As referral centre for the Marche region, within the national acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance program, coordinated by the National Institute of Health, the Department of Hygiene of the University of Ancona, launched its surveillance activities in February 1997, by involving pediatric, neurology and infectious disease departments of 20 hospitals. The expected number of AFP cases in the Marche region is 2 per year. Between 1997 and 2003, a total of 16 cases were reported, 2 of which in 1997 (yielding an incidence rate of 1/100000), 4 in 1998 (incidence rate 2/100000), 2 in 1999 (incidence rate 1/100000), 1 in 2000 (incidence rate 0.5/100000), 6 in 2001(incidence rate 3/100000), 2 in 2002 (incidence rate 1/100000) and no cases in 2003. These results are very encouraging and point to active participation of all the hospital centres involved.