title: Evaluation of hepatitis C surveillance in Poland in 1998.
abstract: The aim was to evaluate hepatitis C surveillance in Poland during 1998. Hepatitis C reports were obtained from epidemiology offices. Public health staff were interviewed to collect information on surveillance operations. To estimate the proportion of acute cases among the total reported, a study was conducted in the Warsaw district to validate case reports. A total of 1661 (97.2%) hepatitis C cases were studied. Hepatitis C surveillance was timely and acceptable to the user, but did not provide a number of information elements required to differentiate acute from chronic cases of infection. Of the 268 case reports available in the Warsaw district, only 15 (5.6%) met the acute hepatitis C case definition. It is concluded that hepatitis C surveillance in Poland cannot provide useful incidence estimates and information regarding risk factors for acute infection. A strict case definition and a modified case form with specific questions for HCV transmission routes should be applied.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazurek
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hutin
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: McNutt
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Morse
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors