Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Poland and in the world
Miller, M.; Leowski, J.
Przeglad Epidemiologiczny 51(4): 389-404
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-2100 PMID: 9562786 Document Number: 474993
The paper describes the risk of tuberculosis infection and the incidence of the disease as measures of the epidemiological situation and presents data on the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in Poland and the world. It also describes the effectiveness of the national tuberculosis control programme in Poland. The annual risk of tuberculosis infection in Poland is estimated at 0.2% which is about 10 times higher than the lowest one in Europe (the Netherland), but there are countries in the world with the risk of 2.0% and higher. The incidence of tuberculosis in Poland (all forms) declined from 182.6/100,000 in 1965 to less than 40,0/100,000 in 1996, of which less than half were bacteriologically positive cases. The incidence of smear positive cases, the most infectious group, declined from 18.7/100,000 in 1980 to 9.7/100,000 in 1995. All cases of tuberculosis in Poland are treated with 4-drugs regimen in the intensive phase of treatment and 3-drugs in the continuation phase. The duration of treatment is 6-8 months and the cure rate is above 90%.