INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY SERVICE
(Ministry of Health’s Reference Centre for Epidemiology)
- Head, Prof. Dr Ira Gjenero-Margan

The staff of this Service also marked 24 March, the World Tuberculosis Day, by delivering their lectures.

The “More Accessible Service for Free and Anonymous HIV Counselling and Testing” programme, run by the Service as part of the Global Fund Project, has been supplemented with the opening of counselling centres at the Zadar and Osijek county  public health institutes’ epidemiologic services.

For their needs, the WHO/EURO Headquarters has been sent an annual report on the post‑poliomyelitis‑eradication status.  It provides an insight into continued activities aimed at maintaining a favourable epidemiologic situation surrounding child paralysis.  High immunization coverage has been maintained at the national, county and local branch levels.  This proves there to be no wild poliovirus in circulation among the population.  It also proves that we would recognize an imported case of child paralysis and is evidence that all wild polioviruses stocks are listed and under adequate protection in the laboratory.

The Service staffs have represented Croatia at international gatherings related to the IHR (International Health Regulation) and in connection with national and international plans for control of an influenza pandemic.

CHRONIC MASS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
- Head, Pr Vlasta Hrabak-Zerjavic, MD, MSc

The World Health Organization has issued a recommendation that people aged below 18 years should make use of a suntan parlour under no circumstances, because using this facility poses a risk of skin cancer development.  There is evidence of UVB radiation having a carcinogenic effect in experimental animals, and growing evidence that the UVA radiation that these solariums use also contributes to the occurrence of skin cancer.  Despite the widely held opinion that going to a suntan parlour before taking a sunbath in natural sunlight will give the skin an effective protection, the fact is that the thus acquired protection equals a suntan cream’s sun protective factor as low as 2-3.  A 2003 recommendation by the International Commission on Protection from Non‑ionising Radiation calls for artificial sources of UV radiation to be used for medical purposes only.  It also urges that extra high‑risk groups definitely be advised against exposing themselves to such sources of radiation.  These groups include individuals with phototype I or II skin (light skin that either does not take the suntan or becomes only slightly tanned by sunlight hence receiving sunburns), children aged below 18 years, people with many skin moles, people with dotted skin, people having received sunburns several times in their childhood, people with malignant or premalignant skin changes, people whose skin has been damaged by sunlight, and persons wearing makeup).  The makeup can increase the sensitivity of their skin to actinic radiation.  Those on medical drugs (in which case they must consult their physician) are also advised not to use the above solariums.

SOCIAL MEDICINE SERVICE

- Head, Pr Urelija Rodin, MD, MSc

A Postgraduate Course in Continued Training for Physicians in Autopsies took place in Split on 19 March 2004.  It has been organised for the second time by the Split Faculty of Medicine and by the Split Clinical Hospital.  On behalf of CNIPH, Dr Tanja Coric delivered a lecture “A Method for Completing the Legal Forms of Death Notification and Death Certificate Aimed at Improving the Quality of Mortality Statistics”.

SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE

- Head, Pr Marina Kuzman, MD, ScD

At the Zagreb Faculty of Medicine, the First Meeting of a Croatian-Flemish project “Implementation of a Methodology for the Development of Evidence‑Based  Guidelines on School Health Care” was held on 11 March 2005.  In a 2‑year project financed entirely by the Flemish government, Croatian partners are Croatian Society for School and University Health, Croatian National Institute of Public Health, and the Chair of Social Medicine, Zagreb University Faculty of Medicine, Flemish partners being the Catholic University of Leuven and the Flemish Society for the Health Care of Youths.  Besides producing guidelines on a topical entity (prevention of obesity, and growth and development standards), the precise aims were the development and adoption of a methodology for writing the guidelines adapted to local needs and limitations, and professional strengthening of the Croatian Society of School and University Health.  Some 40-school doctors from all over Croatia, Professor K. Hoppenbrouwers from Belgium and Dr Mojca Juricic from Slovenia attended the preparatory meeting.  A Project Council was established, made of school doctors’ representatives, with senior research associates Drs. Ivana Pavic Simetin and Nina Perkovic being introduced.  It is expected that the experience and knowledge gained through this Project would contribute to the development of a model for European guidelines on youth health.

ADDICTION PREVENTION SERVICE

Acting Head, Pr Marina Kuzman, MD, ScD

MICROBIOLOGY SERVICE
- Head, Prof. Dr Gordana Mlinaric-Galinovic

According to our virologic indicators, we are in the 12th week of the influenza epidemic since its onset.  While the number of positive samples may still be very high, it displays a declining trend.  By sub typing, we have demonstrated the presence of four influenza virus subtypes, i.e., A/H1N1/New Caledonia/20/99, A/H3N2/Wyoming/3/2003, B/Shanghai/361/2002, and B/Hong Kong/330/2001.  Because the first three types are a part of this year’s vaccine composition, we can infer that the immunised part of the population is adequately protected in the case of contact with this year’s influenza virus types.

Together with collaborating institutions Zagreb City Office of Health, Work and Social Welfare has organised a marking of the World Tuberculosis Day at the Zagreb Forum at Kaptol on 24 March.  This year, the WHO slogan accompanying all such activities round the world was “Eradication of tuberculosis:  now is the time!¨ Participating in the Forum on the part of CNIPH were members of the National Council for Control and Prevention of Tuberculosis Dr Aleksandar Simunovic, national TB co‑ordinator, and  Dr Vera Katalinic‑Jankovic, head of the national reference laboratory for mycobacteria.  In spite of the tuberculosis incidence, according to WHO, being stable or declining in five of the six WHO regions, it is still increasing by 1.0% annually, globally.  A TB incidence of 28‑29/100,000 inhabitants presents a significant public health problem in Croatia and one requiring permanent activities to be organised within the national programme for its control and prevention.   

In Slovenia, the World TB Day was marked on 18 March by organising the “10th Regular Annual Conference on TB Patient Registration and Monitoring” at the Ljubljana University.  Invited by the organisers, Dr Vera Katalinic‑Jankovic gave a lecture “Bacteriologic and Epidemiologic Indicators of Tuberculosis in Croatia” on behalf of CNIPH.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE

- Head, Krunoslav Capak, MD, MSc

On 17-19 March 2005 WHO organised in Sarajevo the First Meeting of Food Safety and Nutrition project’s leaders from South East Europe.  Its purpose was to strengthen the collaboration between WHO member states and assist in the drafting of a national strategy, legislative regulations and policy of running the health safety of food and nutrition.  The meeting was co-ordinated by the WHO Regional Office project investigator with the participation of representatives of Belgium, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldavia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia. 

The 17th technical seminar named “Disinfection, Disinfestations and Deratisation, and Safeguarding of Stored Agricultural Products.  Safe Use of Pesticides” took place on 16-18 March in Rovinj under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.  Krunoslav Capak, MSc, who is also a member of the seminar’s advisory board, presented a lecture “Food safety: advances in legislation and practice”.