[Cystic echinococcosis in Poland in 2010]

The study objective was to assess the prevalence of human cystic echinococcosis in Poland in 2010, as compared with the number of registered cases in 2009, and former years.

Evaluation of epidemiological situation was based on the analysis of data published in the annual bulletin Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2010, M. Czarkowski et al., National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. In addition, the data on taeniases provided to the Department of Medical Parasitology NIPH-NIH by regional sanitary-epidemiological stations were analyzed.

36 cases of echinococcosis (incidence 0.09) were recorded in 2010: 34 cases caused by Echinococcus granulosus (incidence 0.09) and 2 cases triggered by Echinococcus multilocularis (incidence 0.005). There was a slight increase in the incidence of cystic echinococcosis as compared to the preceding year (25 cases in 2009, incidence 0.07). Most cases were reported in the Masovian province (12 cases, 33.3% of all reported cases, incidence 0.23), and the smallest number in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian province (1 case, incidence 0.05). More cases of echinococcosis (25 cases, 69.44%) were recorded in the countryside than in cities (11 cases, 30.56%). Both, in the rural and urban areas, women suffered more frequently (31 cases, 86.11%) than men (5 cases, 13.89%). Multilocular echinococcosis was diagnosed in one woman and one man from the countryside. 26 patients (72.2%) were hospitalized in 2010, which indicates a decline in the percentage of hospital admissions as compared to previous years: 100% of patients were hospitalized in 2008, and 92% in 2009. There were no reported cases of cysticercosis.

It is essential to continually propagate information relative to infection cystic echinococcosis in human in Poland.