[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2006].

In Poland, 3 693 cases of neuroinfections were reported in 2006, of which 989 had bacterial aetiology, 1 874--viral aetiology, and 512--other or unknown origin. The etiological agent was determined in 455 (46%) cases of bacterial neuroinfections. Among them Neisseria meningitidis was found in 148 cases, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) in 39 cases and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 119 cases. An increasing trend in meningococcal infections incidence has been observed in 2006, and a substantial decrease of Hib incidence, related to increasing vaccination coverage. Viral neuroinfections incidence in 2006 increased compared to year 2005. Etiological factors of central nervous system aseptic infections were established only in minor proportion of cases--3% of meningitis and 20% of encephalitis. Among confirmed cases, there were 317 cases of tick-borne encephalitis and 31 cases of herpetic encephalitis. Tick borne encephalitis incidence increased in 2006 (0.83), compared to 2004 - 2005. Most of the cases were reported from endemic areas of north-eastern part of the country.