Children’s morbidity through viral hepatitis A in the Republic of Moldova

P. Iarovoi,  Marina Isac.

National Scientific and Practical Center for Preventive, Medicine.Chişinău, Moldova.

Introduction: Official recording of morbidity by HVA in the Republic of Moldova started in 1968. Examination and evaluation of morbidity indices during 33 years showed that its dynamics has the tendency of decreasing from 439,4 % in 1982 to 71,3 0/00 in 2000. Most of the patients are children under 15 (71,5 %). It has been stated a dependence of morbidity level by some socio-demographic factors.

Methods: Epidemiological surveillance, statistical analyses, general and comparative evaluation.

Results: The highest morbidity level by HVA was registered in 1982, 17576 cases, or 439,4 0/0000 of persons. In the following 18 years there were 3 multianual cycles of increasing-decreasing of morbidity with a  3-5 years duration, but the general trend was the decreasing of morbidity up to 249,5 cases or 57,7 0/000 in 1999. The analysis of territorial distribution showed that the morbidity level is increasing from the South of the republic (83,8 0/000), the Center (88,1 0/000 ) and to the North (60 0/000). The morbidity was in autumn – winter season, the highest morbidity indicator was established in children of 3-5 years old. (311,6 0/0000) followed by that group of 7-14 (167 0/000) and the one of 0-2 years (62,4 0/00). In total the morbidity of children under 15 consisted 185 0/0000 , while among adolescents and adults (15>)-30,1  0/000. Of the whole number of cases registered, the number of children under 15 consisted 71,5 0/0000. During 1975-1999 within, morbidity dynamics by HVA it was established a direct medium correlation with the high birth rate (r=0,67) and the number of preschool institutions (r=0,71) and the number of the children attending them (r=0,75). In 2000 the next increasing phase started of morbidity up to 71,3 0/000.

Conclusion: During the epidemic process in Moldova, there is a tendency of decreasing of morbidity indices due to some socio-demographic factors and preventive and antiepidemic measures applied in the last years. A tendency of morbidity reducing is noticed in the dynamics, a miltianual periodicity of 3-5 years an autumn-winter seasonal fact and a significant number of children under 15. These specific features will be maintained in the next years.