EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF MORTALITY FROM INFLUENZA IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

Abstract

Introduction: Influenza is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by one of the influenza viruses A, B or C, which inevitably appears every year in the form of larger or smaller epidemics, with a pronounced rapid spread within the population. A higher number of deaths occurs in the months when the epidemic lasts and is associated with an increased number of pneumonia, especially in older people.Objective: Analyze the mortality from influenza inthe Republic of Croatia and consider the connection of mortality with vaccination status.Subjects and methods: A retrospective cross -sectional epidemiological study was conducted between January and April 2024. Data on deaths from influenza between January 2014 and December 2023 were analyzedin the Republic of Croatia collected at the Service for Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.Results: In the observed period in the Republic of Croatia, 65321 people fell ill with the flu, of which 227 reports had a fatal outcome caused by the flu infection. Among the deceased, 70 % are people aged 65 and older, and 20 % are people aged 30 to 65. On average, more male persons died, and 63 % of respondents were not vaccinated, 32 % of respondents did not know their vaccination status, and 5 % of them were vaccinated against influenza. Conclusion: In all flu seasons, we record the highest number of deaths in people aged 65 and older. Most of the deceased persons were not vaccinated against influenza.Keywords: Human Influenza, Mortality Rate, Epidemiology, Vaccination, Croatia, Prevention