Background: Shigellosis, also known as bacillary dysentery, is a contagious and infectious disease. In the European Union, on the basis of the Commission Decision of 2 April 2009 and the Commission Decision of 28 April 2008, a unified system for collecting epidemiological data on infectious diseases was introduced, including shigellosis. This makes it possible to compare data collected at different times and in different countries.
Aim: The aim of the article is to evaluate the epidemiological situation of shigellosis in Poland in 2011.
Materials and methods: An assessment of the epidemiological situation of shigellosis was based on the results from an analysis of the yearly annual bulletins: "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2011", reports from bacteriological laboratories and reports from individual cases and epidemiological investigations of outbreaks linked to shigellosis, sent by Sanitary Epidemiological Stations to the Department of Epidemiology at NIZP-PZH.
Results: In Poland, 17 confirmed cases of shigellosis were registered in 2011. The incidence of 0.04 per 100,000 inhabitants was lower when compared to the previous year. The number of cases is lower by 48% when compared with the median of years 2005-2009--35 cases (incidence 0.09/100,000). Most of the cases were registered in the Silesian province--7 (incidence 0.15 /100,000). According to data from 16 laboratories of Sanitary Epidemiological Stations, Shigella was not detected among the subjects. All cases of shigellosis registered in 2011, were confirmed by a hospital laboratory at or a private laboratory.
Conclusions: In Poland, we have observed a decline in the number of cases of shigellosis and the incidence remains at a relatively steady level and constitutes less than 0.1/100,000 inhabitants. Compared to the rest of the countries belonging to the EU/EFTA, the current epidemiological situation of shigellosis in Poland is good. Poland is a country with the lowest incidence. In spite of this, the surveillance of shigellosis required more active epidemiological measures. Special attention should be paid to the bacteriological testing of people living in rural areas, children and young people.