ENGLISH LANGUAGE ISSUE *  ELECTRONIC VERSION

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN CROATIA

•    Communicable disease case notification in October

S a l m o n e l l o s i s. Incidence dropped comparing to September (470:556) but it was higher than in October last year (375). Cases cluster in Rijeka (30), Zapresic (20) and Zagreb, Tresnjevka (27).

D y s e n t e r i a   b a c i l l a r i s. Favorable situation with only few cases continues (2 in October).

H e p a t i t i s   A (epidemic jaundice). Low incidence with 2 cases registered in October (5 in September, 2 in October last year).

P e r t u s s i s  (whooping cough) There were more cases reported in October than in September (14:5), also more than in October last year (11). Majority of reports came from the Splitsko-dalmatinska county (Kastela: 2, Omis: 1, Solin: 4, Split:1)

M o r b i l l i  (measles). No cases in October.

R u b e l l a. No cases in October

M e n i n g i t i s   v i r o s a  (serosa; aseptic). In October,  slightly les cases were  recorded (33:38) however significantly less than in October last year (90). No significant clusters.

M a l a r i a . One case registered in Zagreb Tresnjevka, imported from Papua.

B r u c e l l o s i s. Cases occurred also in October,  but  less than in September (4:9). As previous cases  those were also linked to neighboring countries (stay or food).

•      No reports in October from:

Korenica, Novalja, Otocac, Gracac, Drnis, Imotski, Makarska, Vis and Lastovo. Total: 9 out of 113 epidemiological districts.

•      Epidemic outbreaks

Following outbreaks were reported in October:

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

Zagreb Susedgrad – scabies in a psychiatric hospital. On 16.7.2008 there were 10 infested.

Rijeka - gastroenterits in a hotel. Between 23.8. and 27.8. 2008 there were 13 diseased out of 76 exposed persons. Causative agent: norovirus. Mode of spread: alimentary. Vehicle epidemiologically: minced meat meal. Source probably someone among kitchen staff.

Kostajnica – gastroenteritis in a kindergarten. Etiology not resolved (laboratory examinations negative). Between 1.9. and 26.9. 2008. there were 16 diseased (children and staff) out of 55 exposed. Mode of spread: contact and aerogenic. Source not found.

Dugo Selo – salmonella food poisoning (S. enteritidis) in a group of persons eating ice cream in a restaurant on 3. 9. 2008.  Total of 12 diseased were registered. Salmonella found in ice cream samples. Source not found.

Labin – gastroenterits in a home for elderly people with 42 cases registered out of 81 exposed, between 8.9. and 23.9. 2008.  Causative agent: noro virus. Mode of spread:  contact.

Zagreb Sesvete – salmonella food poisoning (S. enteritidis) in a pastry shop with 7 diseased on 19. 9. 2008. Vehicle epidemiologically: cream cakes. Laboratory examination of cakes turned negative however.

Sisak – salmonella food poisoning (S. enteritidis) in a group of sportsmen returning from a match in another county. Between 22. 9. and 24. 9. 2008 there were 13 diseased out of 15 exposed. Vehicle not determined. Lunch in a restaurant could be responsible. Epidemiological investigation in that restaurant revealed some hygienic defects as well as slamonella presence on hands of the staff.

NEWS AND COMMENTS

•       Sepsis, etiology

According to the new act on protection of population against communicable diseases (2007) the list of notifiable diseases was updated with entity of sepsis (bacterial sepsis). Sepsis had been on our list once in the past, when puerperal sepsis was frequent and important. As puerperal sepsis became rare owing to improved hospitalization and labor conduction standards, it was removed from the list. Today, other types of sepsis occur and pose an interest, as it can be seen in the following overview. This year (2008) up to the end of October, there were 32 cases of sepsis reported. Among them, more males than females were registered. The age distribution is given in the table 1.

Table 1 Age distribution of sepsis cases in 2008 (up to the end of October)

On table 2 etiological agents of sepsis registered since the beginning of monitoring 2007 and in 2008 are presented.

 Table 2  Causative agents of sepsis in Croatia 2007-2008

Sepsis caused by Neisseria meningitis, as it is known, is reported and registered separately and recorded within the entity of epidemic meningitis (sepsis and meningitis)   

•       New health statistics yearbook

Recently a new issue of known annual edition of the Croatian national institute of public health,  titled Croatian health service yearbook 2007 was published. In the book a comprehensive overview of all  data  necessary for an objective insight into a current health status of Croatian population, functioning of national health care system and status of health workers manpower are presented. Data are regularly collected and analyzed in the Croatian national institute of public health according to several laws regarding health care and national statistics. In order to give a whole picture some vital statistics data published by the National institute of statistic are included too. On 318 pages with more than 200 tables and graphs, accompanied with an explanatory text, the following chapters are presented:

×        Foreword and introduction

×        Population structure and vital events

×        Indicators for the WHO data base  "Health for all"

×        Health institutions and health care workers

×        Primary health care

×        Specialistic consiliary  and other care

×        Communicable diseases, immunization and microbiological diagnostics

×        Stationary health care

×        Labors and abortions

×        Chronic disease registries

×        Health ecology

The entire book can be found and read also on the web site of the Croatian national institute of public health (www.hzjz.hr). However, it is worth mentioning that the majority of numerical data presented needs an additional expert explanation and interpretation, which can be asked from doctors working on particular field in the Institute,  and which names are quoted as authors at the beginning of the book.

Data about the book: Title: Hrvatski zdravstveno-statistički ljetopis za 2007 / Croatian health service yearbook 2007. Publisher: Croatian national institute of public health, Zagreb, Rockefellerova street 7. Format: 28 x 20 cm, 318 pages.  Language: Croatian, with English summary and titles on tables and graphs. Each book is supplied with a CD with entire book content copied. Book can be ordered at the publisher.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN CROATIA                         October 2008

Last change - 25.05.2009 - Posljednja promjena