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Abstract Background Published incidence rates of human salmonella infections are mostly based on numbers of stool culture-confirmed cases reported to public health surveillance. These cases constitute only a small fraction of all cases occurring in the community. The extent of underascertainment is influenced by health care seeking behaviour and sensitivity of surveillance systems, so that reported incidence rates from different countries are not comparable. We performed serological cross-sectional studies to compare infection risks in eight European countries independent of underascertainment. Methods A total of 6,393 sera from adults in Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and The Netherlands were analysed, mostly from existing serum banks collected in the years 2003 to 2008. Immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, and IgG against salmonella lipopolysaccharides were measured by in-house mixed ELISA. We converted antibody concentrations to estimates of infection incidence (‘sero-incidence’) using a Bayesian backcalculation model, based on previously studied antibody decay profiles in persons with culture-confirmed salmonella infections. We compared sero-incidence with incidence of cases reported through routine public health surveillance and with published incidence estimates derived from infection risks in Swedish travellers to those countries. Results Sero-incidence of salmonella infections ranged from 56 (95% credible interval 8–151) infections per 1,000 person-years in Finland to 547 (343–813) in Poland. Depending on country, sero-incidence was approximately 100 to 2,000 times higher than incidence of culture-confirmed cases reported through routine surveillance, with a trend for an inverse correlation. Sero-incidence was significantly correlated with incidence estimated from infection risks in Swedish travellers. Conclusions Sero-incidence estimation is a new method to estimate and compare the incidence of salmonella infections in human populations independent of surveillance artefacts. Our results confirm that comparison of reported incidence between countries can be grossly misleading, even within the European Union. Because sero-incidence includes asymptomatic infections, it is not a direct measure of burden of illness. But, pending further validation of this novel method, it may be a promising and cost-effective way to assess infection risks and to evaluate the effectiveness of salmonella control programmes across countries or over time.

During the summer of 2023, the European Region experienced a limited resurgence of mpox cases following the substantial outbreak in 2022. This increase was characterised by asynchronous and bimodal increases, with countries experiencing peaks at different times. The demographic profile of cases during the resurgence was largely consistent with those reported previously. All available sequences from the European Region belonged to clade IIb. Sustained efforts are crucial to control and eventually eliminate mpox in the European Region.

Introduction: Giardiosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoa Giardia lamblia (also known as Giardia intestinalis and Giardia duodenalis), which causes gastrointestinal symptoms. Infection usually occurs through the ingestion of contaminated water/food or through contact with an infected person. In Poland, giardiasis is notifiable disease, acoording to the EU deffinition implement in the polish surveillance system., Aim of the Study: The aim of this study is to asses epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in 2021 and compare it to the previous years., Materials and Methods: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in 2021 was performed on the basis of data from the annual bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland" for the years 2008-2021, data on individual cases collected for the purposes of epidemiological surveillance in the EpiBaza system and data from food-born outbreak investigations recorded in the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE)., Results: In 2021, 559 cases of giardiasis were reported in Poland (558 confirmed case, 1 probable case). There was an increase in the number of reported cases in comparision to 2020 by 56% and decrease to 2019 by 29%. Cases of giardiasis were reported in all voivodeships, with the highest incidence rate in Podlaskie voivodeship (9.1/100 000), incidence rate for Poland was 1.5/100 000. Giardiasis was diagnosed in patiens in all age group, the largest group of patiens were children (age groups 0-4 and 5-9). The hospitalization rate of patients diagnosed with giardiasis was 9.7% and was lower than in 2020, when it was 12.4%. As in previous years, no deaths from giardiasis were reported., Conclusions: The number of cases of giardiasis has increased compared to 2020, but has not reached pre-pandemic levels. As in previous years, differences in the incidence by age and sex of people with the disease were noted when comparing data reported from Poland and EU/EEA countries.

Aim: The aim of the study is to present and evaluate the epidemiological situation of listeriosis in Poland in the years 2012-2021., Material and Methods: The analysis material consisted of data from individual epidemiological case reports on listeriosis submitted to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance of the NIPH NIH - NRI by state sanitaryepidemiological stations in the form of paper questionnaires (2012-2019) and in the electronic form through the EpiBaza system (2020 and 2021), as well as aggregated data from the bulletin "Infectious Diseases and Poisoning in Poland"., Results: Between 2012 and 2021, a total of 896 cases of listeriosis were registred in Poland. The median incidence was 0.23 per 100,000 population, which was an increase by 52.2% compared to the previous 5-year period (2007-2011). Every year, more than 90% of cases were hospitalized. The highest percentage of patients were in the age group >60 years old (65.5%). From 2012 to 2019 (in the years when information on cases was collected on a paper form), a total of 275 deaths of patients from listeriosis were recorded (38.4% of all reported cases). According to data from the EpiBaza system, in 2020 and 2021 there were 5 (8.33%) and 25 (20.83%) deaths due to listeriosis. A total of 92.1% of patients with listeriosis had significant predisposing factors for the occurrence of this disease, most of which were associated with neoplasia and heart disease and were present in half of all cases. As part of routine surveillance, no epidemic outbreak associated with Listeria monocytogenes infection was reported in Poland in the years 2012-2021.A total number of 49 pregnant women with listeriosis were reported during described period. Between 2012 and 2021, 37 cases of congenital listeriosis were reported. The median of incidence was 1.07/100 thousand live births, a decrease of 26% compared to the previous 5-year period (2007-2011). Of all congenital infections in newborns, 12 deaths (32.43%) were reported., Conclusions: The epidemiology of listeriosis is changing both in the EU/EEA countries and in Poland: the incidence is increasing and the distribution of cases in different age groups is changing, affecting primarily the elderly, especially those with predisposing diseases. Although 2020 tere was a decrease in the number of cases at EU level, possibly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall trend of listeriosis cases isincreasing. The clinical condition has a significant impact on the course of L. monocytogenes infection: in healthy people, infection is usually asymptomatic. The disease primarily affects immunocompromised people. In contrast, infection of pregnant women can lead to premature birth, miscarriage, meningitis and neonatal sepsis with mortality rate of 20-30%. The growing trend in listeriosis is alarming and requires greater attention in terms of prevention and control of the disease.

