Foodborne botulism in Poland in 2018-2021

The aim of this study is to assess the epidemiological situation of foodborne botulism in Poland in 2018-2021, compared to previous years.

The assessment is based on an analysis of aggregated surveillance data from the annual bulletin "Infectious Diseases and Poisons in Poland" from 2013-2021, as well as botulism case reports collected by sanitary-epidemiological stations and sent to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance of the NIPH NIH - NRI or provided by EpiBase.

A total of 54 foodborne botulism cases were registered between 2018 and 2021, including 31 (57.4%) cases of laboratory-confirmed botulism intoxication. Most cases (46 cases, 85.2%) were sporadic. The declining trend in the number of notifications continued throughout the time period, and the incidence recorded in 2021 (0.02 per 100,000 population) was the lowest since the introduction of mandatory reporting and registration of botulism in Poland. The highest median annual incidence was recorded in the Warmisko-Mazurskie (0.18), but many voivodeships reported only single notifications or none. The decreasing trend in rural areas relative to the level of incidence in urban areas continued. Men (incidence in men more than twice that of women) and people aged 50-59 predominated. All patients were hospitalized. According to the State Sanitary Inspection, there were 3 deaths (mortality of 5.6%).

In 2018-2021, the downward trend in the number of foodborne botulism notifications in Poland continued. At the same time, the considerable proportion of cases reported by physicians without laboratory confirmation and not meeting the definition of botulism adopted in other EU countries is noteworthy. The incidence in rural areas decreases to the level of incidence in urban areas, and the previously observed geographical distribution of cases diminishes.