[Tetanus in 1997].

In 1997, 37 cases of tetanus were registered in Poland. The incidence rate of tetanus was 0.1/100,000 population. No neonatal tetanus cases were recorded. The last neonatal tetanus case had been reported in this country 14 years ago and the last death from neonatal tetanus over 30 years ago. Two tetanus cases occurred in persons aged 20 and 28, who underwent a full course of tetanus vaccination and received their last booster dose of tetanus vaccine not more than 10 years ago. 70% of cases occurred in persons aged 60 and over. Case-fatality rate associated with tetanus was 27%. By the end of 1997, 97.8% of children born in 1996 have been immunized with at least three doses of DTP vaccine. High vaccine coverage rates in Poland maintained since many years are an effective means of eliminating tetanus in the population. Since many years a decreasing number of tetanus cases are registered.