Aim: The aim of the article is to present and assess the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland in 2021, in relation to previous years., Material and Methods: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland was made on the basis of individual data on salmonellosis cases, entered by sanitary-epidemiological stations into the EpiBaza System, data on outbreaks caused by Salmonella bacilli from the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks System (ROE), as well as on the basis of aggregated data published in the annual bulletins "Infectious Diseases and Poisoning in Poland" (NIPH NIH - NRI, GIS, Warsaw), including information sent by laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations, data from the article on the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland in 2020 and data from the Demographic Research Department of the Central Statistical Office., Results: In 2021, in Poland sanitary-epidemiological stations registered 8,294 cases of salmonellosis - 8,014 cases of intestinal salmonellosis and 280 extra-intestinal salmonellosis, including 190 cases of salmonellosis septicemia. The incidence rate for total salmonellosis was 21.7/100,000 population, for intestinal salmonellosis 21.0, for salmonellosis septicemia 0.50, and 0.23 per 100,000 population for other extra-intestinal infections of salmonellosis etiology. The reported 7,988 cases were classified as confirmed and 306 as probable. There were 5,127 hospitalizations due to salmonellosis, mainly children and the elderly. The peak of the incidence was registered in July. The highest incidence rate of salmonellosis in 2021 was recorded in the Podkarpackie voivodeship (39.8/100,000 population), the lowest in the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship (10.7/100,000 population). The highest incidence of intestinal salmonellosis was registered in the age group 0-4 years, accounting for 44.2% of the total number of cases. Among extra-intestinal infections, almost 62% of cases occurred in people aged 60+. In 2021, sanitary-epidemiological stations were detected and reported 229 outbreaks of food poisoning caused by Salmonella bacilli, 75% of them was Enteritidis serotype. In 2021, the most frequently isolated serotypes were S. Enteritidis 72%, S. Typhimurium (2%) and S. Infantis (0.5%). The serotype was not determined in 24.3% of cases. There were 24 imported cases of salmonellosis from different regions of the world. Due to Salmonella infection 11 people died in 2021. Laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations performed 438,183 tests for the presence of Salmonella and Shigella bacilli among humans, 92% of these tests concerned people working in contact with food., Conclusions: In 2021, there was an increase in the number of salmonellosis cases in Poland, compared to 2020. It can therefore be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic did not have a long-term impact on reducing the number of Salmonella infections. At the same time, despite the increase, the situation of salmonellosis in Poland has not fully returned to the state before the COVID-19 pandemic.The area where we observe a significant difference, is the percentage of hospitalizations, which is the lowest in 2021 since 1998. It can be assumed, that one of the reasons for this, could be a stricter qualification of people with milder symptoms for hospital treatment, in favour of outpatient care.

OBJECTIVE OF THE WORK. As 2021 was the second year of COVID-19 pandemic we expect the continuous impact of the pandemic on other infectious diseases. We aimed at reviewing the national infectious surveillance data based on available surveillance reports (Epidemiological Chronicle) to summarize the infectious disease situation in 2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS. National infectious disease surveillance system collects mandatory notifications from physicians and laboratories as well as epidemiological investigation reports prepared by State Sanitary Inspection, where relevant. We also include mortality data based on the reports of Statistics Poland office. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. In 2021, there were 2,852,789 cases of COVID-19 reported, corresponding to the incidence of 7475.4 per 100,000 and 90,126 deaths related to COVID-19. For most of diseases the incidence remained lower than before the pandemic. This included influenzea and influenzea-like illness incidence (- 5.4% vs 2020 and - 37.6% vs median 2015-2019) and tuberculosis incidence (+9.3% vs 2020 and -35.9% vs median 2015-2019). The incidence was lower than in 2020 for: pertussis (-75.7%), measles (-54.9%), rubella (48.7%), mumps (-16.4%), chickenpox (-19.0%) or H. influenzea invasive disease (-33.0%). A notable exception to these trends was Clostridium difficile intestinal infections incidence, which was higher by 88.2% from the 2015-2019 median with 21,157 case and 1,120 fatalities reported in 2021. There was also an almost 4-fold increase in norovirus infections incidence. The number of chronic hepatitis infections diagnoses were substantially lower than median for 2015-2019 (-53.7% for HBV and - 68.8% for HCV). The COVID-19 pandemic still played the crucial role as a public health problem, but its impact on other infectious diseases was less clear than in 2020. The reduction in the number of registered cases was with likely attributable to non-pharmaceutic interventions and to delays in registration due to reduced public health resources.

BackgroundLeptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira . Humans are infected by exposure to animal urine or urine-contaminated environments. Although disease incidence is lower in Europe compared with tropical regions, there have been reports of an increase in leptospirosis cases since the 2000s in some European countries.AimWe aimed to describe the epidemiology of reported cases of leptospirosis in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) during 2010-2021 and to identify potential changes in epidemiological patterns.MethodsWe ran a descriptive analysis of leptospirosis cases reported by EU/EEA countries to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control with disease during 2010-2021. We also analysed trends at EU/EEA and national level.ResultsDuring 2010-2021, 23 countries reported 12,180 confirmed leptospirosis cases corresponding to a mean annual notification rate of 0.24 cases per 100,000 population. Five countries (France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Romania) accounted for 79% of all reported cases. The highest notification rate was observed in Slovenia with 0.82 cases per 100,000 population. Overall, the notification rate increased by 5.0% per year from 2010 to 2021 (95% CI: 1.2-8.8%), although trends differed across countries.ConclusionThe notification rate of leptospirosis at EU/EEA level increased during 2010-2021 despite including the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated changes in population behaviours. Studies at (sub)national level would help broaden the understanding of differences at country-level and specificities in terms of exposure to Leptospira , as well as biases in diagnosis and reporting.

Introduction: Despite the availability, safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, Poland remains one of the six countries of the European Union with the lowest cumulative uptake of the vaccine's primary course in the general population. This study examined willingness to vaccinate and the associated factors in samples of unvaccinated and vaccinated adults between March 2021 and April 2022., Methods: Data were collected using OBSER-CO, a nationwide, repeated cross-sectional study, conducted at four different time points (rounds). Data on willingness to vaccinate among the unvaccinated (at all rounds) and willingness to receive another dose in the vaccinated (at 2 rounds-after booster introduction), reasons for reluctance, sociodemographic, health, and behavioral factors were collected using a uniform questionnaire via computer-assisted telephone interviewing. In each round, more than 20,000 respondents were interviewed. To assess associations between factors and willingness to vaccinate, separate multivariable logistic regression models were fitted for each factor at each round and adjusted for confounders., Results: Between rounds 1 and 4 (March 2021-April 2022), in the unvaccinated, willingness to vaccinate declined from 73 to 12%, whereas in the vaccinated, willingness to receive another dose declined from 90 to 53%. The highest magnitude of decline between subsequent rounds occurred during the Omicron wave. Overall, concerns about side effects, effectiveness, and vaccine adverse effects were common but decreased over time. Age, gender, employment, place of residence, COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure, hospitalization, and participation in social activities were among the factors associated with willingness. However, associations changed over rounds highlighting the influence of different pandemic waves and variants., Conclusion: We observed a declining and multifactorial willingness to vaccinate in Poland, with vaccine attitudes dynamically changing across subsequent rounds. To address vaccine concerns, sustained health communication about COVID-19 vaccines is essential, especially after the emergence of new variants., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Kotronia, Rosinska, Stepien, Czerwinski and Sadkowska-Todys.)

BackgroundWe anticipated that people in rural areas and small towns with lower population density, lower connectivity and jobs less dependent on social interaction will be less exposed to COVID-19. Still, other variables correlated with socioeconomic inequalities may have a greater impact on transmission.AimWe investigated how COVID-19 affected rural and urban communities in Poland, focussing on the most exposed groups and disparities in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.MethodsA random digit dial sample of Polish adults stratified by region and age was drawn from 29 March to 14 May 2021. Serum samples were tested for anti-S1 and anti-N IgG antibodies, and positive results in both assays were considered indicative of past infection. Seroprevalence estimates were weighted to account for non-response. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were calculated using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsThere was serological evidence of infection in 32.2% (95% CI: 30.2-34.4) of adults in rural areas/small towns (< 50,000 population) and 26.6% (95% CI: 24.9-28.3) in larger cities. Regional SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence ranged from 23.4% (95% CI: 18.3-29.5) to 41.0% (95% CI: 33.5-49.0) and was moderately positively correlated (R = 0.588; p = 0.017; n = 16) with the proportion of respondents living in rural areas or small cities. Upon multivariable adjustment, both men (AOR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.09-2.35) and women (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.58-3.21) from these areas were more likely to be seropositive than residents of larger cities.ConclusionsWe found an inverse urban-rural gradient of SARS-CoV-2 infections during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and suggest that vulnerabilities of populations living in rural areas need to be addressed.

