Epidemiological diversity analysis upon the incidence of 2009 novel H1N1 flu among school children within and among small regional communities, Japan

摘要

In 2009-2010, the first wave of the swine-origin novel H1N1 flu (H1N1) pandemic swept across the world, including Japan. To examine the epidemiological nature of this novel infectious disease among school children within and among small regional communities, we have carried out a complete survey on the incidence of H1N1 among school children using absentee reports provided by school health teachers in two small administrative districts (population: about 140 000 in total) in Japan. We then examined the epidemiological diversity on the incidence of H1N1 within and among small regional communities. Materials and methods We investigated seventeen elementary and ten junior high schools in Moroyama-town and Sakado-city located in the central part of Saitama Prefecture. Populations are: all ages, 37 015 and 100 634; elementary schools, 1873 and 5389; junior high schools, 1131 and 2568, respectively. The number of school children in each school ranges from 137 to 876.