Surveillance of aseptic central nervous system infections in Poland: is it meeting its objectives?

In Poland, a surveillance system capturing generic information on both diagnosed and undiagnosed aseptic central nervous system infections (ACI) has been in operation since 1966. This study evaluates to what extent the ACI surveillance is able to meet its objectives to monitor ACI trends and to detect signals of public health importance such as enteroviral outbreaks, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) endemic foci, poliovirus appearance or emergence of new neurotropic viruses. Between 2004 and 2008, aetiology was established for 17% of ACI cases. Of the 1,994 reported ACI cases, 232 (11.6%) were diagnosed with TBE virus, 46 (2.3%) with enterovirus, 35 (1.8%) with herpesvirus, and 32 (1.6%) had other viral causes such as Epstein Barr virus or adenovirus. The system's performance varied between the provinces, with the frequency of suspected ACI cases referred for viral aetiology investigation in 2008 ranging from 1.98 to 285.4 samples per million inhabitants. The sensitivity of physicians' reporting, estimated as the proportion of hospitalised ACI cases reported to the surveillance system, was 48% nationally, with vast regional differences (range 30­91%). To conclude, the ACI surveillance system in Poland does currently not meet its objectives, due to limited availability of aetiological diagnosis and microbiological confirmation and to regional differences in reporting sensitivity.

[Changes in hospitalization frequency for circulatory system diseases, injuries, poisonings and neoplasms in Poland in the years 1979-1993]. / Zmiany czestosci hospitalizacji z powodu chorób ukladu krazenia, urazów i zatruc oraz chorób nowotworowych w Polsce w latach 1979-1993.

For years, the main cause of deaths in Polish population have been malfunctions of the circulatory system diseases, injury and poisoning, malignant neoplasm. It is causing more and more concern, especially of circulatory system diseases. Lot of different factors affect mortality statistics, one off then is accessibility to the use hospital care. Changes in the frequency of hospital discharge, at ICD-9: (390-459), (401-405), (410-414), (430-438), (440), (140-208), (162), (174), (180), (800-999) in the year 1979-1993, have been discussed in this analyzes.

[Evaluation of epidemiologic surveillance of human brucellosis-- occupational disease overcome in the midst of animals]. / Ocena nadzoru epidemiologicznego nad bruceloza ludzi--choroba urzedowo zwalczona wsród zwierzat.

National eradication programme of bovine Brucellosis in Poland has reduced prevalence below 0.5%. The last cow-abortion incidence caused by Brucella abortus bovis was recognized in 1982. The registered cases of human brucellosis (610 during 1986-1992) represent chronic occupational infections in man acquired earlier, when bovine brucellosis was common in Poland. Actually, some of victims show no serological evidence of infection. Present small risk of infection permits to stop or to limit (only veterinarians) continuous (enough expensive) prospective serological examinations of occupational groups exposed to possible brucellosis in Poland. The interchange of information and surveillance data between Veterinary and Health Service is mostly essential for prevention of humans. When brucellosis is suspected or reported among animals--the medical service should be alerted to the possibility of the human infection.

[Temporal and spatial analysis of hospitalization for selected diseases in Poland associated with certain environmental factors. I. Current trends in hospitalization for certain diseases]. / Czasowe i terytorialne zróznicowanie hospitalizacji wybranych chorób w Polsce w powiazaniu z niektórymi czynnikami srodowiska. CZ. I. Czasowe trendy hospitalizacji z powodu wybranych chorób.

In the present study of hospitalization rates during the period 1979-1990 for some of the diseases considered to be related to environmental contamination were analyzed. Selected diagnosis included malignant melanoma and other malignant neoplasm of skin, malignant neoplasm of bladder, myeloid and monocytic leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, diseases of skin and subcutaneous tissue, spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies. The performed analysis has shown that in 1979-1990 discharge rates had significant growing trends in the both urban and rural population in the case of malignant neoplasm of bladder, leukaemia, spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies in infants. There were no significant trends in hospitalization of malignant melanoma and other malignant neoplasm of skin, aplastic anaemia and asthma.

[Temporal and spatial analysis of hospitalization for selected diseases in Poland due to certain environmental factors. II. Spatial analysis of environmental differences]. / Czasowe i terytorialne zróznicowanie hospitalizacji wybranych chorób w polsce w powiazaniu z niektórymi czynnikami srodowiska. Cz. II. Analiza zróznicowania terytorialnego.

The present study was aimed at assessment of a degree of regional differences in hospitalized morbidity in Poland for some of diseases considered to be related to environmental contamination and its relationship with general environmental characteristic of the regions. The performed analysis has shown that however in recent years there have been substantial differences in the discharge rates between provinces of Poland, these differences are not well explained by differences in general environmental factors. The possible reasons of these results have been discussed.