Following the report of a non-travel-associated cluster of monkeypox cases by the United Kingdom in May 2022, 41 countries across the WHO European Region have reported 21,098 cases and two deaths by 23 August 2022. Nowcasting suggests a plateauing in case notifications. Most cases (97%) are MSM, with atypical rash-illness presentation. Spread is mainly through close contact during sexual activities. Few cases are reported among women and children. Targeted interventions of at-risk groups are needed to stop further transmission.

After more than one and a half year since the COVID-19 pandemics outbreak the scientific world is constantly trying to understand its dynamics. In this paper of the case fatality rates (CFR) for COVID-19 we study the historic data regarding mortality in Poland during the first six months of pandemic, when no SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern were present among infected. To this end, we apply competing risk models to perform both uni- and multivariate analyses on specific subpopulations selected by different factors including the key indicators: age, sex, hospitalization. The study explores the case fatality rate to find out its decreasing trend in time. Furthermore, we describe the differences in mortality among hospitalized and other cases indicating a sudden increase of mortality among hospitalized cases at the end of the 2020 spring season. Exploratory and multivariate analysis revealed the real impact of each variable and besides the expected factors indicating increased mortality (age, comorbidities) we track more non-obvious indicators. Recent medical care as well as the identification of the source contact, independently of the comorbidities, significantly impact an individual mortality risk. As a result, the study provides a twofold insight into the COVID-19 mortality in Poland. On one hand we explore mortality in different groups with respect to different variables, on the other we indicate novel factors that may be crucial in reducing mortality. The later can be coped, e.g. by more efficient contact tracing and proper organization and management of the health care system to accompany those who need medical care independently of comorbidities or COVID-19 infection., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of the study was to assess seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers (HCW) before introduction of vaccination, in selected areas in Poland as well as to identify potential risk factors and estimate the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 infections in this population., Material and Methods: The authors conducted a sero-epidemiological, cross-sectional study among HCW of 5 non-COVID-19 hospitals in Poland. The recruitment took place in December 1-23, 2020, all HCW at selected hospitals could volunteer into the study. All persons were screened with rapid SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG tests in capillary blood. In case of positive result, 5 ml of venous blood was drawn for confirmatory testing with ELISA assay. The authors estimated prevalence of laboratory confirmed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence and examined factors associated with positive result. Cumulative incidence was estimated applying 2-source capture-recapture method to serology results and self-report of past infection., Results: Out of 1040 HCW included in the analysis, one-fourth (25.2%) received a positive result for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by ELISA test, the prevalence among women was 25.3% (95% CI: 22.5-28.4) and 24.6% (95% CI: 19-31.2) among men. The prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was the highest among respondents who declared home contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, 43.9% (95% CI: 32.4-56.1). It was also elevated among those who indicated contact with patients with COVID-19, 32.5% (95% CI: 26.7-38.8) and business contacts, including at the workplace, 28.9% (95% CI: 22.5-36.3). The estimated cumulative incidence of COVID-19 infections in the population, using the capture-recapture method was 41.2% (95% CI: 38.1-44.2)., Conclusions: Healthcare workers remained at increased risk of infection largely due to work-related contacts with infected patients, although home exposure was also common. Estimated cumulative incidence is higher than the antibody prevalence, which indicates the need to monitor HCW for possible immunity waning, also post-immunization immunity. Med Pr. 2022;73(2):109-23., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Objective: Assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in year 2020., Material and Methods: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in 2020 was performed on the basis of aggregated data from the annual bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland" for the years 2006-2020, data on individual cases collected for the purposes of epidemiological surveillance in the EpiBaza system, and data from food-borne outbreak investigations recorded in the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE)., Results: The number of new cases of giardiasis reported in Poland in 2020 amounted to 358 cases (incidence rate 0.9 per 100,000 population) and was about 2 times lower than in 2019 (784 cases) and 2.5 times lower than in 2018 (928 cases). In 2020, there was a further decrease in the number of registered cases, but it was much more pronounced than in the preceding years. As in previous years, no deaths from giardiasis were recorded. The downward trend in hospitalizations continued and in 2020 they accounted for approximately 12.6% of all cases, in 2019 the percentage was 15.2% and in 2018 - 19.4%. Most cases met the definition of a confirmed case, with 1 patient meeting the criteria of a probable case. In 2020, 6 outbreaks of giardiasis were reported, which is a decrease compared to 2019 (12 outbreaks) and thus means a reversal of the upward trend occurring at least since 2017., Conclusions: Data for 2020 should be interpreted taking into account the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have resulted in changes in long-term trends, but in particular contributed to a strong decrease in the number of cases not only of giardiasis, but also of other infectious diseases. In 2020, almost all EU/EEA countries reported a decrease in the incidence of giardiasis similar to that in Poland. However, as in 2019, in 2020 Poland differed from other EU/EEA countries in terms of incidence by age and sex., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the epidemiological situation of foodborne infections and intoxications in Poland in the years 2018-2020., Materials and Methods: The evaluation was based on the analysis of information sent to Department of Epidemiology NIPH NIH - NRI through ROE (pol. Rejestr Ognisk Epidemicznych) - an electronic system created for uploading, transfer and analysis of data acquired during the outbreak investigations. Additional sources for the analysis were NIPH NIH - NRI annual bulletins (Czarkowski MP et al. "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland", 2014-2020. Warsaw, NIPH NIH and GIS)., Results: In the years 2018-2020 a total number of 2,108 foodborne outbreaks were reported in which 52,175 persons were exposed and 17,023 got sick (in 2016 n=916, in 2019 n=918, in 2020 n=274). In 2020 over 3 fold decrease in the number of outbreaks comparing to 2019 and over 4 fold decrease in the number of cases in those outbreaks was observed. Among outbreaks which took place in 3 most frequent settings (private household, food facility and hospital) the steepest decrease was in 12th week of 2020 (ISO 2020-W12). The most frequent etiological agent of outbreaks in the years 2018-2020 was Salmonella sp. (38.3% of outbreaks in 2018, 32.7% in 2019 and 47.8% in 2020) and specifically serotype Enteritidis (38.3%, 27% and 39.4% accordingly). The most frequent setting of outbreaks was private household (59.7% outbreaks in 2018, 66% in 2019 and 62% in 2020), followed by hospital (17.4%, 18.3% i 19.7% accordingly). Up until 2019 an increasing trend in the number of small outbreaks (up to 4 cases) caused by Salmonella sp. was observed (in 2018 - 605 and in 2019 - 612 were reported)., Conclusions: Decrease in the number of outbreaks in selected settings from 12th ISO week of 2020 might have been due to introduction of restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic and enhancement of personal hygiene practices. An increase in identified and registered small outbreaks caused by Salmonella sp. comparing to the median of the number of those outbreaks from 2014-2016 could partly be a result of routine surveillance enhancement after introducing System for Registry of Epidemiological Interviews (pol. SRWE)., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland in 2020 compared with previous years., Material and Methods: The epidemiological situation was assessed on the basis of data provided to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance of the NIPH NIH-NRI by sanitary-epidemiological stations through the EpiBaza System and the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks System (ROE), as well as on the basis of data published in the annual bulletin "Infectious Diseases and Poisoning in Poland in 2020" (NIPH NIH-NRI, GIS, Warsaw, 2021) and from information received from laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations and data from the Demographic Research Department of the Statistics Poland., Results: In Poland in 2020, in the sanitary-epidemiological surveillance registered a total of 5,470 cases of salmonellosis, 5,302 cases of intestinal salmonellosis, and the remaining 168 cases of extra-intestinal salmonellosis. The incidence per 100,000 population was 14.3 for total salmonellosis, 13.8 for intestinal salmonellosis and 0.44 for extra-intestinal salmonellosis. Sanitary-epidemiological stations registered 5,349 confirmed cases and 121 probable cases of salmonellosis. Due to intestinal salmonellosis, 63.9% of all patients were hospitalized, while for extra-intestinal salmonellosis 153 patients or 91.1% of cases, were hospitalized. The increase in the number of salmonellosis cases in 2020 started in June, while the peak of the incidence was in August. Among the voivodeships, the highest incidence of salmonellosis was registered in the Podkarpackie voivodeship 33.3/100,000 population, the lowest in Zachodniopomorskie 6.1/100,000 population. Cases in the 0-4 age group accounted for 45.2% of all salmonellosis cases in 2020. Among extra-intestinal salmonellosis, 63.1% were people aged 60+. Sanitary-epidemiological stations registered 131 food poisoning outbreaks caused by Salmonella bacilli in the ROE system, 108 of these outbreaks were caused by the Enteritidis serotype. In 2020, the most common serotypes were S. Enteritidis 70% of all recorded salmonellosis, S. Typhimurium 1.9%, and S. Infantis 0.54%. There were 9 deaths due to Salmonella infection., Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions introduced in the country, as well as increased hygiene through more frequent washing and disinfection of hands, could have contributed to a reduction of almost 69% in the number of salmonellosis cases registered in 2020, in Poland, compared to 2019. This is a 82% decrease in relation to 2018. There was also a decrease in the number of food poisoning outbreaks caused by Salmonella bacilli, while at the same time their percentage in the total number of outbreaks increased. On the one hand, the implemented restrictions could have had an impact on the decrease in the number of cases and outbreaks, on the other hand, worse access to medical care and diagnostics, most likely deepened the underestimation of these cases in the country observed for years, and distorted the real picture of the situation., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Objective of the Work: The article reviews the main problems of the epidemiology of infectious diseases in Poland in 2020. It summarizes relevant findings from the national infectious disease surveillance system., Material and Methods: The data contained in this article come from the reports collected by the State Sanitary Inspection on cases of notifiable infectious diseases notified by clinicians and/or laboratories. These are supplemented by mortality data published by the Statistics Poland., Results and Their Discussion: The epidemiology of infectious diseases was highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 1,306,983 cases notified in 2020 and 41,451 deaths attributed to COVID-19 (according to Statistics Poland). The reported incidence of other infections decreased by 10-98%. We noted especially high decreases in the incidence of viral gastrointestinal infections (by over 70%). The incidence of influenza and influenza-like infections decreased by 34% and tuberculosis by 36% as compared to 2019. However, important decreases were also noted for other diseases under surveillance, which could point to disruption of diagnosis services and reporting due to lockdowns and high workload on the public health services., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the epidemiological situation of yersiniosis in Poland in 2018-2020 and compare it to previous years., Material and Methods: To assess the epidemiological situation of yersiniosis in Poland, data from individual case reports prepared by Sanitary Epidemiological Stations as part of routine epidemiological surveillance were used. Incidence, number of cases and data on hospitalizations by voivodship included in the bulletins "Infectious Diseases and Poisons in Poland" for 2015-2020 were also used., Results: In 2018-2020, a total number of 542 cases of yersiniosis were registered, including 456 intestinal and 86 extraintestinal forms. The incidence in 2018 was 0.53/100,000 in 2019 0.59/100,000 and in 2020 0.29/100,000. The number of cases in 2020 compared to 2019 decreased by 52%, and compared to 2018 by 45.8%. The percentage of hospitalizations in each year was at a similar level of 65.5% in 2018, 62.4% in 2019, and 60% in 2020. The highest incidence was noted in the 0-4 age group at 44.7% of cases in 2018, 42.9% in 2019 and 55.6% in 2020, respectively (all cases of the intestinal form). The predominant species was Y. enterocolitica in both intestinal and extraintestinal forms. The most common serotype was serotype O:3, which was identified in 34 isolates in 2018, 43 isolates in 2019 and 9 isolates in 2020., Summary and Conclusions: Since 2009, Poland has had a decreasing trend in the incidence of yersiniosis. In 2020, both Poland and Europe saw a sharp decline in the number of cases compared to previous years. This is a result of the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, during which many measures were introduced to limit the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which may also have affected the number of other infections. Although the numbers of cases and incidence of yersiniosis among children under the age of 5 are the highest compared to other age groups, the highest number of hospitalizations was reported in the 10-19 age group, which most likely reflects the decreasing number of laboratory tests ordered on an outpatient basis with age and the significant underreporting of cases in this and older age groups., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Since December 2019, over 1.5 million SARS-CoV-2-related fatalities have been recorded in the World Health Organization European Region - 90.2% in people ≥ 60 years. We calculated lives saved in this age group by COVID-19 vaccination in 33 countries from December 2020 to November 2021, using weekly reported deaths and vaccination coverage. We estimated that vaccination averted 469,186 deaths (51% of 911,302 expected deaths; sensitivity range: 129,851-733,744; 23-62%). Impact by country ranged 6-93%, largest when implementation was early.

