[Infectious diseases in Poland in 2008]

For several years many infectious diseases in Poland show decrease in incidence, a some vaccine preventable like poliomyelitis and diphtheria are completely absent or like measles hale very low incidence. Widening of the program of obligatory vaccinations caused decrease of incidence of diseases dependent on Hib infections and also of mumps and rubella. Though rubella incidence in Poland remains one of the highest in Europe. Despite constant decease of incidence of tuberculosis it is still about twice higher then the average of tuberculosis incidence in Western European Countries. Incidence of some gastroenteric infections like salmonellosis is decreasing, but at the same time increase of Campylobacter infections and in particular there is an increase of incidence of norovirus infections. As HIV infections and AIDS casus are concerned, there is observed minor increase in incidence, but the most alerting is high fraction of late diagnosis in advanced AIDS. Viral hepatitis is still important epidemiological problem. Despite decrease of newly diagnosed cases cumulative number of people infected with hepatitis B of C virus is very high creating high morbidity and serious public health problem. Endemic of hepatitis A is very low in general population leading to low level of natural immunity, but there were reported outbreaks among some minority groups, causing treat to the susceptible population at large. Infectious diseases mortality in 2008 was 7.7 per 100,000 population (from 3.9 in Podlaskie voivodeship to 14.3 in Lubuskie) and it was higher in cities (8.3) then in rural areas (6.8). As in previous years man mortality (9.7) was higher then women (5.8). Highest mortality from infectious diseases was noted among elderly people above 74 (46.3).