BackgroundThe 2009 H1N1 pandemic highlighted the need to routinely monitor severe influenza, which lead to the establishment of sentinel hospital-based surveillance of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in several countries in Europe. The objective of this study is to describe characteristics of SARI patients and to explore risk factors for a severe outcome in influenza-positive SARI patients.MethodsData on hospitalised patients meeting a syndromic SARI case definition between 2009 and 2012 from nine countries in Eastern Europe (Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Russian Federation and Ukraine) were included in this study. An exploratory analysis was performed to assess the association between risk factors and a severe (ICU, fatal) outcome in influenza-positive SARI patients using a multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsNine countries reported a total of 13,275 SARI patients. The majority of SARI patients reported in these countries were young children. A total of 12,673 SARI cases (95%) were tested for influenza virus and 3377 (27%) were laboratory confirmed. The majority of tested SARI cases were from Georgia, the Russian Federation and Ukraine and the least were from Kyrgyzstan. The proportion positive varied by country, season and age group, with a tendency to a higher proportion positive in the 15+ yrs age group in six of the countries. ICU admission and fatal outcome were most often recorded for influenza-positive SARI cases aged >15 yrs. An exploratory analysis using pooled data from influenza-positive SARI cases in three countries showed that age > 15 yrs, having lung, heart, kidney or liver disease, and being pregnant were independently associated with a fatal outcome.ConclusionsCountries in Eastern Europe have been able to collect data through routine monitoring of severe influenza and results on risk factors for a severe outcome in influenza-positive SARI cases have identified several risk groups. This is especially relevant in the light of an overall low vaccination uptake and antiviral use in Eastern Europe, since information on risk factors will help in targeting and prioritising vulnerable populations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-014-0722-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A high HBV infection rate and low HBV vaccination coverage were found in Albanian HCW. Albania is a Mediterranean country still highly endemic for HBV infection and new strategies to promote HBV vaccination are to be adopted.

BACKGROUND: Contaminated drinking water causes extensive outbreaks of illness because of the large number of people served by water supply facility. AIM: The present study describes a community epidemic outbreak of infection with multiple pathogens in Kruja city, Albania, in October 2021. METHODS: This descriptive study presents a case of epidemic outbreak caused by the hydric system in the inhabitants of the Kruja city from October 23, 2021 to October 29, 2021. A standard questionnaire was used for interview that addressed clinical symptoms, food consumption, and environmental exposures. Clinical specimens were cultured using standard microbiological methods for bacterial and viral pathogens. During 6 days of epidemy, 690 patients were treated to the emergency room of Kruje hospital. RESULTS: Day 3 presented the highest number of patients 39.1% (270/690) and the last day of epidemy presented the lowest number of patients 1.4% (10/690). Abdominal pain continuing with vomiting was more frequently clinical sign among patients. The most affected age group is 15–44 years old, which is also the most active age group. Salmonella Gr. B and Norovirus G2 were the results taken from the examination of stool samples. Analysis of a water sample resulted in Enterococcus faecalis contamination. CONCLUSION: Problems with drinking water are still present in our country. The latest outbreak shows the special care and importance of safe storage and distribution of drinking water. Investments in water supply as well as rigorous monitoring of drinking water should be an absolute priority of both public health and local government employees.