|
|
The Incidence of Pertussis in South Bohemia
HOLINKOVÁ, Petra
The thesis deals with the problem of the occurrence of whooping cough in the South Bohemian Region in the period of 2003-2012. Despite the high level of vaccination the incidence of this illness after a significant fall in the 1980s has been growing constantly since 1993. This trend evidently also applies in other developed countries with a high rate of vaccination. The main aim is to draw up an overview of the occurrence of whooping cough in the South Bohemian Region in the monitored period of the last 10 years, compare this occurrence with other regions in the Czech Republic and map out the changes which have occurred in whooping cough vaccination. Quantitative and qualitative research was chosen to process the empirical part. Data for quantitative research was acquired from the database of infectious diseases (EPIDAT), and consisted of reported cases of whooping cough. Another essential group of data were demographic figures about the number and age structure of the population. The second qualitative part was drawn up on the basis of a literary search. I acquired additional information by communicating with individual territorial workplaces of the Regional Hygiene Station of the South Bohemian Region based in České Budějovice. Using the processed data I discovered that the incidence of whooping cough in the South Bohemian Region does not have an ascending trend in 2003-2012 unlike the trend in the whole of the Czech Republic. The highest occurrence of whooping cough in the Czech Republic in the monitored period was reported in the 10-14 age group. The research also showed that in the period of 2003-2012 individual regions differed greatly in the occurrence and can be divided into two groups ? regions with the highest reached incidence below 10 cases/100,000 people and regions with incidence with the highest reached incidence above 10 cases/100,000 people which includes the South Bohemian Region. There have been many changes in the vaccination of whooping cough and the most important was the transition from whole cell vaccine to acellular in 2007 and adding a 6th booster dose between the 10th and 11th year in 2009. The greatest attention should be paid above all to increase information or test the knowledge of the lay public, especially women preparing for pregnancy and people taking care of newborn babies and infants about the occurrence, potential risks and possibilities of vaccination against this infection even at an adult age. In my opinion a further necessity is the consolidation of diagnostics, definition of a case and procedures of surveillance throughout the Czech Republic, education of paediatricians and general practitioners about the illness and topicality of the problem, an appeal to report the occurrence of this infection to epidemiologists, observing the isolation of the patient, monitoring possible epidemiological connections between cases and making use of the offer of the NRL (National Reference Laboratory) services against whooping cough and diphtheria. This thesis can be used in practice as a summary of information material for the lay and professional public about the occurrence of whooping cough in the South Bohemian Region and throughout the Czech Republic and overview of vaccination against whooping cough. It can be an incentive for further anti-epidemic measures and the need for further research into this problem.
|
guest ::
