[Hepatitis B in Poland in 2006].

A total of 1,693 of hepatitis B cases (including 59 cases of co-infections with HCV) were reported in Poland in 2006, with incidence rate 4.4 per 100,000 population. Regionally the incidence varied from 1.7 per 100,000 in lubuskie voivodeship to 10.5 in łódzkie. In total number of registered cases 70% were new chronic ones (incidence 3.1 per 100,000; regionally ranged from 0.4 in podlaskie voivodeship to 8.8 in łódzkie), and only 30% acute cases (incidence 1.3; regionally ranged from 0.6 in zachodniopomorskie voivodeship to 2.1 in slaskie). The highest reported incidence (both acute and chronic) was observed in age group 35-39 years (6.3 per 100,000) but the highest incidence of chronic form was among 15-19 (4.8) years old and acute form among 60-64 years old (2.4). The total incidence in the urban areas (4.8) was higher than in rural areas (3.8) and also was higher in men (6.0) than in women (2.9). This situation we could observe in previous year. In total 68.3% of patients were hospitalized and the percentage varied regionally from 39.5% in lubelskie voivodeship to 100.0% in podkarpackie. There were 64 deaths attributed to hepatitis B in 2006 including 8 deaths of acute and 56 of chronic hepatitis B.