This work provides estimates of HZ incidence and HZ-related hospitalization and mortality rates in France, where no immunization programme has been implemented. Herpes zoster data was obtained from the Sentinelles surveillance general practitioners (GPs) network, the PMSI Data processing centre for hospital discharges and from the French National Mortality Database (INSERM CépiDC). The yearly HZ incidence rate averaged 382 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI 364-405) and exponentially increased with age. The annual rates of hospitalizations and mortality due to HZ varied from 4.14±0.32 to 14.42±0.39 and from 0.11±0.03 to 0.29±0.04 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, depending on whether HZ was coded in a 'primary' or 'primary or associated' diagnosis. One or more factors of immunodepression occurred in 43.4% of hospitalized cases and in 21.6% HZ-related deaths.

GCA is associated with increased risk of dying from large-vessel disease, other cardiovascular diseases and potentially treatment-related co-morbidities. These findings help provide better insights into the outcomes of GCA.

This article provides a review of the epidemiological data on mumps in France since 1986. The results of 26 years of monitoring in general practice by the Sentinel network are analysed, such as hospitalisation data between 2004 and 2010, as well as mortality data between 2000 and 2009. The annual incidence rate has plummeted between 1986 and 2011, from 859 cases per 100,000 inhabitants [95% CI: 798-920] to 9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants [95% CI: 4-14]. A change in the age distribution is significant with an increase of Relative Illness Ratio (RIR) for patients over 20 years. Since 2000, vaccine status has also changed, and the majority of recent mumps cases occur among previously vaccinated patients. The average annual hospitalisation rate is 3.2 per 1 million inhabitants. Mumps was identified as the initial cause of death in 1 case every 5 years. This study estimates the burden of mumps disease in France.