[The present epidemiologic status and prognosis in measles]. / Soucasná epidemiologická situace a prognóza spalnicek.

During 1990 and partly also 1991, after a practically 10-year zero incidence of measles on the territory of the Czech Republic a measles epidemic broke out. The most severely affected group were adolescents aged 15-19 years who were immunized only by a single dose of vaccine. Conversely the lowest morbidity was recorded in 2-9-year-old children who were immunized already with two doses. The cause of the epidemic was primary failure of the vaccine leading to a low level of collective immunity in some population age brackets. The authors discuss and explain the strategy of immunization against measles involving two doses of vaccine after a 6-10-month interval. In the conclusion possibilities to achieve permanent elimination of measles on our territory are discussed.

[Viral hepatitis A in the catchment area of the Brno University Hospital 1983-1990]. / Virová hepatitis A ve spádové oblasti Fakultní nemocnice Brno v letech 1983-1990.

Introduction of assessment of specific anti-HAV IgM antibodies by the RIA method in 1983 and in 1989 also by the ELISA method made accurate aetiological diagnosis of viral hepatitis A (HA) possible. The authors evaluated the incidence of HA in 1983 to 1990 in the catchment area of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases of the University Hospital and Policlinic in Brno-Bohunice and the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Children of the Paediatric University Hospital with Policlinic in Brno-Cerná Pole, i.e. in a catchment area with a population of cca 850,000. In 1990 the incidence of HA increased markedly to 126 cases. This increase was due to an epidemic of HA from September to December 1990 when in September 13, in October 45 and in November 17 patients contracted the disease. In December the number of HA declined to 8. Eighteen patients from this epidemic were from the municipal Brno area 3, i.e. the area of Husovice and Zidenice. Mostly patients of gypsy origin with mutual contacts were involved. The majority of cases of HA in this epidemic had a not quite typical course, very frequently the course was protracted.

[Occupational diseases of health care workers]. / Profesionální nemoci zdravotníku.

During the past years in Czechoslovakia some 5000 occupational diseases, intoxications and other occupational health damage was recorded. Per year about one fifth of the affected people were health workers. The authors made an analysis of occupational diseases in the South Moravian region in 1975 to 1990. A total of 1726 occupational diseases of health professionals were recorded. In 91.8% contagious diseases were involved, in 7.4% dermatoses--where the most frequent condition was contact eczema. In 0.5% other occupational diseases were involved such as asthma bronchiale, damage to haematopoiesis by ionizing radiation, damage of the nerves of the upper extremities by locally transmitted vibrations, epicondylitis of the humerus and dysphonia in a teacher in a school for health workers. Other health damage was found only in 0.3%. In three instances serious malignancies of the urinary system were found in oncologists who had been administering cytostatics for prolonged periods. The most frequent occupational disease of health workers was in 65.4% viral hepatitis, in recent years with a steadily declining trend. The paper indicates that health professions were during the past period, as compared with traditional ideas, associated with a considerable risk.

[Analysis of communicable occupational diseases in the South Moravian Region 1975-1989]. / Poznatky z rozboru profesionálních prenosných nemocí v Jihomoravském kraji v letech 1975-1989.

In 1975 to 1989 in the South Moravian region 2732 communicable and parasitic diseases were diagnosed and notified. The long-term trend has a declining character. At the end of the period of investigation a decline to 43% of the initial level was recorded. As to the occupation of the affected subjects, 56% were health workers and 26% agricultural workers. The most frequent disease was in 43% viral hepatitis, in 20% trichophytosis, in 5% erysipeloid and in 4% tubera mulgentium. Health workers suffered most frequently from viral hepatitis; in 68% it was type B hepatitis. The mean age of the patients was 35.6 years. The authors analyzed the findings, discuss the criteria of occupational character according to the list of occupational diseases which is the appendix 1 of decree 149/1988 Sb.