[AIDS and HIV infection in Poland in 1999]

After gradual increasing in the number of annually diagnosed AIDS cases in the last years these numbers remained relatively stable (nearly 120). The biggest number of newly discovered HIV infections (809) was reported in 1990. Next years these numbers ranged from 384 in 1993 to 637 in 1998. Majority of AIDS cases and HIV-infected persons in Poland were drug users, respectively 50% and 60%. Between 1985 and 1999 some important changes have been observed in Polish data collection system concerning for example: anonimity of reported HIV infections, data completeness and reporting of AIDS indicator diseases. Quality of collected epidemiological data will depend--among others things--on: easy access to HIV testing, data completeness and diagnosis of AIDS indicator diseases by definitive methods.