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland, in 2018 and 2019 compared with previous years., Material and Methods: The assessment of the epidemiological situation was performed on the basis of data provided to the Department of Epidemiology Infectious Diseases and Surveillance of NIPH NIH - NRI by sanitary-epidemiological stations through the Epidemiological Case Reporting System (SRWE) and the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE), as well as on the basis of data from the annual bulletins "Infectious Diseases and Poisonings in Poland" 2018 and 2019 (NIPH NIH - NRI, GIS, Warsaw, 2019 and 2020) and from information received from laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations and data from the Demographic Research Department of Statistics Poland (GIS)., Results: In Poland in 2018 a total of 9,957 cases of salmonellosis were reported in the sanitaryepidemiological surveillance, among these infections 9,651 were cases of intestinal salmonellosis, 306 were cases of extraintestinal salmonellosis. The incidence rate for total salmonellosis was 25.9 per 100,000 population, for parenteral salmonellosis alone was 0.80 per 100,000 population. There were 9,370 cases of confirmed and 587 cases of probable salmonellosis registered. Hospital treatment was given to 65% of patients with intestinal salmonellosis and 88.6% of patients with extraintestinal forms of the disease. The increase in salmonellosis cases in 2018 occurred during the summer months with a peak in cases in August. The highest incidence of salmonellosis nationwide was in the Podkarpackie voivodeship 42.2/100,000, the lowest in the Lubuskie voivodeship 9.4/100,000. More cases were registered in urban areas - 5,866 salmonellosis cases. Cases in the age group 0-4 constituted 37.7% of all cases. Among parenteral salmonellosis 64.7% were people over 60 years of age. In ROE system there were 351 food poisoning outbreaks with Salmonella spp. as the etiological agent, mainly Enteritidis serotype. The most frequently isolated serotypes in Poland in 2018 were S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium and S. Infantis, the first of which was responsible for 76.3% of all Salmonella infections. There were 1,719 cases registered in which the serotype was not determined, most of them came from the Pomorskie voivodeship. Sanitary-epidemiological stations performed 547,976 bacteriological tests for Salmonella and Shigella, 0.2% of people working in contact with food had a positive result. There were 43 cases imported from abroad. Due to Salmonella infection 4 people died in 2018. In 2019 a total of 9,234 cases of salmonellosis were registered in Poland, including 8,919 food poisoning and 315 parenteral salmonellosis. The incidence for total salmonellosis in Poland was 24.1 per 100,000 population. There were 8,687 confirmed and 547 probable cases of salmonellosis reported. Due to food poisoning 63.1% of patients were hospitalized, while due to parenteral salmonellosis 87.6% of patients were hospitalized. The peak incidence in 2019 occurred in August. The highest incidence per 100,000 population of total salmonellosis by voivodeship was recorded in the Podkarpackie voivodeship 55.1, the lowest in the Zachodniopomorskie voivodeship 8.8. Almost 40% of all salmonellosis cases in the country were among children aged 0-4; as far as parenteral salmonellosis is concerned, the main group of patients 68.6%, were people over 60 years old. Sanitaryepidemiological stations reported in the ROE system 303 outbreaks of food poisoning of salmonellosis etiology. The most commonly isolated serotype in 2019 in Poland was Salmonella Enteritidis 75.6% of all recorded salmonellosis cases, followed by Salmonella Typhimurium 3% and Salmonella Infantis 1%. The serotype was not determined in 1,692 cases, the highest number in the Pomorskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships - 51% of undetermined isolates each. Laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations carried out 610,164 bacteriological tests for Salmonella and Shigella. Among people working in contact with food 0.2% had a positive test result. 71 cases of imported intestinal salmonellosis were registered. Nine deaths due to Salmonella infection were reported., Conclusions: The salmonellosis situation in Poland in 2018 and 2019 remains at a high but stable level. The significant increase in the number of laboratory tests performed for Salmonella in 2018-2019 and the decrease in the number of people refusing the carrier exclusion test, is an important step in the process of enhancing salmonellosis surveillance., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Introduction: Campylobacteriosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter. This disease usually presents with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis. The majority of Campylobacter infections are usually acquired through consumption of contaminated water or food, less frequently through direct contact with an infected animal or person. In Poland, campylobacteriosis is notifiable disease, according to the EU deffinition implemented in the polish surveillance system., Aim of the Study: The aim of this study is to assess epidemiological situation of campylobacteriosis in Poland in years 2018-2019 and compare it to previous years., Materials and Methods: The study was based on data from the bulletins 'Infectious Diseases and Poisonings in Poland' for 2018-2019 issued by the National Institute of Public Health NIH - National Research Institute and data submitted to the System for Registration of Epidemiological Interwiews (SRWE) by District Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations., Results: In Poland 726 cases of Campylobacterosis were reported in 2018 and 715 in 2019. There was a decrease in the number of reported cases in comparision to 2017 by 17% and 19% in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Cases of campylobacteriosis were reported in all voivodeships, with the highest incidence in both described years in Lubuskie voivodeship. Campylobacteriosis was diagnosed in patients in all age groups but the majority of patients were children under the age of 4. The most frequently identified species was Campylobacter jejuni., Summary and Conclusions: Data on the number of campylobacteriosis infections in Poland for 2018 and 2019, demonstrate a stabilized epidemiological situation regarding this disease entity in the country. The high hospitalization rate of patients diagnosed with campylobacteriosis, demonstrates the need to implement microbiological diagnostics in cases of suspected disease. Data show a much lower incidence rate of campylobacteriosis in Poland, compared to other EU countries, which suggests potential underestimation of the actual number of infected case., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

