Author/Authors :
Uduman, S.A. United Arab Emirates University - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - Department of Paediatrics, United Arab Emirates , Sheek-Hussein, M. General Authority for Health Services - Department of Preventive Medicine, United Arab Emirates , Bakir, M. General Authority for Health Services - Department of Paediatrics, United Arab Emirates , Trad, O. Tawam Hospital - Department of Paediatrics, United Arab Emirates , Al-Hussani, M. General Authority for Health Services - Department of Preventive Medicine, United Arab Emirates , Uduman, J. General Authority for Health Services - Department of Preventive Medicine, United Arab Emirates , Sheikh, F. Al-Ain Hospital - Microbiology Section, United Arab Emirates
Abstract :
The objective of this study was to characterize the epidemiology of varicella and varicellaassociatedcomplications in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE) during 2000–04. The annual numberof reported cases varied from 373 to 790 per 100 000 population. Most (89%) occurred in children 15years old. Of 187 children requiring hospital admission, 50.3% had febrile illness due to secondary bacterialinfection and 17.6% had neurological complications. The overall mortality rate among hospitalizedchildren was 1.1%, all due to invasive group A Streptococcus. Varicella and associated complicationsin previously healthy children is becoming an important clinical and public health problem in the UAE.
