[Dysentery in Poland in 2002].

The notified number of dysentery cases was still very low, but a little higher than in 2001. Only 220 cases were notified in the year 2002 (incidence 0.58/100,000 population) while 128 cases were notified in 2001 (incidence 0.33/100,000). No one death case was notified. Four outbreaks of dysentery were observed: among them one foodborne infection due to S. sonnei involving 109 participants of a summer holiday camp for children from the poor families and one due to S. flexneri 2a involving 16 patients of psychiatric hospital were registered. S. sonnei remains the dominant etiological agent was isolated in 92% of notified dysentery cases and S. flexneri was isolated only in 8% of cases. S. dysenteriae and S. boydii were not found among persons examined bacteriologically by laboratory service of Epidemiological and Sanitary Service. Two tests of the external control of laboratory diagnosis were performed: one concerning the quality of the selective media used in the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations (SSE) in Poland for routine bacteriological diagnosis of humans intestinal infections. It was shown that the specimens of the SS medium were acceptable only for diagnosis of S. enteritidis infections. In nearly 1/3 of SSE bacteriological laboratories was inefficient for diagnosis of S. flexneri infections and in some laboratories even not for diagnosis of infections due to S. typhi and S. sonnei. In another test the control strain of S. boydii 6 was send to SSE laboratories. The strain was properly diagnosed by all but two laboratories. Besides it was shown that the control strain was not able to grow on selective bacteriological media used for routine work. So there is a need to change the procedure used in those laboratories. In the period of low frequency of Shigella infections the external control of the quality of bacteriological media and laboratory procedures is needed and should be done regularly.