[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2005].

In Poland, 2 806 cases of neuroinfections were reported in 2005, of which 998 had bacterial aetiology, 1469 viral, and 339 cases had other or unknown origin. Incidence of bacterial neuroin-fections increased in 2003-2005, following a decreasing trend observed during the past decade. Etiological factor was determined in 486 (49%) cases of bacterial neuroinfections. Among them Neisseria meningitidis was found in 135 cases, Haemophilus influenzae in 59 cases and Streptococ-cus pneumoniae in 111 cases. Unlike previously in 2005 serogroup B was no longer the predominant type of N. meningitidis cultured from patients. Both types B and C constituted similar proportions of all strains serotyped in 2005. Viral neuroinfections incidence in 2005 remained on the same level as in 2004. Etiological factor 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 177 cases of tick-borne encephalitis and 13 cases of herpetic encephalitis. Tick borne encephalitis incidence decreased in 2005 (0.46), compared to 2003-2004. Most of the cases were reported from endemic areas of northeastern part of the country.