Imported cases of dengue in Poland and their diagnosis.

Infections with dengue virus are transmitted by mosquitoes. In tropical areas, it is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti while in countries with lower temperatures by Aedes albopictus. Since 2010, autochthonous cases of dengue are also reported in Europe. There are 4 serotypes of dengue virus (DENV). No correlation between clinical presentation of disease and virus type, however, were determined. Nevertheless, reinfection with different type of DENV may lead to a serious, life-threatening condition. An estimated 100 million persons are infected with dengue virus per year. Of them, approximately a half (mainly children) develop the symptoms of dengue fever (DF), dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Fatality is high in case of severe dengue. Dengue is a serious condition provided there is a presence of IgG antibodies directed against antigens of particular DENV serotypes, associated with primary infection caused by different serotype or transferred from infected mother to her child. For adequate dengue laboratory diagnosis, it is required to apply a set of various diagnostic methods. Within the family Flaviviridae, cross-reactivity is reported, which may lead to the occurrence of false-positive results. In Poland, differential diagnosis with different Flavivirus species is of special importance as it is an endemic area for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Thus, data regarding history of patient's immunization against TBE or yellow fever should be also taken into consideration as important in interpretation of results of serological examination.

The frequency of human papillomavirus infection in polish patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Vulvar cancer is a rare condition representing about 4% of all female genital tract tumors. In contrast to the established relationship of virtually all cervical cancer cases with the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, the reported HPV positivity in vulvar carcinoma ranges widely. METHODS: Using the Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test, we investigated the HPV incidence in a group of 46 Polish patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (age range, 37-93 years; median age, 70.2 years) in clinical stages T1-2, N0-2, and M0. RESULTS: The presence of HPV DNA was confirmed in 7 of 46 (15%) primary tumor samples. HPV 16 was found in 5 tumors (71%). HPVs 6 and 58 were detected in the remaining 2 cases of virus-associated tumors. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a fraction of cancers of vulva associated with HPV is insignificant, given the HPV prevalence of 8.6% in the Polish population aged 55 to 59 years (the oldest cohort of Polish women studied to date).