones en 18 dias evidencio una fuente comun continua. Se entrevisto a 89% de los trabajadores y 20% presento ETI: 26% de pabellones de reproduccion y 4% de granjas de cria y recria. De 15 factores analizados, inseminacion y edad de las hembras mostraron RR estadisticamente significativos en los planteles con baja ovipostura. Se plantea transmision hombre-ave directa por saliva en inseminacion manual o transmision indirecta por semen contaminado. Es el primer brote de influenza A(H1N1) 2009 en pavos detectado en el mundo y que se comprueba via de transmision cloacal.

Estimating the burden of influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths in Chile during 2012-2014

Influenza is a vaccine preventable disease that causes important morbidity and mortality worldwide. Estimating the burden of influenza disease is difficult. However, there are some methods based in surveillance data and laboratory testing that can be used for this purpose.