Two cases of septicaemia caused by Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 were reported in different regions of Poland during one

German cockroaches collected in two hospitals were examined bacteriologically. Twenty strains of different taxons were isolated, all considered to be potentially pathogenic to humans. Some strains were resistant to antibacterial drugs widely used for treatment of patients: Gram-negative rods were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, Pseudomonas spp. additionally resistant to co-trimoxasole. Strains of Staphylococcus equorum, S. hominis were methicillin-resistant, a strain of S. epidermidis showed MLSb mechanism of resistance. Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the disinfectant sodium dichloroisocyanurate showed it was in the range 500- 2000 mg. L−1. The MIC for glucoprotamine was from 1.453 to 500 mg. L−1. A strain of S. epidermidis was less sensitive (MIC = 125 mg. L−1) to glucoprotamine than other staphylococci, Serratia marcescens was resistant to that agent (MIC = 500 mg. L−1). Product containing glucoprotamine was ineffective against strains of S. epidermidis MLSb and Pseudomonas putida. Our data suggest that cockroaches might serve as a source of infection, by acting as carriers and reservoirs of bacterial strains in nosocomial outbreaks.

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study is to assess the epidemiological situation of legionellosis in Poland in 2017 in comparison with previous years. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The analysis is based on national surveillance data published in the annual bulletin: “Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2017” and bulletins from previous years along with data from legionellosis case reports collected and sent to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance NIPH – NIH by Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations. RESULTS. In Poland, both cases of Legionnaires’ disease (an acute form of infection with pneumonia) and Pontiac fever (a mild, influenza-like form of infection) are routinely reported to the surveillance system. In 2017, a total of 39 cases of legionellosis were registered, including 38 cases of Legionnaires’ disease and 1 case of Pontiac fever; the annual incidence rate 0.102 (per 100,000 population) has increased by almost 50 percent since previous year (0.070) and is almost three times higher than the median incidence (0.036) for 2011-2015. The infections were reported in fourteen voivodeships; only one voivodeship (Świętokrzyskie) did not register any case in last years. The incidence in men (0.129 per 100,000) was higher compared to women (0.076); the highest incidence (0.323) was noted in men aged 50-59. All reported cases were sporadic and were hospitalised. The Sanitary Inspection reported nine fatal cases – 6 women and 3 men. Thirty three cases were autochthonous including four cases linked with contaminated water systems in health-care settings. Six cases were associated with travels abroad (to Egypt, Albania, Italy and Crete). SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. Although in recent years number of reported cases continues to rise, the incidence of legionellosis in Poland remains one of the lowest in the entire EU. Also draws attention variation of incidence between provinces and a high mortality among reported cases. Our data suggest significant under-diagnosis of legionellosis. A priority remains to improve early diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease in health care settings.

The aim of this study was to characterise the 34 Enterobacter cloacae strains isolated from different places in a hospital, either from patients who were infected or colonised and from the body surface of German cockroaches ( Blatella germanica) caught in hospitals. A number of factors were determined: the ability of E. cloacae strains to adhere to the HEp-2 cell line, their susceptibility to drugs, the activity of disinfectant agents to planktonic cells and effectiveness of those disinfectants to bacteria that are sessile on catheters as well as the Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus – Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) profile of the strains. On the basis of a statistical analysis of all the phenotypic results we were able to distinguish a few clusters. The majority of them consisted of strains isolated from colonisation and infection of patients. Some clusters consisted of E. cloacae from all the test sites. Some strains showed similarities of their phenotypic properties as well as the ERIC-PCR profile. Epidemiological studies are continuing.

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