Healthcare workers highly affected during the COVID-19 epidemic wave in Poland prior to vaccination availability: seroprevalence study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers (HCW) before introduction of vaccination, in selected areas in Poland as well as to identify potential risk factors and estimate the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 infections in this population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors conducted a sero-epidemiological, cross-sectional study among HCW of 5 non-COVID-19 hospitals in Poland. The recruitment took place in December 1-23, 2020, all HCW at selected hospitals could volunteer into the study. All persons were screened with rapid SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG tests in capillary blood. In case of positive result, 5 ml of venous blood was drawn for confirmatory testing with ELISA assay. The authors estimated prevalence of laboratory confirmed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence and examined factors associated with positive result. Cumulative incidence was estimated applying 2-source capture-recapture method to serology results and self-report of past infection. RESULTS: Out of 1040 HCW included in the analysis, one-fourth (25.2%) received a positive result for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by ELISA test, the prevalence among women was 25.3% (95% CI: 22.5-28.4) and 24.6% (95% CI: 19-31.2) among men. The prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was the highest among respondents who declared home contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, 43.9% (95% CI: 32.4-56.1). It was also elevated among those who indicated contact with patients with COVID-19, 32.5% (95% CI: 26.7-38.8) and business contacts, including at the workplace, 28.9% (95% CI: 22.5-36.3). The estimated cumulative incidence of COVID-19 infections in the population, using the capture-recapture method was 41.2% (95% CI: 38.1-44.2). CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare workers remained at increased risk of infection largely due to work-related contacts with infected patients, although home exposure was also common. Estimated cumulative incidence is higher than the antibody prevalence, which indicates the need to monitor HCW for possible immunity waning, also post-immunization immunity. Med Pr. 2022;73(2):109-23.

Giardiasis (lambliasis) in Poland in 2020.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in year 2020. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in 2020 was performed on the basis of aggregated data from the annual bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland" for the years 2006-2020, data on individual cases collected for the purposes of epidemiological surveillance in the EpiBaza system, and data from food-borne outbreak investigations recorded in the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE). RESULTS: The number of new cases of giardiasis reported in Poland in 2020 amounted to 358 cases (incidence rate 0.9 per 100,000 population) and was about 2 times lower than in 2019 (784 cases) and 2.5 times lower than in 2018 (928 cases). In 2020, there was a further decrease in the number of registered cases, but it was much more pronounced than in the preceding years. As in previous years, no deaths from giardiasis were recorded. The downward trend in hospitalizations continued and in 2020 they accounted for approximately 12.6% of all cases, in 2019 the percentage was 15.2% and in 2018 - 19.4%. Most cases met the definition of a confirmed case, with 1 patient meeting the criteria of a probable case. In 2020, 6 outbreaks of giardiasis were reported, which is a decrease compared to 2019 (12 outbreaks) and thus means a reversal of the upward trend occurring at least since 2017. CONCLUSIONS: Data for 2020 should be interpreted taking into account the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have resulted in changes in long-term trends, but in particular contributed to a strong decrease in the number of cases not only of giardiasis, but also of other infectious diseases. In 2020, almost all EU/EEA countries reported a decrease in the incidence of giardiasis similar to that in Poland. However, as in 2019, in 2020 Poland differed from other EU/EEA countries in terms of incidence by age and sex.

Giardiasis (lambliasis) in Poland in 2018 and 2019.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in years 2018 and 2019. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland was performed on the basis of data analysis results of the annual bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland" for the years 2008-2019, information from case report forms provided by employees of Powiat Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations (PSSE) through the Epidemiological Case Reporting System (SRWE), as well as information on outbreaks reported by PSSE employees through the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE). RESULTS: The number of new cases of giardiasis recorded in Poland in 2018 was 928 (the incidence rate was 2.4 per 100,000 population), while in 2019 it was 784 (the incidence per 100,000 population was 2.0). Compared to previous years, in 2018-2019 there was a further decrease in the number of registered cases. There have been no reported deaths from giardiasis in 2018-2019. Hospitalizations accounted for approximately 19.4% of all cases in 2018 and 15.2% in 2019. In 2019, there were 3 cases that met the definition of a probable case, the remaining cases, both in 2018 and 2019, were confirmed cases. In 2018, there were 7 outbreaks of giardiasis, which is an increase compared to 2017. In 2019, the number of reported outbreaks increased further and amounted to 11. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in the number of cases and incidence in Poland over the last few years indicates an improvement in the epidemiological situation. Compared to the EU/EEA average for 2018 and 2019, Poland does not diverge significantly in terms of the number of cases or incidence, however differences occur in the distribution of cases by age and gender, and in the long-term trend.

COVID-19 module in SRWE system - application and use in epidemiological surveillance and reporting to international institutions.

The new SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) coronavirus causing acute respiratory disease COVID-19 (2019 coronavirus disease) detected in China in 2019 very quickly revealed its epidemic potential and was recognized as a global health problem. The situation caused by the rapidly increasing number of new cases and deaths due to COVID-19 required the rapid development of international recommendations and procedures to limit the spread of infections and ongoing monitoring of the epidemiological situation. In the field of epidemiological surveillance of COVID-19 cases, international organizations - WHO and regionally ECDC, have developed basic requirements for reporting data on newly detected cases of infection. In order to ensure the possibility of reporting new cases and activities undertaken by sanitary-epidemiological services in the country and to fulfill the obligation to report data to the European surveillance network, it was necessary to adapt the electronic system supporting epidemiological surveillance operations, for registration of suspected and confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. This work presents the characteristics of the new COVID-19 module created as part of the central Epidemiological Case Reporting System and a preliminary evaluation of its usefulness for the purposes of combating COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS. The Epidemiological Case Reporting System is an efficient and adequate tool that can be adapted to newly emerging threats. In order to use the module to monitor the current epidemiological situation, it is necessary to integrate it with other systems collecting data about COVID-19 patients - ie. EWP and the clinical patient register.

