[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2003].

In Poland, 829 cases of bacterial meningitis and encephalitis, 563 cases of viral encephalitis, 973 of viral meningitis and 300 cases of meningitis and encephalitis of other or unknown etiology were reported in 2003. Incidence of the bacterial central nervous system infections has been declining over the past decade and the level of viral infections other then tick-borne encephalitis, following the outbreak in the mid-nineties, remained stable. Etiological factor was determined in 352 (42%) cases of bacterial meningitis/encephalitis. Among them Neisseria meningitidis was found in 76 cases, Haemophilus influenzae in 68 cases and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 91 cases. As in the past type B was the predominant type of N. meningitidis cultured from the patients, but type C appears to be on the rise accounting for 36% of the strains serotyped in 2003. Tick borne encephalitis increased markedly in 2003, with the highest ever noted number of cases (339). Most of the cases were reported from endemic areas of north-eastern part of the country.