Epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis in South Korea, 2007-2010.

Background: Japanese encephalitis (JE) was the leading cause of viral encephalitis among children in South Korea in the 20(th) century. This study summarizes recent changes in the epidemiology of JE following the implementation of a vigorous immunization program in the country.

Methods: Epidemiological investigations were performed for all reported laboratory-confirmed JE cases, and the cumulative incidence was calculated for the surveillance years 2007-2010.

2009-2010 novel influenza A (H1N1) vaccination coverage in the Republic of Korea.

This study aimed to assess vaccination coverage for novel influenza A (H1N1) in Korea using a immunization registry system as the data source. Vaccination coverage was found to be 26.1% for the total population and 54.

Active surveillance of adverse events following immunization against pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in Korea.

Surveillance of vaccine safety is one of the public health interventions used to investigate the causal relationship between vaccines and adverse events. Using active surveillance data, we aimed to compile a detailed summary describing the safety of the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine. Computer-assisted telephone interview was used to investigate adverse events for 9,000 subjects who had received non-adjuvanted vaccines between November 2009 and January 2010, and for 19,000 adults who received adjuvanted vaccines from January through March 2010.

National action plan for response to poliovirus importation.

The Division of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control and National Immunization Program of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared a plan of action as a guide for key actions that will be taken if a poliovirus outbreak occurs in the Republic of Korea. The history of poliomyelitis and vaccination against poliovirus in the nation was reviewed and the routine surveillance procedures that are currently in place were described. The principles and specific actions for an effective response to a poliovirus outbreak were prepared.

Surveillance and control of rubella in the republic of Korea from 2001 to 2009: the necessity for enhanced surveillance to monitor congenital rubella syndrome.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the epidemiologic data of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) supplied by surveillance systems from 2001 to 2009 and to propose measures to improve the quality of the surveillance system in the Republic of Korea.

Methods: The epidemiological data for rubella and CRS cases reported to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2001 to 2009 were retrospectively reviewed, and insurance reimbursement data from the Korea National Health Insurance Review Agency were collected for comparison.

Results: The number of yearly reported rubella cases to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2001 to 2009 was 128, 24, 8, 24, 15, 12, 35, 30, and 36, respectively.