[Dysentery in Poland in 2003].

The notified number of dysentery cases is the lowest in this century and even every year decreasing. Only 75 cases were notified in the year 2003 (incidence rate 0.20/100 000 population) while 220 cases were registered in 2002 (incidence 0.58/100 000 population). No one death case was notified. The last three death cases were notified in 1999. Only one outbreak of dysentery (due to S. flexneri 2a) was registered involving 23 patients/111 residents of Social Home for Mentally Disabled Men. Source of infection was probably one of residents who were infected during an outbreak of dysentery in the same institution four years earlier in 1999. The outbreak changed the overall etiology of dysentery cases in 2003: 52% was due to S. sonnei, but 46% was due to S. flexneri and 2% to S. dysenteriae 2, S. boydii were not found among persons examined bacteriologically by laboratory service of Epidemiological and Sanitary Service. The external quality control of procedures for selective investigation of Shigella infections in stool probe was done in 37 laboratories of Sanitary Epidemiological Stations with the use of control strain S. boydii 6. It was shown that in nearly all laboratories the strain was unable to grow on media SS and Hektoen after enrichment in the phosphate selenine--medium (SF) used by them. In the period of low frequency of Shigella infections the external control of the quality of bacteriological media and laboratory procedures is needed and should be done regularly.