Objective: Assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in years 2018 and 2019., Material and Method: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland was performed on the basis of data analysis results of the annual bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland" for the years 2008-2019, information from case report forms provided by employees of Powiat Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations (PSSE) through the Epidemiological Case Reporting System (SRWE), as well as information on outbreaks reported by PSSE employees through the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE)., Results: The number of new cases of giardiasis recorded in Poland in 2018 was 928 (the incidence rate was 2.4 per 100,000 population), while in 2019 it was 784 (the incidence per 100,000 population was 2.0). Compared to previous years, in 2018-2019 there was a further decrease in the number of registered cases. There have been no reported deaths from giardiasis in 2018-2019. Hospitalizations accounted for approximately 19.4% of all cases in 2018 and 15.2% in 2019. In 2019, there were 3 cases that met the definition of a probable case, the remaining cases, both in 2018 and 2019, were confirmed cases. In 2018, there were 7 outbreaks of giardiasis, which is an increase compared to 2017. In 2019, the number of reported outbreaks increased further and amounted to 11., Conclusions: The decrease in the number of cases and incidence in Poland over the last few years indicates an improvement in the epidemiological situation. Compared to the EU/EEA average for 2018 and 2019, Poland does not diverge significantly in terms of the number of cases or incidence, however differences occur in the distribution of cases by age and gender, and in the long-term trend., (© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.)