Review of measles-related events recorded by the National IHR Focal Point in Poland in the years 2016-2018

Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO), in accordance with the requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005), were obliged to establish National Focal Points for International Health Regulations (IHR NFP), whose task is, among others, consolidating information on public health events of international importance that occur abroad or in the country. The aim of this article is to review information on measles-related events posted on the Event Information Site for IHR National Focal Points, in the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS), received by email directly from other IHR National Focal Points located in WHO member states, and from all organs of the State Sanitary Inspectorate in Poland in the years 2016-2018. In this time period, the IHR NFP recorded 92 measles-related events of which 38 related to individual cases, 37 to outbreaks of the disease, and 17 involved exposure to a measles case. 36% of reported events were aviationrelated. The number of events in 2018 has tripled compared to 2017 and increased eightfold in comparison to 2016. The current situation indicates the need to take appropriate actions, including implementation of the National Vaccination Program as well as introducing vaccination interventions.

Salmonellosis in Poland in 2017

AIM: The aim of the study is to assess the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in 2017 in Poland compared to the previous years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The assessment of the epidemiological situation was performed on the basis of data submitted to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance NIPH-NIH by sanitaryepidemiological stations by means of the Epidemiological Case Reporting System (SRWE) and the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE), along with data from the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2017" (NIPH-NIH, CSI, Warsaw 2018), and information from the laboratories of Sanitary epidemiological Stations as well as data from the Department of Demographic Studies of the Central Statistical Office. RESULTS: In 2017, 10 000 cases of Salmonella infection were registered in Poland, 9 710 were cases of intestinal salmonellosis, 290 were forms of extraintestinal salmonellosis. The incidence rate per 100 thousand population was 26.0. The hospitalization rate for all salmonellosis cases was 63.3%. Confirmed cases accounted for 92,1% of all cases, the remaining 7.9% were probable cases. Peak incidence occurred, as in previous years, in the summer months. The voivodships with the largest number of cases caused by Salmonella were the Mazowieckie and Malopolskie voivodeships, the least was recorded in the Lubuskie voivodeship. The age group in which the highest percentage of food poisonings was recorded were children aged 0-4, while extraintestinal forms most often concerned people aged over 60. 278 food poisoning outbreaks were recorded, in which Salmonella Enteritidis was the most frequently isolated serotype. This serotype was most often isolated in foodborne outbreaks and in sporadic cases, it is responsible for 92% of all salmonellosis. Salmonella infection was found in 0.2% of people working with food and in 8.1% of contacts of the cases. According to data from the Central Statistical Office, 10 people died of salmonellosis in 2017. CONCLUSIONS: In 2017, the number of people infected with Salmonella was as high as in 2016, the reason for the persistence of such a high number of cases may be the association of some infections with an international salmonellosis outbreak, the peak of which was in 2016. The high incidence of salmonellosis may also be a consequence of legal changes introduced in 2014 regarding the reporting of positive test results by laboratories for epidemiological surveillance.

Giardiasis (lambliasis) in Poland in 2017

OBJECTIVE: To assess the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland in 2017. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The assessment of the epidemiological situation of giardiasis in Poland was carried out on the basis of the results of the analysis of data from the annual bulletins "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland", information from forms on individual cases provided by PSSE employees through the Epidemiological Case Reporting System (SRWE), information on outbreaks transferred by PSSE employees through the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks (ROE), as well as data on deaths from the Department of Demographic Studies of the Central Statistical Office. RESULTS: This is the first epidemiological report on giardiasis in Poland published in the epidemiological Chronicle. The number of new giardiasis cases registered in Poland in 2017 was 1 229 cases, incidence rate 3.2 per 100 000 population. Compared to previous years, the number of registered cases decreased. There were no deaths. Hospitalizations accounted for around 24.5% of all cases. All giardiasis cases met the criteria for the definition of a confirmed case. In 2017, there were 4 outbreaks of giardiasis. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term decline in the number of cases and incidence in Poland indicates an improvement of the epidemiological situation. In comparison with epidemiological data for EU / EEA countries, Poland does not stand out significantly in terms of the number of cases, incidence or seasonality distribution of cases.

Assessment of knowledge about the effects of UV radiation on health behaviors associated with sunbathing in gymnasium students.

INTRODUCTION: The health behaviors or health-related behaviors is behavior (or activity) that are part of everyday life, affecting the health of the individual. An example of the behavior of health is also sunbathing, or exposing the body to excessive solar radiation dosage. It may be positive and negative effects on health. AIM: Evaluation of knowledge about gymnasium students. The impact of UV radiation on health and health behaviors associated with sunbathing. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was a diagnostic survey, with author's questionnaire. The sample was comprised students from classes II and III. A total of 312 questionnaires were collected among 181 girls and 131 boys. Used purposeful sampling. Results were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS: There is a statistically significant relationship between the stated sunbathing to get a sun tan, and sex of the respondent (p = 0.0002). Definitely more girls (77.35%) admit that tans in the sun to get a tan as compared to boys (58.02%). CONCLUSION: It is recommended that further research aimed at checking the causes and incidence of sunburn among young people. Consideration should be given to create and implement the appropriate health programs taking about tanning that could be implemented under the School Health Promotion Program, or to supplement this knowledge on subjects such as Biology or Nature.