Foodborne infections and intoxications in Poland in 2011

To assess the epidemiological situation of food poisoning and infections in Poland in 2011.

The assessment was based on information from the forms of the epidemiological investigations in outbreaks of foodborne poisoning and infections, sent by the sanitary-epidemiological stations to the Department of Epidemiology, NIPH-NIH (NIZP-PZH) and the results of the analysis of annual bulletins (Czarkowski MP et al. "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland"- 2005 - 2011. Warsaw, NIZP-PZH and GIS).

In 2011 it was observed decrease in the number of infections and food poisoning of bacterial etiology and steady marked increase in the incidence of those of viral etiology, classified as "viral and other intestinal infections." In 2011 there were registered 490 outbreaks of poisoning / infection of food, which had affected 6 386 people, including 1,718 children under 14. Among them 1364 people required hospitalization. The predominant etiologic factor in outbreaks were viruses - 36.5% of outbreaks and 40.6% of cases then zoonotic Salmonella types - 35.5% of outbreaks and 27.8% of cases. In 22.2% of outbreaks etiological factor was not established. Most of the outbreaks occurred in households - 235 and in hospital - 118. As in previous years, the most common carrier of infection was food prepared from milk and eggs -11.4% of outbreaks and egg only dishes - 9.8%. In more than 61% of outbreaks etiologic factor has not been established. In 2011, there were five outbreaks, in which got ill 100 people or more.

Since the seasonality of outbreaks of unknown etiologic factor is similar to outbreaks of viral etiology; they occur in the autumn and winter, one should pay special attention to the testing samples taken for viral agents.