The burden of influenza-associated respiratory hospitalizations in Bhutan, 2015-2016.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Influenza burden estimates help provide evidence to support influenza prevention and control programs. In this study, we estimated influenza-associated respiratory hospitalization rates in Bhutan, a country considering influenza vaccine introduction.

Methods

Using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction laboratory results from severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance, we estimated the proportion of respiratory hospitalizations attributable to influenza each month among patients aged <5, 5-49, and ≥50 years in six Bhutanese districts for 2015 and 2016. We divided the sum of the monthly influenza-attributed hospitalizations by the total of the six district populations to generate age-specific rates for each year.

Results

In 201

SUBMITTER: Thapa B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6304319 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature