[Incidence of influenza in a large city 1978-1981]

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Virology
• Public Health

Background:

• Influenza and acute respiratory disease (ARD) pose significant public health challenges, particularly in urban environments.
• Accurate and timely assessment of influenza incidence is crucial for effective public health interventions.
• Traditional methods of monitoring influenza spread may have limitations in speed and accuracy for large cities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the dissemination patterns of influenza over three seasons (1978-1981) in Moscow.
• To evaluate the utility of the immunofluorescent express diagnosis method for monitoring influenza outbreaks.
• To assess if this method improves the accuracy of epidemic situation evaluation in large urban settings.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a comparative analysis of influenza dissemination over three seasons (1978-1981) in Moscow.
• Registered total incidence of influenza and ARD.
• Confirmed influenza A and B cases using the immunofluorescent express diagnosis method.
• Performed weekly registration of express diagnosis results.

Main Results:

• Weekly registration of immunofluorescent express diagnosis results accurately reflected periods of increased influenza spread.
• The express diagnosis method proved to be a significant addition to the analysis of summary incidence data.
• The integration of express diagnosis results increased the accuracy of operative evaluation of the epidemic situation.

Conclusions:

• The immunofluorescent express diagnosis method provides a reliable and timely tool for monitoring influenza activity.
• This diagnostic approach enhances the precision of epidemic surveillance in large cities.
• Implementing weekly express diagnosis can significantly improve the management of influenza outbreaks.