[Economic crisis and communicable diseases. SESPAS report 2014].

Past economic crises have increased the impact of communicable diseases especially on groups particularly vulnerable to the social and health consequences of the recession. However, it has been shown that the impact of these crises largely depends on the response of governments and the inhabitants of affected countries. We describe the consequences of the current crisis in the causal chain of infectious disease, including the response of the health system, and explore whether there is evidence of its impact in Spain.

[Epidemiological studies on the poliomyelitis in Spain before the vaccination].

The eradication of polio in Spain is one of the most important health milestones of the twentieth century, not only for public health but also for the effect it had on scientific knowledge in our country, in the medical field. Knowledge of international literature by our epidemiologists and virologists, was important, as reflected in the studies of outbreaks, virological studies and clinical studies. For public health represented, throughout the twentieth century, an effort geared to make decisions based on scientific knowledge.

[Evaluation of the impact of the heat wave in the summer of 2003 on mortality].

The effect of the elevated temperatures experimented in Europe during the summer 2003 on mortality was observed in several countries. This study, carried out in Spain, describes the mortality between the 1st June and the 31st August and evaluates the effect of the heat wave on mortality. Observed deaths were obtained from official vital Registers of the capital city of the 50 provinces.

[The use of the capture- recapture method in evaluating the epidemiological meningococcal disease monitoring system in Tenerife, Spain (1999-2000)].

Background: Meningococcal Disease is mainly monitored passively on the Canary Islands, the regular Compulsory Disease Notification channels being used. The objective of this study includes describing the qualitative and quantitative aspects of this system and evaluating the exhaustiveness, by means of the capture-recapture system, of three information sources.

Methods: This study covers the 1999-2001 period in Tenerife.

[Evaluation of a system to feedback information on Public Health: the experience of Area 2 of the Community of Madrid].

Background: In January 2000 the Public Health Service of Area 2, in the Region of Madrid, began to publish a weekly sheet on epidemiological and public health information (HISP) addressed to health professionals working in the Area. The aim of the present study was to estimate to how extend the "HISP" was known among health professionals of Area 2, and also to estimate the suitability and usefulness of its contents, during 2000.

Methods: A postal survey was carried out among a random sample of professionals working in Area 2.

[A study of whooping cough epidemic outbreak in Castellon, Spain].

Background: Based on the report of several cases at one school, a study of an epidemic outbreak was started for the purpose of characterizing this outbreak from the person, place and time standpoint, calculating the effectiveness of the immunization and the concordance of the cases with the positive result of the serological study.

Methods: A "case" is defined as being that individual who has a cough fasting for two weeks. A study is made of the spread of the disease by means of the epidemic curve and the effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine.

[Nosocomial epidemic outbreak of acute gastroenteritis by Norwalk-like virus].

Background: From the notification of an acute gastroenteritis outbreak in a nursing home, an epidemiological study was started to determine the characteristics of the outbreak and its spreading pattern and to identify determining factors.

Patients And Method: A study of historic cohorts was performed and the case was defined by the presence of diarrhea and vomiting. Spatial aggregation in double rooms was analyzed by a binomial distribution and temporal aggregation was analyzed by a relative risks model.

[Salmonella enteritis in Huesca. 1996-1999].

Background: The enteritis due to Salmonella is still an important cause of infectious gastroenteritis, that is responsible of 85% of the foodborne outbreaks in Spain. It represents without any doubt a public health problem that involves several health care services and preventive services.

Subjects And Method: Using two sources of information: the National Diseases Surveillance System and the Microbiology Laboratories of the Hospitals (MLH) we estimated the incidence of Salmonella infection by the capture-recapture method.