Introduction. During feeding, the tick sucks blood from the host along with the pathogens that are in the blood, simultaneously exchanging its own pathogens with the host. Humans can also be a host. It is important to understand the most typical circumstances in which people might become infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. This knowledge will help to prepare health education programmes aimed at the prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, depending on the circumstances of getting bitten. Materials and method. The research material consisted of ticks acquired from people who had been bitten, and questionnaires completed by these people. 510 ticks were acquired from 257 females and 253 males. Following delivery of a tick for testing, the stage of its development was determined and a molecular assay of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA performed. Results. A positive result of the nested-PCR test was obtained in 78 ticks, which represents 15.30% of all ticks. The infected ticks were collected from male (41 ticks -52.56%) and female subjects (37 ticks -47.44%). The biggest number of infected ticks were collected in autumn (54 ticks -69.23%) and from people who had been into forests (44 ticks -56.41%). Among the people from whom the infected ticks were acquired, the dominating group included persons over 16 years of age (53 persons -67.95%) and children aged 0-5 years (16 persons -20.51%). One in four infected ticks were acquired from the southwestern (20 ticks -25.64%) and eastern regions of Poland (21 ticks -26.92%). Conclusion. Infestation of ticks infected with Lyme disease spirochete in this study proved to be variable and depend on the season, the area of tick attack and the region in Poland. The results of the study clearly show that ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi inhabit all regions of Poland. The results are consistent with National Institute of Hygiene data which indicates that Lyme disease cases are recorded in all regions of Poland.

Wprowadzenie. Choroba z Lyme jest najczęstszą chorobą przenoszoną przez kleszcze na świecie i jedną z najbardziej kontrowersyjnych chorób w historii medycyny. Wywołują ją krętki z rodzaju Borrelia, ma przebieg fazowy, jest chorobą przewlekłą, wielonarządową. Cel pracy. Celem pracy jest pokazanie odmiennych poglądów w sprawie kryteriów rozpoznawania i sposobów leczenia boreliozy, prezentowanych przez dwa amerykańskie towarzystwa naukowe, tj.: IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) i ILADS (International Lyme And Associated Diseases Society), oraz zwrócenie uwagi na problemy prawne jednego z nich. Stan wiedzy. Towarzystwo naukowe IDSA ma znaczący wpływ na kształt opieki medycznej, którą uzyskują chorzy na boreliozę w Stanach Zjednoczonych, jak i w Europie. Jest to wpływowe stowarzyszenie medyczne, a jego wytyczne stanowią podstawę podobnych zaleceń diagnostyki i leczenia boreliozy w całej Europie, w tym w Polsce. W opozycji do ich poglądów jest inna grupa lekarzy -ILADS. Praca pokazuje istniejący pomiędzy nimi spór. Jak stwierdza R.B. Stricker, A. Lautin i J.J. Burrascano, jedną z istotnych przyczyn kontrowersji dotyczących leczenia jest brak wiarygodnych testów, dzięki którym byłoby możliwe monitorowanie leczenia i określenie momentu wyleczenia oraz obecności koinfekcji, które mogą komplikować przebieg choroby. Należy zauważyć, że dominacja poglądów IDSA i znaczący ich wpływ na kształt opieki medycznej powoduje, że wydane przez nich wytyczne, dotyczące diagnozy i leczenia boreliozy, mogą zamykać możliwości leczenia pacjentom. Podsumowanie. Towarzystwa medyczne mają obowiązek potwierdzić uzasadnione kontrowersje w metodach leczenia, zwłaszcza w sytuacji, gdy spór dotyczy braku dostatecznych dowodów. Oznacza to, że różne punkty widzenia powinny być reprezentowane na panelach odpowiedzialnych za tworzenie wytycznych, a uzasadnione kontrowersje powinny być uznane i uwzględnione w tekście tych wytycznych.

Background. Providing care to patients with low function agility in the home environment becomes a burden and leads to the worsening of the informal caregiver's quality of life. Objectives. aim of the research was to assess the quality of life of informal caregivers in the context of their burden linked to the care provided to chronically ill patients with low function agility in the home environment. Material and methods. research was conducted in five public healthcare facilities, from september 2016 until February 2017, and included 138 informal caregivers. the wHoQol-aGE scale was used to assess caregivers' quality of life, and the CoPE index was employed to assessed caregivers' burden. Results. according to wHoQol-aGE, the average value of caregivers' quality of life was 70.14 points. Caregivers' burden according to the CoPE index negative impact of Care subscale was: m = 11.80; Positive Value of Care subscale: m = 13.71; and in Quality of support subscale: m = 12.46. statistical importance was at p ≤ 0.01 for wHoQol-aGE scale, and the burden according to the CoPE index. Conclusions. informal caregivers' quality of life according to the wHoQol-aGE scale corresponds significantly with caregivers' burden according to the CoPE-index, in all of the analysed domains. along with the increase of the negative influence of the care, general quality of life with all its subscales, as well as satisfaction, decreases. Caregivers' quality of life increases along with the increase of the satisfaction connected to the provided care, and with receiving support from informal and formal healthcare.

In the period 2006–2010, the National Cancer Registry indicated a gradual increase in the incidence of malignant tumours among men, from 64,092 thousand in 2006 to 70,024 thousand in 2010. In the reference period, the number of deaths due to malignant tumours among men oscillated around 52 thousand.The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence of malignant tumours in the male population of Poland in the period 2006–2010.The study material comprised data obtained from the National Cancer Registry and from the Central Statistical Office, available on the websites of these institutions.The malignant-tumour incidence rate among the male population in 2006–2010 showed a slow but steady growth, while the death rate dropped slightly at the end of 2010. The hypothesis that the cancer-incidence risk grows with age has been proven, and a substantial increase in this risk is observed from the fourth decade of life. The most common malignant tumours in Poland in the analysed period included lung cancer, followed by prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.Future prophylactic and educational programmes should be addressed to men prior to reaching the age of increased cancer risk.

Introduction. Postpartum depression (post-natal depression, pure postpartum depression, PPD) is one of three types of post-natal mood disorders. The degree (severity) of this disorder may be defined as moderate or severe. A milder form of depression is postpartum sadness (baby blues), while the untreated depression can develop into a very severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis Aim. The aim of the work was to analyse the incidence and severity of postpartum depression symptoms in women in the first year after giving birth, evaluated by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the social support received and expected by them. Material and methods. This paper presents the severity of depressive symptoms in 150 women measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in the first year after their giving birth as well as the support received by them and the demand for it. Results. More than half of the women filling in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale achieved a result indicating a high risk of postpartum depression (more than 12 points). The severity of postpartum depression symptoms depended on the place of residence of women, was related to attendance antenatal classes, breastfeeding and the support received. Conclusions. It would be advisable to initially assess the risk of postpartum depression in women immediately after childbirth and the social support available to them.