Unwanted tenants: Does the introduction of a preventive deworming program in Poland make sense?

The article analyzes the status of parasitic infections in Poland, with a focus on pinworm, roundworm, and giardiasis. It highlights gaps in disease monitoring following legal changes in 2008 that eliminated reporting requirements for many parasitic diseases. The last reliable epidemiological data (from 2008) show an 18% increase in roundworm cases and a 21% rise in pinworm infections, alongside a decline in trichinellosis and toxoplasmosis. The authors emphasize the nonspecific symptoms of these infections, such as sleep disturbances, abdominal pain, asthma-like signs, and allergic reactions, which complicate diagnosis. The mechanisms of antiparasitic drugs (benzimidazoles, pyrantel, nitroimidazoles), their adverse effects (including autoimmune risks in children), and the growing problem of parasite resistance are discussed in detail. The article compares the effectiveness of mass deworming programs in developing countries with the situation in Poland, where better sanitation and the lack of up-to-date epidemiological data make such interventions potentially harmful. Instead of blanket prophylaxis, the authors recommend individualized therapy, strengthened epidemiological surveillance, and health education, particularly targeting children and their caregivers.