Malaria in Poland in 2011
Stepień, M.łg.
Przeglad Epidemiologiczny 67(2): 273-275; 373-374
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-2100 PMID: 24040732 Document Number: 667129
To assess the epidemiological situation of malaria in Poland in 2011 as compared with previous years. evaluation of incidence of malaria registered in Poland in 2011, based on the results of the analysis of individual reports sent to the NIPH-NIH by the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations and on aggregate data published in the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland." Case classification in the epidemiological surveillance based on case definition for malaria approved by EC in the EU countries in 2008. Only symptomatic laboratory-confirmed cases were recorded. In 2011 14 cases of malaria were registered in Poland. All were imported from malaria-endemic countries: 64% of the cases were brought from Africa, and 21% from Asia. In comparison with the previous year number of reported cases was smaller by 21 cases. No deaths were reported. In one person who did not leave Poland in the last year there was probably a recurrence of malaria, though Plasmodium species has not been established. Among the cases with species-specific diagnosis 7 (63%) were caused by P. falciparum, 2 (18%) by P. vivax and P. malariae in one. Also in one case the mixed invasion was found. In 50% of cases the infection occurred during work-related trips, 43% in tourist trips and in one case, the student fell ill, who was in Cameroon a year earlier. Chemoprophylaxis was applied to five people but only in one person appropriately. In 2011, in connection with an outbreak of malaria in Greece, restrictions on blood donation for returnees from certain regions of Greece were implemented. Despite marked fluctuations in the total annual number of reported cases, incidence in Poland remains low. The main problem for the Polish imported malaria remains seriousness of illness in many patients, most often as a result of delayed diagnosis.