Introduction

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the larval stages of Echinococcus tapeworms. In Europe, the two species of greatest public health concern are Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) and Echinococcus multilocularis. Numerous observations of clinical cases in Poland, together with reports suggesting that official statistics underestimate infection rates, motivated an analysis of data from the National Health Fund (NHF), the national health payer in Poland. This study aimed to 1) determine the annual number of echinococcosis cases and their subtypes, 2) assess regional variation, 3) assess the age and sex distribution of patients.

Material and methods

Data were obtained from NHF records and annual demographic statistics from Statistics Poland. Poisson regression was used to calculate incidence and trends. All analyses were performed in STATISTICA software, with the significance level of a = 0.05.

Results

Between 2015 and 2023 (excluding the COVID-19 pandemic), the incidence rate of echinococcosis in Poland exceeded 1 per 100,000 population. Infections due to E. granulosus were the most prevalent, accounting for 42-53% of cases, while E. multilocularis infections represented 16-19%. The remaining 35-39% of cases were classified as unspecified echinococcosis. The highest numbers of E. granulosus and E. multilocularis infections occurred in the northern and eastern regions (i.e., voivodships) of Poland: Zachodniopomorskie, Pomorskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, and Małopolskie. Women were slightly more often affected than men, with an increased prevalence after the age 50, peaking between ages 70 and 74.

Conclusions

The number of confirmed echinococcosis cases in Poland substantially exceeds previously reported epidemiological estimates. These findings indicate an urgent need for stronger public education, intensified preventive strategies, and improved diagnostic and therapeutic coordination.