[Hepatitis C in Poland in 2001].

Hepatitis C is a notifiable disease in Poland since 1997. The increasing trend in incidence over the last four years may be explained by continuous improvement of diagnosis and notification. In the year 2001, for the first time since 1997, a number of cases and an incidence of hepatitis C was lower than in preceding years. The total number of 1953 acute and chronic hepatitis C cases has been reported in 2001. Incidence per 100,000 inhabitants was 5.05. The differences in hepatitis C incidence in regard to gender, region and age have been observed. The incidence in urban regions was higher than in rural; 6.49/100,000 and 2.74/100,000, respectively. The incidence among men was higher than in women; 5.87/100,000 and 4.28/100,000, respectively. Coinfection with hepatitis B has been observed in 5.84% of hepatitis C cases.