title: Scarlet fever in Poland in 2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in 2011 MATERIALS AND MATHODS: The evaluation was performed by analysing the data published in the bulletin, "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2011" (Warsaw 2012, NIPH-NIH, CSI) and also in bulletins from previous years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Since 2004 in Poland has been observed epidemic increase in the number of scarlet fever cases. However, the growth rate is significantly slower and incidence is considerably lower than in previous epidemic periods. In 2011, in the country a total of 18 267 cases were registered and incidence was 47.4 per 100,000 population (in provinces: from 23.4 in Łódzkie to 68.0 in Slaskie). The highest incidence was notified in 5-year-old and 6-year-old children (782.4), whereas the incidence of children and young people up to 15 years accounted for 96.9% of all cases. The incidence of men 53.7 by almost 30% was higher than the incidence of women (41.6). The incidence was higher in urban areas than in rural areas and was 53.3 (in rural area 38.3). 1.1% of patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An impact on the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in the last two decades have i.a. demographic changes--decline in the population of children, i.e. in group which is particularly vulnerable to infection. In order to raising the reliability of surveillance data, it is recommended a prominent heightening of the percentage of cases which clinical diagnosis would be confirmed by the result of bacteriological examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland. mpc@pzh.gov.pl
authors.forename: Mirosław P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Czarkowski
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kondej
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Staszewska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012541:Scarlet Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data