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COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN CROATIA

•    Communicable disease case notification in June

T e t a n u s. One case registered in Slatina: old unvaccinated female.

P e r t u s s i s  (whooping cough). There were more cases in June than in May (13:8) which is also more than in June last year (7). Small cluster is seen in Novi Zagreb (7). However laboratory checks  turned negative for Bordetella pertussis there.

M o r b i l l i  (measles). No cases in June owing to vaccination.

R u b e l l a. Recent mild clustering of cases ended (see ENEWS 4/2007). Only 1 case reported in June.

M e n i n g i t i s   v i r o s a  (aseptic). Seasonal increase of incidence is observed in June (68:11). The intensity is higher than in June last year (23). Cases cluster in Rijeka (32). Virological examinations revealed enterovirus ECHO 30 as a cause.

T r i c h i n e l l o s i s. One  sporadic case reported from Rijeka.

M a l a r i a. In June 1 imported case was reported from Zadar.

K a l a    a z a r. One case was reported from Dubrovnik. No cases in May, neither in June last year.

H F R S  (haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome). There were 2 cases reported in June which is similar to May (1) and to June last year (1).

•      No reports in June from:

Pakrac, Nova Gradiska, Vojnic, Otocac, Buzet, Labin, Omis, Vis, Lastovo and Ploce. Total: 10 out of 113 epidemiological districts.

•      Epidemic outbreaks

        Following outbreaks were reported in June:

Note: in all outbreaks mentioned here, epidemiological investigation and necessary measures were undertaken, preventing thus other potential cases.

Dubrovnik – varicella in a kindergarten. Between 11.11.2006. and 17.1. 2007 there were 22 diseased out of 84 exposed.

Dubrovnik – varicella in a kindergarten with 29 diseased out of 163  between 16.11. 2006 and 20.1. 2007.

Dubrovnik – varicella in a kindergarten. Between 31.12.2006. and 17.1. 2007 nine out of 36 children got ill.

Dubrovnik – head lice in an elementary school. On 9.2. 2007 there were 26 infested out of 253.

Split – psittacosis among persons exposed to parrots from a pet shop. Between 16.2. and 12. 3. 2007 there were 7 diseased persons (buyers and employees of the pet shop.) Chlamidya psittaci detected in birds.

Dubrovnik – head lice in an elementary school On 12.3. 2007 the total of 17 infested pupils out of 156 were detected.

Metkovic – Q fever in a family starting on 25.4. 2007. There were 2 diseased out of 5 members, exposed probably when purchasing a lamb in the vicinity, or while manipulating the sheep manure purchased from another county.

Pula – streptococcal sore throat in a kindergarten. Between 30.4. and 20.5. 2007 there were 9 cases recorded.

Pula – family outbreak of salmonellosis (S. enteritidis) on 2.5. 2007. Vehicle epidemiologically and microbiologically: home made cream cakes (salmonella found in cakes). The total of 5 diseased (3 hospitalized) were registered and 7 more symptomless carriers. They together (12) represent the number of exposed. Source not found with certainty, possibly somebody among persons preparing cakes. Eggs turned salmonella negative.

Vinkovci – salmonella food poisoning (S. enteritidis) in a day care children center on 9.5. 2007. Vehicle epidemiologically: home made chocolate cake brought to the center for one child birthday celebration. There were 15 diseased (children and staff) out of 48 exposed. No cake left for analyses.

Labin – food poisoning  in a restaurant. Causative agent: Clostridium perfringens. There were 5 diseased out of 40 exposed. Vehicle epidemiologically: beef goulash with pasta.

Vukovar – food poisoning on 24.5. 2007. in a family eating domestic  fresh cow˙s milk cheese got from another family. Causative agent: Staphylococcus aureus. There were 11 diseased out of 13 exposed persons.

Senj – viral gastroenteritis  (Noro virus) in a group of students visiting few  places in different counties during their three-days trip. So the place of exposure was not possible to determine with certainty.

NEWS AND COMMENTS

•      Meeting of the Croatian epidemiological society of CME

In the town of Daruvar in Bjelovarsko-bilogorska County  62^nd scientific meeting of the Croatian epidemiological society of the Croatian medical association took place on 8. and 9. June 2007.  Colleges from the County institute of public health organized and hosted the meeting. More than sixty doctors epidemiologist from all over Croatia attended the meting. During the scientific part, 17  original lectures were presented on the following themes and topics:

• Symptoms of heath, importance of preventive measures; overview of the situation in the Bjelovarsko bilogorska County

• Communicable diseases which are not present in Croatia any more.

• Role of epidemiologists in the filed of DDD (disinfection, desinsection and deratization)

• Tubercullosis, still a terra incognita; guidelines for counseling of patients and their contacts

• Epidemiological intervention in a case of legionellosis in a sea marina

• Microbiological diagnostics of Chlamydia and Mycoplasma in Bjelovarsko – bilogorska county

• School children absenteeism during the influenza outbreak

• Enteral infection trends in the City of Zagreb 2001 -2006.

• How epidemic jaundice has been eliminated from the Sinj town area

• Aseptic meningitis in the town of Rijeka 2007.

• Epidemiology of epilepsy

• Mortality statistics in 2006.

• Tensides and detergents; analysis of health risks compared to smoking or to cellular phone use while driving

• Second generation of HIV infection surveillance

• Analysis of local adverse reactions after Td vaccination

• Proposal for an optimal organization of vaccination against HPV infection

• Epidemiological analysis of accidents and injuries on Medvednica mountain ski resort 2006/2007

The meting was enriched by the excellent musical introduction, as well as with a film presentation of Bjelovarsko-bilogorska county. A the end of the day one more event was organized, a promotion of new autobiographic book about the life of an epidemiologist,  written by one of Society members, prof. dr. Darko Ropac.

On the second day all attendants had the opportunity to visit and to talk with the staff of new kitchen with recently established HACCP system of work, in the hotel/hospital for physical rehabilitation in Daruvar thermae, where the meeting was held. All impressions were shared on a joint dinner and during the short excursion to the famous vineyards of this area. Some pictures from this meeting can be seen on the web address: www. hzjz.hr/epidemioogija.htm

•      Rare salmonella isolates in summer 2007

The laboratory of the National salmonella center in the Croatian national institute of public health  performs routinely confirmative salmonella diagnostics,  as well as the final identification of strains determined partly in some of microbiological laboratories in the country. Beside great number of strains more or less frequent, the most interesting are those rarely found as their possible spread through the country  can be traced more easily. Here are presented rare isolates identified in this Laboratory in 2007, during June and July (until the moment of writing this article).

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PHI = public health institute (county)

The names of strains are written according to new habits of naming serotypes (serovars) inside the Salmonella enterica species (see also ENEWS 3/2004) i.e. upright (not in cursive) and with capital first letter of second word in a name,  with the exemption in cursive letters  for the group  S. Arizonae 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN CROATIA                    June 2007

Last change - 15.11.2007 - Posljednja promjena