Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Virol. Sep 25, 2024; 13(3): 92525
Published online Sep 25, 2024. doi: 10.5501/wjv.v13.i3.92525
Ambispective epidemiological observational study of varicella-zoster virus infection: An 18 year-single-center Bulgarian experience
Hristiana M Batselova, Tsvetelina V Velikova
Hristiana M Batselova, Department of Epidemiology and Disaster Medicine, Medical University, Plovdiv, University Hospital “St George”, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria
Tsvetelina V Velikova, Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
Author contributions: Batselova HM and Velikova TV were involved in conceptualizing the idea and writing the draft; all of the authors approved the final version of the paper prior to submission.
Supported by the European Union-NextGenerationEU, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria, No. BG-RRP-2.004-0008.
Institutional review board statement: The committee of research ethics of the Medical University of Plovdiv has approved the study, No. P-4279/07.06.2028.
Informed consent statement: All included subjects in the study were informed about the study and signed an informed consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hristiana M Batselova, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Disaster Medicine, Medical University, Plovdiv, University Hospital “St George”, blvd. Vasil Aprilov 15A, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria. dr_batselova@abv.bg
Received: January 29, 2024
Revised: May 20, 2024
Accepted: July 4, 2024
Published online: September 25, 2024
Processing time: 213 Days and 2.6 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles) are outcomes of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection, and understanding their incidence trends is vital for public health planning.

AIM

To conduct an ambispective epidemiological study by analyzing the main epidemiological characteristics of VZV infection during an 18 year-period (2000-2018).

METHODS

We used descriptive and epidemiological methods to characterize chickenpox in Bulgaria, the city of Plovdiv and the region for a period of 18 years (2000-2018).

RESULTS

The average incidence of varicella-zoster infection for the period 2000–2018 in the Plovdiv region was estimated at 449.58‰. The highest relative share of the infection was assessed in the month of January at 13.6%, and the lowest in the months of August and September at 2.9% (both months). The age group most affected by the infection was 1-4 years, followed by 5-9 years. This corresponds to the so-called "pro-epidemic population" - a phenomenon typical for airborne infections, confirming their mass impact on the perpetuation of VZV infection.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal significant insights into VZV epidemiology, including age-specific incidence rates, clinical manifestations, and vaccination impact. This comprehensive analysis contributes to the broader understanding of VZV infection dynamics and may inform evidence-based preventive measures.

Keywords: Varicella-zoster virus; Epidemiology; Incidence trends; Chickenpox; Shingles; Public health; Pro-epidemic population; Age-specific incidence; Clinical manifestations; Vaccination impact

Core Tip: This ambispective epidemiological study shows an 18-year exploration of Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection dynamics in Bulgaria's Plovdiv region. With varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles) as VZV outcomes, our findings expose a noteworthy average incidence of 449.58 per 100000 from 2000 to 2018. Notably, January peaked at 13.6%, while August and September hospitalizations were the lowest at 2.9%. The age groups most impacted, 1-4 and 5-9 years, align with the 'population pro-epidemic' concept. These outcomes demonstrated crucial insights into VZV epidemiology, guiding evidence-based preventive measures and contributing significantly to public health planning.