The new SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) coronavirus causing acute respiratory disease COVID-19 (2019 coronavirus disease) detected in China in 2019 very quickly revealed its epidemic potential and was recognized as a global health problem. The situation caused by the rapidly increasing number of new cases and deaths due to COVID-19 required the rapid development of international recommendations and procedures to limit the spread of infections and ongoing monitoring of the epidemiological situation. In the field of epidemiological surveillance of COVID-19 cases, international organizations - WHO and regionally ECDC, have developed basic requirements for reporting data on newly detected cases of infection. In order to ensure the possibility of reporting new cases and activities undertaken by sanitary-epidemiological services in the country and to fulfill the obligation to report data to the European surveillance network, it was necessary to adapt the electronic system supporting epidemiological surveillance operations, for registration of suspected and confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. This work presents the characteristics of the new COVID-19 module created as part of the central Epidemiological Case Reporting System and a preliminary evaluation of its usefulness for the purposes of combating COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS. The Epidemiological Case Reporting System is an efficient and adequate tool that can be adapted to newly emerging threats. In order to use the module to monitor the current epidemiological situation, it is necessary to integrate it with other systems collecting data about COVID-19 patients - ie. EWP and the clinical patient register., (© National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene.)

Objective of the Article: The introductory text to the Epidemiological Chronicle (EC) of the Epidemiological Review contains data on the incidence of infectious and parasitic diseases in Poland in 2018 compared to 2017 data and medians from 2012-2016. It is a general overview of the epidemiological situation of infectious and parasitic diseases in Poland. With regard to selected diseases, widening and deepening picture is in the content of remaining articles of the epidemiological chronicle., Material and Methods: The source data for this article are mainly individual reports submitted by doctors to the County Sanitary/Epidemiological Stations. The basic material of this study is the data published in the bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland in 2018" and "Immunization in Poland in 2018", as well as data published in the reports "Influenza and suspected influenza in Poland in 2018". Data on deaths due to infectious diseases come from the summaries of the Demographic Research Department of the Central Statistical Office., Results and the Discussion: As in previous years, the highest incidence was recorded in the category of upper respiratory tract infections and, but to a much lesser extent, gastrointestinal infections. For at least two decades, there has been a shift in the profile of gastrointestinal infections characterized by an increase in viral infections compared to bacterial infections. Regarding healthcare associated infections, rotavirus infections predominate among children and C. difficile infections among adults. The later creates a serious, growing problem, largely related to the use of antibiotics, but also to fecal-oral transmission. Among infectious diseases, C. difficile caused the highest number of deaths in 2018. Viral infection of the liver continues to be an important problem. Apart from hepatitis B and C, this also applies to hepatitis A, which took the form of an epidemic in 2017. In 2018, the incidence decreased by more than a half, but still the number of cases was about thirty times higher than for the median from 2012-2016. Despite declining tendency for many years, the incidence of tuberculosis still remains above the numbers recorded in the developed countries of Western Europe. In other disease groups, there was no marked increase in risk compared to previous years., (© National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene.)

Objective: To assess the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in 2017., Material and Method: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland was carried out on the basis of the results of the analysis of data from the annual bulletins “Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland”, information from forms on individual cases provided by PSSE employees through the Epidemiological Case Reporting System (SRWE), information on outbreaks transferred by PSSE employees through the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE), as well as data on deaths from the Department of Demographic Studies of the Central Statistical Office., Results: This is the first epidemiological report on giardiasis in Poland published in the epidemiological Chronicle. The number of new giardiasis cases registered in Poland in 2017 was 1 229 cases, incidence rate 3.2 per 100 000 population. Compared to previous years, the number of registered cases decreased. There were no deaths. Hospitalizations accounted for around 24.5% of all cases. All giardiasis cases met the criteria for the definition of a confirmed case. In 2017, there were 4 outbreaks of giardiasis., Conclusions: The long-term decline in the number of cases and incidence in Poland indicates an improvement of the epidemiological situation. In comparison with epidemiological data for EU / EEA countries, Poland does not stand out significantly in terms of the number of cases, incidence or seasonality distribution of cases., (© National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene)

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the epidemiological situation of campylobacteriosis in Poland in 2017 in comparison to previous years., Material and Methods: The evaluation is based on analysis of data from the annual bulletin “Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland”, information from individual campylobacter case reports sent by local sanitary-epidemiological stations through the Electronic Registry of Epidemiological Forms (System Rejestracji Wywiadów Epidemiologicznych - SRWE), information on outbreaks shared through the Electronic Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (Rejestr Ognisk Epidemicznych - ROE) and data on deaths from the Department of Demographic Studies of the Central Statistical Office., Results: There were 874 registered cases in Poland in 2017, all of them were confirmed cases. Incidence for Poland was 2.27/100 000 population. The highest incidence was observed in lubuskie voivodeship (7.57/100 000), małopolskie (4.64/100 000), śląskie (4.31/100 000) and warmińsko-mazurskie (3.48/100 000). In 2017 increasing trend of proportion of hospitalization was identified again. The rate was on 80% level. Campylobacter species was identified in 89% of all reported cases. Similarly to previous years, vast majority of cases was caused by Campylobacter jejuni - 91%. Among all reported cases, majority of them (72%, 629 cases) was identified in children aged 0-4. In 2017 one campylobacteriosis outbreak was reported., Conclusions: Campylobacteriosis in Poland is still underreported and rarely diagnosed. Routine Campylobacter diagnosis is performed only by laboratories in small number of poviats which make it way harder to properly assess the campylobacteriosis epidemiological situation in Poland., (© National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene)