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Isolating Central Nervous System Tissues and Associated Meninges for the Downstream Analysis of Immune cells
Published on: May 19, 2020
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Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2016
Agnieszka Królasik1, Iwona Paradowska-Stankiewicz1
1National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw, Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance
Przeglad Epidemiologiczny
|November 6, 2018
Summary
In 2016, Poland saw a 14.5% rise in meningitis and encephalitis cases, with viral infections like tick-borne encephalitis being most prevalent. Continued vaccination education is crucial for preventing these serious febrile diseases.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
Background:
- Meningitis and encephalitis are severe febrile illnesses with diverse symptoms and outcomes.
- Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae are common bacterial causes, while tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a predominant viral neuroinfection.
- These conditions pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, with approximately 3000 cases annually in Poland.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the 2016 epidemiological landscape of meningitis and/or encephalomyelitis in Poland.
- To compare the 2016 findings with epidemiological data from previous years.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of aggregate data from annual bulletins on infectious diseases and vaccinations in Poland for 2016.
- Inclusion of recommendations from the 2016 Protective Vaccine Program.
Main Results:
- Poland recorded 3,191 cases of meningitis/encephalitis in 2016, a 14.5% increase from 2015, with an incidence of 7.6 per 100,000 population.
- Viral etiologies accounted for 43.49% of neuroinfections, with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) comprising 74.67% of these viral cases.
- Bacterial etiologies represented 30.08% of cases, showing a 6.35% increase compared to 2015.
Conclusions:
- A notable increase in meningitis and encephalitis cases occurred in Poland in 2016, primarily driven by viral infections.
- The observed decline in bacterial meningitis/encephalitis may be linked to increased vaccination rates, highlighting the importance of continued public education on vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Sustained educational initiatives are essential to enhance public awareness regarding infectious disease prevention through vaccination.
