[Hepatitis C in Poland in 2003]

HCV surveillance in Poland is based on registration of newly detected both acute and chronic cases. The data from 1999 - 2003 demonstrate a slight upward trend with an increase in incidence of 0.1 per 100,000 annually. In 2003 there were 2,255 registered cases (incidence 5.9 per 100,000), including 5.2% mixed HCV/HBV infections. The incidence in the urban areas (7.6 per 100,000) was two times higher then the incidence in rural areas (3.1) and the incidence in men (7.0) was 42% higher then in women (4.9). In men the highest incidence was noted in the age group 20 to 24 years (10.8 per 100,000) and in women in the age group 60 - 64 years (9.4). Geographically, the incidence varied from 0.8 per 100,000 in Podlaskie to 16.6 per 100,000 in Swietokrzyskie voyvodship. In total 80.8% of the cases were hospitalised. In several voyvodships the percentage of hospitalised cases was higher, reaching even 100%. This suggests low surveillance sensitivity to less severe cases in these areas. There were 116 deaths from hepatitis C in Poland in 2003. Deaths attributed to HCV infection accounted for 4.2% of all infectious disease deaths in 2003.