Past and present history of cholera epidemics. Hundred years of operation of National Institute of Hygiene for the prevention and control of cholera.

Background: Cholera is an infectious disease that in the epidemic form should not continue to appear now, as is known from the experience of developed countries

Aim: The aim of this work is to bring to memory the epidemics of cholera, that were introduced to the territory of Poland, in the past and the role of National Institute of Hygiene (PZH) in the fight against them and to demonstrate contemporary danger from cholera outbreaks that still exists in the world

Material And Methods: The information from the historic publications were analyzed, the results Polish research performed in National Institute of Hygiene in the second half of the XX century were collected and demonstrated the most recent information from in the world science publications on the subject of cholera and the conditions that were in the origin of the recent outbreaks of cholera mentioned

Results: The data available for the number of cholera victims in the epidemics of XIX century is concerning the persons ill with characteristic clinical symptoms, but the data for XX century is concerning only patients that were infected with by the strain Vibrio cholerae O1 classic type, the bacteria that were described by R. Koch, but from the 70-years of XX century mostly the cases infected with Vibrio cholerae O1 type El-Tor, that was the etiologic agent of the seventh cholera pandemic

Summary And Conclusions: The origin of the epidemic cholera is depending on several conditions :appearance in water the infectious agent with the toxin producing character, ecological conditions of the surface waters, and on living conditions of human society which might be infected from the source of infection in water. The presence of the infectious agent in the natural waters should be always taken under special consideration car any worsening of living condition of the human population like natural disaster or war, may still create the dangers of the epidemic of infectious disease, as recently has happened with the outbreak of epidemic of cholera in Yemen

The scope and results of selected epidemiological studies conducted at the National Institute of Hygiene in the years 1945-1989.

The authors present the first article in the series concerning the scope ofresearch, scientific, practical, educational and other achievements of the National Institute of Hygiene (PZH) since 1945. This article is limited to discussing selected studies conducted in the field of epidemiology until the year 1989. The selection was based on PZH annual reports on the accomplishment of planned objectives and the literature positins listed in these reports, as well as other documents.

[Professor Wiesław Magdzik (MD), the representative of the Polish School of Epidemiology in 80th anniversary of birthday].

Wieslaw Magdzik in 1955 completed his medical studies in the Sanitary--Hygienic Department of Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw. At the recommendation of Dr. Jan Kostrzewski, was hired in the Department of Epidemiology (2.

[Department of epidemiology of the National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw in the years 1951-2011--origins of forming, developmental ways in 60 years of work].

The paper discussed the origins of forming in 1951 the Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Hygiene in Poland and its subsequent tasks. Relating to the evolving tasks, changes in the organizational structure, professional profile of the staff, main professional challenges and scientific achievements are described in 10 years cycles. Successive chapters address: scientific careers of the Department staff and contribution to scientific development of the whole institute among others; teaching and training, mainly targeted at the epidemiological service staff in Poland; editorial and publishing activities.

[Problems of epidemiology of acute infectious diseases in the areas affected by flooding in July 1997 in Poland].

In 1997, Poland experienced a flood of high-intensity. Some predicted major threats from communicable diseases caused by deterioration of the sanitary-epidemiological conditions. On the basis of data from 1997, in this article is presented range of counter epidemic measures recommended in the conditions of public health treats caused by natural disasters like floods.

[The role of the National Institute of Hygiene in historical perspective].

The article presents the role of the National Institute of Hygiene, during the 90 years of its presence, in the struggle for health of the population. It underlines how the scope of action of the Institute was continuously adjusted in response to existing health treats and how the Institute contributed to detection of new risk factors. The main tasks of the Institute included prevention of disease and implementation of the most up-to-date developments in the country public health system.

[The role of the National Institute of Hygiene in historical perspective].

The article presents the role of the National Institute of Hygiene, during the 90 years of its presence, in the struggle for health of the population. It underlines how the scope of action of the Institute was continuously adjusted in response to existing health treats and how the Institute contributed to detection of new risk factors. The main tasks of the Institute included prevention of disease and implementation of the most up-to-date developments in the country public health system.

[The role of National Institute of Hygiene in historical perspective].

The article presents the role of the National Institute of Hygiene, during the 90 years of its presence, in the struggle for heath of the population. It underlines how the scope of action of the Institute was contiunuously adjusted in response to existing health treats and how the Institute contributed to detection of new risk factors. The main tasks of the Institute included prevention of disease and implementation of the most up-to-date developments in the country public health system.

[Measles in Poland in 2000].

The decreasing tendency in the number of measles cases has been observed (incidence 0.2 per 100,000). No cases were noted in two voivodeships, in 6 voivodeship from one to two cases were noted.