Re-emergence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been observed in countries of western Europe, North America and Australia since the mid-1990s. We aimed to describe the trends in notification rate of HIV infection among MSM in Poland in order to provide evidence for further public health action. We performed a descriptive analysis of 2000-11 surveillance data, accounting for missing information on transmission category through multiple imputations. There were 9,286 new HIV diagnoses in Poland in 2000-11, ranging from 546 to 1,095 per year. A total of 6,896 cases were male, 1,943 female. For 5,615 (60.5%) new diagnoses, the transmission category was not reported; among the rest, MSM constituted 24.1% (n=885/3,671). The rate of new HIV diagnoses among MSM per million men increased from 2.5 in 2000 to 33.8 in 2011; in the Mazowieckie region, which includes Warsaw, it rose from 2.2 to 88.8, when adjusting for missing data on transmission category. Our results suggest the need for enhanced, comprehensive prevention among MSM, especially in regions where the increasing rate of new HIV diagnoses suggests ongoing transmission.

In 2012, newly reported human immunodeficiency virus diagnoses in the European Union /European Economic Area remained stable at around 30,000 cases. Since 2003, cases in men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 20 to 29 years-old doubled, while the proportion of late presenters in this group remained stable. Persistent declines occurred among older MSM age groups, particularly that between 30 and 39 years-old. Interventions targeting younger MSM are needed to prevent a resurgence of the epidemic in Europe.

Laboratory data are the cornerstone in surveillance of infectious disease. We investigated whether changes in reported incidence of Campylobacter and Salmonella infection might be explained by changes in stool sampling rates. Data were extracted from a national database on 585 843 patient stool samples tested by microbiology laboratories in Wales between 1998 and 2008. Salmonella incidence fell from 43 to 19 episodes/100 000 population but Campylobacter incidence after declining from 111/100 000 in 1998 to 84/100 000 in 2003 rose to 119/100 000 in 2008. The proportion of the population sampled rose from 2·0% in 1998 to 2·8% in 2008, mostly due to increases in samples from hospital patients and older adults. The proportion of positive samples declined for both Salmonella and Campylobacter from 3·1% to 1·1% and from 8·9% to 7·5%, respectively. The decline in Salmonella incidence is so substantial that it is not masked even by increased stool sampling, but the recent rise in Campylobacter incidence may be a surveillance artefact largely due to the increase in stool sampling in older people.

To gain insight into HIV transmission we estimated the proportion of those recently infected. We examined data from HIV-positive patients and a random 10% sample of HIV-negative patients tested at Voluntary Counseling and Testing sites in Poland in 2006. Archived samples from positive patients were tested by three assays to differentiate recent from long-standing infection. Using logistic regression, we examined the association of recent infection (at least one assay) with age, sex, HIV exposure category, and the interval between self-reported HIV exposure and previous HIV test. Of 13,511 tests, 154 (1.1%) were HIV positive, representing 19.7% (n=783) of new diagnoses in Poland in 2006. Demographic and behavioral data were linked for 95, of whom 45 (47%) were recently infected and 1,001 were HIV negative. New diagnoses were more likely to be injectors (17% vs. 2%), men who have sex with men (MSM) (37% vs. 12%), and less frequent condom users (7.8% vs. 14% always) compared to HIV negatives. The median number of partners during the past 12 months was one and two among positives and negatives, but was higher among MSM-four and three, respectively. Ever injectors were less likely to be recently infected (adjusted OR=0.15, 95%CI=0.03-0.73). Having two or more sexual partners in the past 12 months was an independent predictor of recent infection (4.01, 1.4-11.49). We found no evidence that age or sex predicted recent infection. These data reinforce health education campaigns for safe sex messages, especially among MSM. They also suggest, albeit based on a subset of new diagnoses, that interventions should not be limited to selected age/sex groups.

In this time period, the IHR NFP recorded 92 measles-related events of which 38 related to individual cases, 37 to outbreaks of the disease, and 17 involved exposure to a measles case. 36% of reported events were aviationrelated. The number of events in 2018 has tripled compared to 2017 and increased eightfold in comparison to 2016. The current situation indicates the need to take appropriate actions, including implementation of the National Vaccination Program as well as introducing vaccination interventions. STRESZCZENIEPaństwa członkowskie Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia (WHO) zgodnie z wymogami Międzynarodowych Przepisów Zdrowotnych (2005) zostały zobligowane do powołania Krajowych Punktów Centralnych ds. Międzynarodowych Przepisów Zdrowotnych (KPC ds. MPZ), których zadaniem jest m.in. scalanie informacji dotyczących zdarzeń stanowiących zagrożenie dla zdrowia publicznego o znaczeniu międzynarodowym, które wystąpiły za granicą lub na terenie kraju. Celem niniejszej pracy jest przegląd informacji na temat zdarzeń dotyczących zachorowań na odrę zamieszczonych na stronie Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia dla Krajowych Punktów Centralnych (Event Information Site for IHR National Focal Points), w systemie wczesnego ostrzegania i reagowania (zwanego dalej EWRS), w oparciu o wiadomości e-mail otrzymane bezpośrednio z Krajowych Punktów Centralnych ds. Międzynarodowych Przepisów Zdrowotnych z państw członkowskich WHO oraz z organów Państwowej Inspekcji Sanitarnej w Polsce w latach 2016 -2018. KPC ds. MPZ został w tym okresie odnotował 92 zdarzenia dotyczące odry, z czego 38 dotyczyło pojedynczych przypadków zachorowań, 37 -ognisk zachorowań, 17 -narażenia na styczność z osobą chorą na odrę. 36% zgłoszonych zdarzeń stanowiły zdarzenia lotnicze. Liczba zdarzenia w 2018 roku wzrosła trzykrotnie w porównaniu do roku 2017 i prawie ośmiokrotnie w stosunku do roku 2016. Obecna sytuacja wskazuje na konieczność podjęcia odpowiednich działań, jakim jest m. in. realizacja krajowego Programu Szczepień Ochronnych oraz wdrażanie szczepień interwencyjnych.