Background: Meningitis and encephalitis are febrile diseases with varying degrees of severity, rich symptomatology and differentiated course depending on the etiological factor and individual sensitivity. In severe cases, it can quickly lead to shock and death. mAbout 3000 cases of meningitis and encephalitis are registered in Poland each year. They constitute a serious diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Among the cases of cerebrospinal meningitis and / or encephalitis, confirmed by laboratory tests, the most common are Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Among viral neuroinfections, tick-borne encephalitis predominates.
Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the epidemiological situation of meningitis and / or encephalomyelitis in Poland in 2016. and comparison of the results obtained with the epidemiological situation in previous years.
Methods: Analysis and assessment of the epidemiological situation of the occurrence of meningitis and / or encephalomyelitis in Poland in 2016. was based on the results of the analysis of aggregate data published in the annual bulletins: “Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland in 2016” and “Protective Vaccination in Poland in 2016. (Czarkowski MP. Et al., Warsaw, NIZP-PZH, GIS). In addition, the recommendations from the Protective Vaccine Program for 2016 were used.
Results: In 2016, in Poland, there were a total of 3,191 cases of meningitis and / or encephalitis (incidence 7.6 per 100,000), which increased by 14.5% compared to 2015. The prevalences of viral etiology were they were responsible for 43.49% of cases of neuroinfections. Among the specific neuroinfections with viral etiology, up to 74.67% were tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Disorders of bacterial etiology were the cause of 30.08% of all cases, which is an increase of 6.35% compared to 2015.
Summary: In 2016, the total increase in meningitis and / or brain inflammation was recorded in Poland. In comparison to 2015, it was an increase of 14.5%. Most of these infections were infections caused by viruses - 43.49%. 2016 was another period in which a decline in bacterial etiology was noted, which may result from the fact that more protective vaccinations were carried out in this area. It is necessary to continue educational activities aimed at raising the level of knowledge of the general public in the area of the ability to prevent infectious diseases through vaccination.
Keywords: encephalitis; meningitis; epidemiology; Poland; 2016.