Measuring herpes zoster disease burden in São Paulo, Brazil: a clinico-epidemiological single-center study.

Objectives: Herpes zoster is characterized by acute neuritis and post-herpetic neuralgia. Currently, data concerning the zoster-associated impact on quality of life and healthcare resource utilization in Brazil are scarce. This study measured the zoster-associated burden in a Brazilian population.

Economic Burden of Herpes Zoster ("culebrilla") in Latin America.

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) is characterized by debilitating pain and blistering dermatomal rash. The most common complication of HZ is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a persistent pain that can substantially affect patients' quality of life. HZ has significant impact on patients' lives with considerable implications for healthcare systems and society.

Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in healthy adults and children.

Background:: Neuraminidase inhibitors (NIs) are stockpiled and recommended by public health agencies for treating and preventing seasonal and pandemic influenza. They are used clinically worldwide.

Objective:: To describe the potential benefits and harms of NIs for influenza in all age groups by reviewing all clinical study reports of published and unpublished randomised, placebo-controlled trials and regulatory comments.

Elderly men's quality of life and lower urinary tract symptoms: an intricate relationship.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on the quality of life (QoL) in a group of elderly men.

Materials And Methods: Observational clinical study contained 200 men recruited between March-September 2008 in the community and Urology and Geriatrics ambulatories. The data collected included health and sociodemographic conditions; the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS); an anxiety/depression inventory; the World Health Organization Quality of Life -Bref and -Old questionnaires (WHOQoL).

The cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination for people aged 50 to 64 years: an international model.

Objectives: Routine influenza vaccination is currently recommended in several countries for people aged more than 60 or 65 years or with high risk of complications. A lower age threshold of 50 years has been recommended in the United States since 1999. To help policymakers consider whether such a policy should be adopted more widely, we conducted an economic evaluation of lowering the age limit for routine influenza vaccination to 50 years in Brazil, France, Germany, and Italy.

[Influenza].

Influenza (flu) is an acute contagious viral infection characterized by inflammation of the respiratory tract that every winter affects more than 100 million people in Europe, Japan and the United States of America, also being responsible for several thousand of excess deaths (data from the United States reveal between 20,000 to 40,000 excess deaths annually). The Mixovirus influenzae is the agent that causes influenza, commonly called flu. There are 3 types of influenza virus: A, B, C, and only types A and B are perceived to be clinically relevant in humans.

Impact of influenza vaccination on civilian aircrew illness and absenteeism.

Background: Approximately 10% of the general population worldwide acquires influenza infection every year. Airline crews run a particularly high risk of contracting influenza and influenza-like viruses because they come in contact with hundreds of potentially infected individuals every day. Respiratory diseases are the most frequent cause of absenteeism among flight crews in airline companies.