title: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis surveillance study in Istanbul.
abstract: The exact incidence rate of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in Turkey (and in Istanbul) is not known. We have conducted an active surveillance study to determine the epidemiological characteristics and the incidence rate of SSPE in Istanbul between the dates July 1, 2002 and July 1, 2004. We found that the incidence of SSPE in Istanbul is 2 per million. By logistic regression analysis, risk factors in SSPE development are determined as being at younger ages (OR: 1.199, 95%CI=1.047-1.372, P=0.009), living in crowded households (OR: 1.430, 95%CI=1.039-1.968, P=0.028), low education level of the mother (OR: 0.123, 95%CI=0.034-0.447, P=0.001), low household income (OR: 0.413, 95%CI=0.234-0.728, P=0.002), infant's being born out of Marmara region (Istanbul is in Marmara region of Turkey) (OR: 0.358, 95%CI: 0.172-0.746, P=0.006), infant's not being vaccinated against measles (OR: 0.495, 95%CI: 0.312-0.786), infant's having had measles before (OR: 0.235, 95%CI: 0.135-0.411). As a result, it is found in this study that SSPE is mostly related to having measles infection, and measles vaccination is found to be highly protective against SSPE. This is the first epidemiological study in SSPE from Turkey that conveys the incidence rate in Istanbul.
authors.affiliation: Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Public Health, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. onale@istanbul.edu.tr
authors.forename: Ayse Emel
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.forename: Candan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gurses
authors.forename: Guher Saruhan
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Direskeneli
authors.forename: Gulden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Veysi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Demirbilek
authors.forename: Sibel Penbe
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yentur
authors.forename: Sevda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozel
authors.forename: Zuhal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yapici
authors.forename: Yildiz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tumerdem
authors.forename: Aysen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gökyigit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology