PANDEMIC INFLUENZA A (H1N1) 2009: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES IN TURKEY AND THE WORLD

Declaration of the pandemic level 6 by who on june 11, 2009 due to a fast spreadinginfluenza epidemic with a new a (h1n1) virus stirred series of discussions in turkey. severaldiscussions were broadcasted and presented to public by mass media. most discussion programmes invited hosts who were non-experts in the field of influenza, that generated contradicting opinions by experts and non-experts. these contradicting opinions caused confusion in public resulting in distrust of recommendations by health authorities and scientific community on disease itself and vaccination. now is the time to evaluate this process that caused distrust, though taught in the mean time. this report discusses the virus caused 2009 pandemic and epidemiological characteristics of the disease.