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Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the level of implementation of recommendations of the Ministry of Health regarding infectious disease screening during pregnancy. Material and methods:The study included 477 patients who were admitted to the delivery room between December 2015 and February 2016. Data on screening test results were collected based on medical records covering the period before the admission. Results:The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening was conducted in 410 (86%). 460 (96%) of patients were screened for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and 427 (89.5%) for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Syphilis screening covered 465 (97.5%) of patients. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) titer against Rubella Virus (RV) was assessed in 218 (45%) patients and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in 319 (66.9%). Screening for Toxoplasma gondii based on assessment of IgM titer was conducted in 440 (92%) patients while IgG titter was assessed in 413 (86.6%). 343 (71.9%) patients had obtained vaginal swabs for Group B Streptococci (GBS) while the anal swabs were taken only from 268 (56.2%) patients. Conclusions:Coverage of screening for syphilis and HBV was similar to the countries with highest prevalence of conducting such screening, on the other hand RV screening place as among countries with lowest prevalence. There is an increasing trend in conducting HIV screening. Screening for HCV and toxoplasmosis is at satisfactory level and Poland is one of a few European countries offering such screening. The screening for GBS is insufficient which result in excessive use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis.

Introduction: A COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in noticeable changes in the functioning of the Department of Cardiology, dr A. Jurasz University Hospital no. 1 in Bydgoszcz. This study aims to compare the functioning of the university cardiology department in the pandemic year 2020 to the previous years. Materials and methods: The retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology, dr A. Jurasz University Hospital no 1 in Bydgoszcz, Poland, has been performed. Collected data included the number of patients admitted to the hospital, medical diagnoses, performed procedures and in-hospital mortality. Results: Throughout 2020 numbers of both new hospitalizations and diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in electrophysiology, echocardiography and invasive cardiology showed a major decrease. The greatest impact was observed in March, April, and the last 3 months of the year. The pandemic also affected in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: The observed decrease in the number of hospital admissions of specialized cardiac procedures performed in 2020 may have a serious impact on future patients' profile.

This article has been peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance.It is an open access article, which means that it can be downloaded, printed, and distributed freely, provided the work is properly cited. Articles in "Cardiology Journal" are listed in PubMed.

Introduction: Great expectations to control the pandemic are placed on vaccines against COVID-19. So far, four COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use in the European Union. This study aimed to assess the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody concentration after the vaccination cycle with the BNT162b2 vaccine at several predefined time points. All results will be compared to the COVID-19 history and severity of symptoms during the disease and after the first and second vaccine dose. Material and methods:The study includes healthy, unselected volunteers from the staff of Dr. Antoni Jurasz University Hospital No.1 in Bydgoszcz and students of the Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University. To meet the inclusion criteria all individuals will have to be vaccinated with two doses of the BNT162b2 (BioNTech/Pfizer, US) vaccine. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody concentrations will be measured in fresh serum samples collected from each participant at predefined time points. All measurements will be performed using the Atellica system (Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany). Results of SARS-CoV-2 IgG are given as U/mL, whereby the cut-off for positivity is defined as ≥ 1.0 U/mL.Discussion: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the severity of clinical symptoms and the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies after vaccination. Hopefully, based on its results, further clinical outcome-powered trials will be designed and conducted to elucidate how quantitative antibody levels can be used as a correlate of vaccine-mediated protection.

BACKGROUND. Clostridium difficile infections become a serious problem in terms of nosocomial infections, as well as a consequence of common use of antibiotics. AIM. The aim of the study was to evaluate Clostridium difficile carriage in patients admitted to the Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology without acute or chronic diarrhea and to assess the impact of antibiotic treatment on the development of enteritis in hospital. Other factors that may affect the risk of infection were also analyzed. RESULTS. Fourteen patients (14%) were carriers of Clostridium difficile at admission. Second assessment taken after fourteen days of antibiotic treatment showed decrease in GDH antigen prevalence to eight subjects (12.1%). Three patients (3%) had diarrhea during hospitalization, and the toxins A and/or B were found in them. CONCLUSIONS. The frequency of Clostridium difficile carriage among adults in Poland may be underestimated. Screening for Clostridium difficile GDH antigen may be useful although do not provide definite prognosis of symptomatic disease during ceftriaxone treatment. The risk of Clostridium difficile infection may be reduced mainly by rationalizing antibiotic therapy and following appropriate procedures.

The aim of this study was to determine anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations and their major determinants in healthcare workers (HCWs) after full vaccination with the BNT162b2 vaccine. We recruited 847 individuals vaccinated with two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine, who completed the questionnaire, and whose antibody concentrations were tested after 3 and 6 months after full vaccination. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured on the routinely employed Siemens Atellica system. The cutoff for positivity was ≥21.8 BAU/mL. Three and 6 months after vaccination, the majority of participants were seropositive. Median concentrations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG significantly decreased from 1145 BAU/mL (IQR: 543–2095) to 225 BAU/mL (IQR: 100–510). Major positive determinants of antibody levels were fever after both doses of vaccine, prior-COVID-19 exposure, and muscle pain after the first dose. Lack of symptoms after the second dose and time since vaccination were significant negative determinants of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations. No other factors, including age and gender, or underlying comorbidities had a significant effect on antibody levels in HCWs. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 response after two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine was independently associated with prior-COVID-19 exposure, time since vaccination, and the occurrence of symptoms after either dose of vaccine. Easily reportable adverse reactions may facilitate the identification of immune response in HCWs.