title: [Surveillance of influenza pandemic (H1N1)2009 in Spain].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During the summer of 2009, Spain experienced the circulation of the novel influenza (H1N1)2009 virus, beyond the usual period of influenza activity, increasingly evolving up to the presentation in the early autumn of the first wave of the pandemic virus. The objectives of this study are to describe the evolution of the pandemic wave in our country and to assess their impact on morbidity and mortality of the Spanish population.
  
  
  METHODS
  From the information obtained from the Spanish Influenza Surveillance System and the Coordinating Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies within Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy have been estimated a number of epidemiological and virological indicators that were used to assess the level of activity and intensity of the pandemic wave, as well as its severity
  
  
  RESULTS
  The beginning of the pandemic wave in Spain started in early autumn 2009 reaching the maximum weekly incidence rate of 372.15 cases/100,000 inhabitants. The highest incidence was registered in under 15 years old. Viral detection rate registered during the pandemic period remained at the range of previously recorded (46.4%). We estimated an overall mortality rate of 0.43 deaths per 1,000 pandemic cases. The 64% of deaths from pandemic influenza occurred in young adults and the highest mortality rates were registered in the 45-64 years age group with 9.35 deaths/1,000,000 inhabitants. Mortality associated with seasonal influenza in the period 2001-2008 was highest in those over 64 years (95% of all deaths).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The influenza (H1N1)2009 pandemic wave in Spain showed an early presentation and a medium level of influenza intensity compared to the previous thirteen seasonal influenza waves. Considering lethality or mortality rates, this first pandemic wave was also characterized by a mild severity, although a high percentage of deaths confirmed by the new virus were observed in population under 65 years.
authors.affiliation: Área de Vigilancia de la Salud Pública, Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. alarrauri@iscii.es
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larrauri Cámara
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Jorge
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simón Méndez
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Mateo Ontañón
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D058873:Pandemics; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult