Estimation of influenza and severe acute respiratory illness incidence [burden] in three provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2012 and 2013

There are few estimates of influenza burden in the WHO Region for the Eastern Mediterranean. In this study we estimated the burden of severe acute respiratory infection [SARI] and influenza-associated SARI [F-SARI] in selected provinces of Islamic Republic of Iran, the trends of SARI and confirmed cases of influenza [F-SARI] over 12 months [seasonality], and the age groups most at risk. Using the electronic Iranian influenza surveillance system and data of cases in sentinel hospitals of 3 selected provinces, we estimated the monthly trend [seasonality] of incidence for SARI and F-SARI, overall incidence of SARI and F-SARI and their disaggregation by age with the aid using the Monte Carlo technique. The age groups most at-risk were children aged under 2 years and adults older than 50 years

Adverse events of trivalent influenza vaccine among health care workers in Iran

To assess the frequency and type of adverse events after influenza vaccination in Iranian adults. Health care workers in 7 medical centers received the influenza vaccine from October 2006 to February 2007 and followed by phone regarding symptoms experienced after vaccination. Of 897 adults who participated in the study, local and systemic reactions were reported by 187 [20.8%] and 98 [22.1%] persons, respectively. The most common local reaction was pain [20.2%], while myalgia [15.8%] was the most common systemic reaction. One case of Guillain-barre syndrome was reported. Inactivated influenza vaccine administration did not result in potential adverse events in healthy adults