[Hepatitis B in Poland in 2007]

In Poland in 2007 there were registered 1,454 cases of hepatitis B (incidence 3.81 per 100,000 population), including 364 acute cases (incidence 0.95 per 100,000). Acute cases are registered separately beginning in 2005 and since then a decrease of acute hepatitis B incidence of more then 20% per year was observed in contrast to stable epidemiological situation regarding chronic hepatitis B. Total hepatitis B incidence varied across the regions form 1.12 in warminsko-mazurskie to 7.26 per 100,000 in lodzkie and acute hepatitis B incidence from 0.30 in zachodniopomorskie to 1.51 in podlaskie. Chronic hepatitis B was the most common in the age group 15-24, born before the implementation of routine newborn vaccination in 1993-1995 (incidence in the age groups 15-19 and 20-24 respectively 4.55 and 4.35 per 100,000). In contrast acute hepatitis B incidence demonstrated two peaks: at the age 25-29 (1.46) and at the age 65 and over (in the age groups 65-74 and 75+ respectively 1.64 and 1.77). Acute hepatitis B was over two times as frequent among men then women (incidence 1.30 and 0.63 respectively) and more frequent in the urban then in the rural areas (incidence 1.01 and 0.87 respectively). However, age distribution differed in relation to sex (incidence had two peaks in men--age groups 25-29 and 75+ and increased constantly with age in women) and to the type of residence (incidence was the highest among people aged 25--49 in cities and among people aged 60 or more in rural areas). In 2007 97,8% of acute hepatitis B and 67,8% of chronic cases were hospitalized. 72 people died of hepatitis B, including 15 people of acute hepatitis B.