Spread of Influenza Viruses in Poland and Neighboring Countries in Seasonal Terms.

Karol Szymański,Katarzyna Kondratiuk,Ewelina Hallmann,Katarzyna Łuniewska,Lidia B Brydak,Anna Poznańska

doi:10.3390/pathogens10030316

Karol Szymański, Katarzyna Kondratiuk + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10030316

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Journal: Pathogens	Publication Date: Mar 8, 2021
Citations: 2	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: National Institute of Public Health

Abstract

In Poland, flu supervision is coordinated by the National Influenza Center at the National Institute of Public Health—National Institute of Hygiene. In this publication, we want to determine geographical trends in influenza virus circulation in the region. A detailed analysis of virological and epidemiological data showed the course of the epidemic season in Poland, as well as in neighboring countries. The spatial differentiation of the incidence of infection between voivodships was examined, as well as compared to countries that border a given voivodship. The results show a significant variation in the incidence of infection in terms of time and space. This points to the need to increase the number of tests and to raise awareness among health care professionals and the public about the probability of an influenza pandemic, as undetected viruses can spread further into the European Union.

Highlights

The first pandemic of the 20th century in 1918–1919 took many lives, currently estimated at around 50–100 million, and led to huge financial costs [1]
The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently working with 149 National Centers for Influenza, including one located at the Influenza Research Department of the National Institute of Public Health—National Institute of Hygiene
This work is concerned with the spread of influenza viruses in Poland and neighboring countries over three epidemic seasons—2016/2017, 2017/2018, and 2018/2019

Summary

Introduction

The first pandemic of the 20th century in 1918–1919 took many lives, currently estimated at around 50–100 million, and led to huge financial costs [1]. Since the epidemic season of 2004/2005, virological and epidemiological supervision of the SENTINEL influenza has been carried out in Poland [2,4]. Sixteen Provincial Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations (VSES) participate in the supervision carried out in Poland by both GISRS and SENTINEL. These stations supervise the County Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations (CSES) located in each voivodship. The work of these units to monitor influenza virus infections is coordinated by the Influenza Virus Research Institute, National Influenza Center

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