Introduction: Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease, caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia genus transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes genus. Infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi occur throughout Poland and therefore, according also to ECDC description, the whole country should be considered as endemic area.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological situation of Lyme disease in Poland in 2013 in comparison to the previous years.
Materials and methods: The descriptive analysis was based on data retrieved from routine mandatory surveillance system and published in the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2013" (MP Czarkowski et al., Warsaw 2014, NIZP-PZH, GIS).
Results: In total, 12,773 cases of Lyme disease registered in Poland in 2013, i.e. 45% more cases than in 2012. The overall incidence in the country was 33.2 per 100,000 population. The highest incidence rate was recorded in Podlaskie voivodeship--100.2 per 100,000. In 2013, 2,155 people were hospitalized due to Lyme disease.
Summary and conclusions: In 2013 there was a significant increase in the incidence of Lyme disease in Poland. In comparison to the previous year, about 45% more cases were registered in 2013.