Infectious Disease în România

Mortality in Romania caused by infectious diseases is high, compared to EU quotas.

Mortality caused by infectious diseases and infant mortality remain at high values, which can be explained by "social underdevelopment 'existence especially in rural areas. Here, only 13 percent (the lowest index in the EU) of homes are connected to a central water supply network and 10 percent to a sewerage system (EU average is 54 per cent).

Mortality by cause of death during the 1990-2008 multi-annual evolution keeps the same, the first place is occupied by deaths from circulatory diseases, followed by tumors, respiratory, digestive and deaths from accidents. ( LIST OF COMMON INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN ROMANIA)

I chose the most common diseases in Romania:

HEPATITIS

In Bucharest about two million of Romania’s 22 million people are carrying some form of hepatitis, in the highest infection rates in Europe.

Between 6 to 8 percent suffer from hepatitis B, and between 8 to 12 percent from hepatitis C. Hepatitis is the main cause for hospitalisation.

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis C is a more aggressive liver illness transmitted usually through blood transfusion. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted this way, but also more through sexual contact.

Medical reports suggest that most people in Romania got infected during the 1980s because of poor conditions in hospitals and polyclinics and negligent medical practices such as using non-sterile syringes and transfusions with untested blood.

It is estimated that around 1.5 million Romanians carry one of the viruses without being aware of it. In many cases, the viruses can infect the body without leading to an acute condition. These people can then unknowingly transmit the viruses to others.

“Romania has the highest rate of deaths from hepatitis in Europe. About 260,000 in a million patients with chronic hepatitis die of it”( WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION )

Varicella

Notification of varicella (chickenpox) is mandatory in Romania, using a case definition of eruption with maculopapules, vesicles and scabs, with/without fever. Varicella cases, with information on patient age group, are reported by local districts, to the Institute of Public Health in Bucharest, where data is nationally centralised.

The incidence of varicella (cases/100 000 inhabitants) increased from 110 in 1986 to 369 in 1995. The incidence of varicella declined slightly in 1996, but remained higher than before 1990. In 2001, there was a sharp increase of the incidence of varicella (to 310), and incidence has since remained at over 200 cases/100 000 inhabitants, reaching 316 in 2004. The incidence of varicella has tripled in the past two decades but this fact is probably attributable to an improved reporting system of varicella cases in Romania.

Varicella incidence in Romania (cases/100 000 inhabitants), 1986-2004.

Age distribution (2000-2004) shows a peak of incidence in 5-9 year olds

Varicella incidence (cases/100 000 inhabitants) by age group, Romania. 2000-2004