title: Rabies in Poland in 2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess epidemiological situation of rabies in Poland in 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  The assessment was based on the results of the data analysis from questionnaires (People vaccinated against rabies post-exposure surveys in Poland and people vaccinated against rabies after exposure in other countries) submitted by the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations and data from the annual newsletter "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2011" (Czarkowski MP et al., Warsaw, NIZP-PZH and GIS) and epizootic data provided by the General Veterinary Inspectorate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2011, in Poland, 160 cases of rabies (in 2010 - 152 cases) were reported. Animal cases occurred primarily in the Malopolska province, where an increase in animal rabies cases has been observed since September 2010 and in Podkarpackie province. A single case of fox rabies was reported in Silesia, where there was no disease for many years. Rabies among terrestrial animals also occurred in the provinces ofLubelskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Podlaskie. In other regions of the country there were recorded only isolated cases of bat rabies. In 2011, number of people vaccinated against rabies was 7 543 (in 2010 - 7,243), of which 300 (4%) due to exposure to the animals that were confirmed to have rabies. Among those vaccinated because of contact with the rabid animal, 68 people (over 22%) were vaccinated after contact with fox. As in previous years, people were mainly vaccinated after exposure to dogs and cats in which rabies could not be ruled out - 5 874 persons (78%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of registered animals with confirmed rabies remains at the same level and the disease epizootic situation is good. This is a consequence of the implementation of the oral vaccination of wild animals introduced in the country in 1993. Epizootic situation in the country has a small influence on the number of people vaccinated against rabies who have come into contact with the animal potentially infected with the rabies. Serum is given in a few cases, including a few people at contact with rabid animals or deeply wounded by animals in which rabies cannot be excluded.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw. mtodys@pzh.gov.pl
authors: Malgorzata
authors: M
authors: Sadkowska-Todys
authors: Bozena
authors: B
authors: Kucharczyk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D012042:Registries; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*