Abstract book 6th RMS 16.indd

and etiology of SARI in Jordan • estimate
the proportion of SARI attributed to
influenza and other pathogens and build
local capacity related to epidemiology and
surveillance
Methods: Initiatied November 2007 at
4 sentinel sites Hospitalized patients are
enrolled upon meeting case definition.
• Demographic and epidemiological
data are recorded. Nasopharyngeal and
oropharyngeal swabs are collected from
each patient. Specimens are analyzed via
Real Time PCR for: Influenza A and B, and
other pathogens
Results: A total 755 patients were
enrolled. • Among enrolled patients, 61%
were males, 73% were children under 5
years old, and the median age was 1.3yrs
•Seven-hundred and fifty samples were
tested using Rt;PCR. •Results showed that
59% of all samples tested were positive with
a viral etiology •Influenza had a distinctly
seasonal pattern, with peak activity
occurring around January. •Respiratory
Syncytial Viruses (RSV) accounted for 25%
of the positive Severe Acute Respiratory
Infections (SARI) specimens. •Children
under 5yrs accounted for a significant
percentage of total positive samples
(84.3%) and RSV cases (95%).
Conclusion: •SARI infections were
significantly more common in children
under 5 years old. •Children less than 5
yrs admitted to sentinel hospitals in Jordan
with acute respiratory infection commonly
suffered from RSV. •There is seasonality of
Influenza and RSV in the winter months
with peaks from December to March •A
second peak of influenza cases occurred
between May 2009-Nov 2009, reflecting
the introduction of pandemic Flu A1
(H1N1)
416
Pandemic Influenza (H1N1) 2009:
Jordan Experience
Sultan Alqasrawi MD, Head of Surveillance
Department/Directorate of Communicable
Diseases (Jordan)
sultanmabdalla@yahoo.com
Objectives: To highlight the epidemiological
profile of the pandemic in Jordan
Methods: All laboratory confirmed cases
by Rt- PCR and reported to the Ministry of
Health were included in this study during
the period from 15-6-2009 to 21-12-2009.
Results: A total number of 3048
confirmed cases of the diseases were
reported to the Ministry of Health. Age
of patients ranged from two weeks to 99
years (median= 15 years). Males accounted
for 53%of cases. The epidemic curve
peaked during October. Majority of cases
treated in hospitals of Ministry of Health
and Royal Medical Services (73% and
12% respectively).Reported deaths were
only 16, and 13 of the 16 were in serious
condition on admission.
Conclusion: The study highlighted the
magnitude of the pandemic in Jordan
417
Acute Viral Kerato–Conjunctivitis: an
Outbreak in July-August 2010
Mahmud Abdallat MD MPH, Senior Specialist
at PMD, Epidemiology RMS (Jordan)
mahmud.abdallat@yahoo.com
Objectives: To clinically describe
an outbreak of acute viral Keratoconjunctivitis
which occurred at a Military
Training School in Zarqa and to specify the
etiology of the disease on the clinical basis
at Prince Hashem Military Hospital (PHMH)
July to August 2010.
Methods: Material and Methods: A total of
59 trainees were interviewed and referred
to the Ophthalmologic clinic at Prince
Hashem Military Hospital (PHMH) during
the outbreak of the disease July -August
2010.
Results: Result: All cases are males with
age range from 18-24 years (mean age
21 years), maximum number of cases
seen at two days of onset of symptoms.
All 59 (100%) had red eye, 89.8% had
pain, 86.3%had foreign body sensation
and 87.5% had discharge. Bilateral
involvement was seen in 73.5% and
unilateral involvement in 26.5%, 43% of
the total cases had corneal involvement
and 20% of the cases had associated fever
and periauricular lymphadenopathy.
Conclusion: The outbreak of Keratoconjunctivitis
observed at the time of study
was viral in origin based on clinical analysis
and literature review. Adequate personal
hygiene, hand cleanliness and avoiding
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