Mumps in Poland in 2022.

BACKGROUND

Mumps, also known as Sudden parotitis, is a viral disease whose main source of infection is the sick/infected person. It posed a serious public health threat in Poland before the introduction of mandatory vaccination. In 2003, Poland introduced the Immunization Program, which included a two-dose vaccination against mumps as part of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine for all children.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to assess the epidemiological situation of mumps in Poland in 2022 compared to previous years, including an analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The analysis of the epidemiological situation of mumps in Poland in 2022 was based on the interpretation of data published in the annual bulletin: "Infectious Diseases and Poisonings in Poland in 2022" and "Vaccinations in Poland in 2022".

RESULTS

In 2022, 922 cases of mumps were registered in Poland. This was a 90.5% increase compared to 2021 when 484 cases were recorded. The total incidence was 2.4 per 100,000 residents, 84.6% higher than in 2021. The highest incidence of 3.4 per 100 000 residents was registered in the Mazowieckie voivodeship, and the lowest, as in the previous year, was 1.0/100 000 residents in the Dolnośląskie voivodeship. The highest incidence (12.9/100 000) was recorded in children aged 0-4 and 5-9 (16.1/100 000). The incidence in men (3.0/100 000) was higher than in women (1.9/100 000). In 2022, the number of hospitalizations for mumps in Poland was 20, an increase of 122.2% compared to 2021, when 9 people were hospitalized.

CONCLUSIONS

The year 2022 showed an overall upward trend in registered mumps cases. The decrease in the number of mumps cases in 2021 was a result of the ongoing pandemic. The restrictions implemented during the pandemic period contributed to a decrease in the number of cases of various droplet-transmitted diseases, including mumps. Still, the observed number of mumps cases in 2022 remains below levels observed during the pre-pandemic COVID-19 period (2019).