Infectious diseases in Poland in 2001

In 2001 surveillance system of infectious diseases in Poland remained unchanged. New cases of infectious diseases were recorded in 103 positions including intoxications. Tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections were registered in separate systems. Influenza was the most frequently reported infectious disease with 576,449 cases, 63.9% less then in the previous year. The next most numerous were foodborne infections, which were reported in 24,393 cases, including 19,788 cases of infections caused by Salmonella sp. An increase in incidence was observed in the following diseases: viral hepatitis type A, rubella, measles and pertussis. Also the number of recorded cases of Lyme boreliosis and tickborne encephalitis were higher then in 2000. Incidence of AIDS remained within the range recorded during the last few years. In 2001 further drop in incidence of viral hepatitis type B was observed reaching the level of 6.2 per 100,000. It was the result of implemented comprehensive program of prophylactic measures, which brought incidence of this disease from the highest in Europe down to the level close to European average. Infectious diseases contributed to 0.75% of deaths. The most frequent cause of death among infectious diseases was tuberculosis and its sequels (1,061 cases). 13 cases of death due to tuberculosis occurred in people below 30 years of age.