Incidencia del cáncer infantil en la Comunidad de Castilla y León (2003–2007) / Incidence of childhood cancer in the autonomous region of Castilla y León in Spain (2003–2007)

Antecedentes: En España desde 1980 se registran los tumores infantiles en el Registro Nacional (base hospitalaria) y desde 1990 cinco comunidades autónomas poseen registros de base poblacional. En la Comunidad de Castilla y León no existe un registro específico de incidencia de cáncer infantil. Objetivos: Estimar la incidencia de cáncer infantil en la Comunidad de Castilla y León y analizar la utilidad de los diagnósticos informatizados del alta hospitalaria como fuente de datos de un potencial registro autonómico. Métodos: A través del Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos (CMBD) al alta hospitalaria de los hospitales públicos de la comunidad autónoma, se obtuvo información de los pacientes menores de 15 años que fueron diagnosticados por primera vez de cáncer durante los años 2003–2007.ResultadosSe han detectado 220 casos nuevos de cáncer infantil en los cinco años del estudio, con predominio del sexo masculino (55,5%). El tumor más frecuente fue la leucemia (28,6%) seguida de los tumores del sistema nervioso central (19,5%) y los linfomas (15,9%). La incidencia anual de cáncer infantil fue de 152,8 casos por millón de niños. Los códigos diagnósticos informatizados no permitieron la clasificación según la variedad histológica del tumor en 74 casos (33,6%). Conclusiones: La incidencia por grupos diagnósticos de cáncer infantil en la Comunidad de Castilla y León se aproxima a las aportadas en series nacionales e internacionales. En un registro de tumores el CMBD podría ser útil en la captación de posibles nuevos casos, pero en un alto porcentaje no permite clasificar los tumores según su variedad histológica (AU)

Background: Since 1980, childhood cancer cases have been registered in Spain in the National Registry of Childhood Cancer (based on hospital cases) and since 1990, five autonomous regions have had a population based registry. There is no specific registry of childhood cancer in Castilla y Leon. Objectives: Our aim was to estimate the childhood cancer incidence in the autonomous region of Castilla y Leon and to assess the usefulness of the computerised diagnosis of hospital discharges as a source of data in a potential autonomous region population based registry. Methods: We included patients younger than 15 years old who were diagnosed, for the first time, of cancer during the years 2003–2007. The information collected was obtained through the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) of the public hospitals in the autonomous region of Castilla y Leon. Results: In this period of 5 years (2003–2007), 220 cases of childhood cancer had been reported. The most frequent cancer detected was leukaemia (28.6%) followed by the central nervous system tumours (19.5%) and lymphoma (15.9%). The overall rate of childhood cancer incidence was 152.8 cases per million children. The diagnostics codes did not allow tumours to be classified by their histological type in 74 cases (33.6%). Conclusions: The overall incidence by diagnostic groups of childhood cancer in the autonomous region of Castilla y Leon was similar to those reported by other national and international registries. In a Cancer registry the MBDS could be useful as a data source in the capture of new cases, but in a high percentage of cases it does not allow tumours to be classified by their histological type (AU)

[Epidemiologic study of an outbreak of echovirus type-9 meningitis]. / Estudio epidemiológico de un brote de meningitis por echovirus tipo-9.

BACKGROUND: Several agents are able to produce lymphocytic meningitis, but sometimes it's not possible their identification. The viruses are the etiological agents more frequently found, especially enteroviruses, mumps virus and herpes simplex virus, with different epidemiological patterns depending on time and geographic location. Most of the infections caused by enteroviruses are asymptomatics. In general the viral meningitis have a good prognostic with an acute benign course and serious signs of neurological affectation are infrequent. From 1991 it has been observed an increase of nonpolio enteroviral meningitis outbreaks in our Country. Echovirus-4 was isolated in most of the outbreaks notified during that year. Echovirus-9 was not isolated in any of them. METHODS: We describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of a lymphocytic meningitis outbreak that took place from June to July of 1993 in Burgos. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients, most of them children, were hospitalized with fever, headache, vomits and stiff neck with an increase in the total cell count in cerebospinal fluid (CSF). Echovirus-9 was isolated from fecal samples in eight patients. CONCLUSIONS: The etiology was attributed to Echovirus-9 because of microbiologic and epidemiologic findings. The incubation period can fluctuate between four an five days and fecal-oral transmission is the most probable mechanism.