Epidemiology of tick-borne diseases in Poland

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed

Przegl Epidemiol. 2006;60 Suppl 1:151-9.

[Epidemiology of tick-borne diseases in Poland]
[Article in Polish]

* Stefanoff P,
* Rosinska M,
* Zielinski A.

Zaklad Epidemiologii Panstwowego Zakldadu Higieny w Warszawie.

The paper summarizes state of art knowledge on tick-borne diseases
epidemiology in Poland. The most prevalent diseases are Lyme
borreliosis
(LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Although there is growing
number
of data published on anaplasmosis and babesiosis prevalence in ticks
and
humans, there is no national data on these diseases and their
epidemiological features remain unclear. All tick-borne agents have a
common vector tick--the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus. LB and TBE are
mandatory reportable diseases. In 2005 case definitions were
implemented
in Poland to allow a better comparability of data within the country
and
with other European countries. LB is widespread in Poland. Studies of
prevalence of infected ticks indicate that from 6 to 15% of I. ricinus
ticks in different sites are infected with the spirochete. Data from
seroepidemiologic studies and from routine surveillance (started in
1996) confirm that the disease is widespread in Poland, and its
incidence is increasing. It has increased from 2.31 per 100,000 in 1999

to 11.55 in 2005. One reason of this increase is the improvement in
diagnosis of the disease. There is a need to promote personal
protection
during outdoor activities and knowledge on LB symptoms, especially
among
populations at risk--forestry workers, farmers. TBE incidence is
limited
to two main foci--one in the Northeast of Poland bordering Baltic
states
endemic region, and the second on the South of Poland, neighbouring the

Czech and Slovak republics. Seroepidemiologic data, supported by
surveillance data, indicate that there are areas of particularly high
TBEV activity. The mostly affected occupational groups are: unemployed,

retired, students, and farmers. This is a reason to promote personal
protection and prophylactic vaccination of both inhabitants of endemic
regions and tourists visiting endemic regions.

PMID: 16909794 [PubMed - in process]

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