Articles: pandemics.
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This study investigated the acceptability of the A/H1N1 influenza vaccination and related factors among 1137 adults in the later stage of the A/H1N1 outbreak in Turkey. Having already been vaccinated or intending to get vaccinated were related to trust in the vaccine effectiveness, perceived risk of the side effects, and benefits of getting vaccinated. Perceived long term consequences of the A/H1N1 infection, perceptions of the A/H1N1 information in media, and barriers for getting vaccinated were related to intention whereas anticipated epidemic situation in Turkey, being chronically ill, and being not married were related to having already been vaccinated.
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It is impossible to know with certainty the first time that an influenza virus infected humans or when the first influenza pandemic occurred. However, many historians agree that the year 1510 a.d.-500 years ago-marks the first recognition of pandemic influenza. On this significant anniversary it is timely to ask: what were the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the 1510 pandemic, and what have we learned about this important disease over the subsequent five centuries? We conclude that in recent decades significant progress has been made in diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment of influenza. It seems likely that, in the foreseeable future, we may be able to greatly reduce the burden of influenza pandemics with improved vaccines and other scientific and public health approaches.
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Comparative Study
Incidence of hospital admissions and severe outcomes during the first and second waves of pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
Canada experienced two distinct waves of pandemic (H1N1) influenza during the 2009 pandemic, one in the spring and the second in early fall 2009. We compared the incidence of hospital admissions and severe outcomes (admission to intensive care unit [ICU] and death) during the two waves. ⋯ The epidemiologic features of the first and second waves of the 2009 pandemic differed. The second wave was substantially larger and, although the patients admitted to hospital were older and more of them had underlying conditions, a smaller proportion had a severe outcome.
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Surveillance of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) in Denmark was enhanced during the 2009–10 winter season with a system monitoring the burden of the pandemic on intensive care units (ICUs), in order to inform policymakers and detect shortages in ICUs in a timely manner. Between week 46 of 2009 and week 11 of 2010, all 36 relevant Danish ICUs reported in two ways: aggregate data were reported online and case-based data on paper. Cases to be reported were defined as patients admitted to an ICU with laboratory-confirmed 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) infection or clinically suspected illness after close contact with a laboratory-confirmed case. ⋯ Of the patients for whom information was available, 15 of 48 patients developed renal insufficiency, 19 of 50 developed septic shock and 17 of 53 died. The number of patients with pandemic influenza could be managed within the national bed capacity, although the impact on some ICUs was substantial. The combination of both reporting methods (collecting aggregate and case-based data) proved to be useful for monitoring the burden of the pandemic on ICUs.