Division for microbiology

Head of Division

Asst. Prof. Prim. Ljiljana Žmak, PhD, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology

The microbiology activity at the CIPH is the first of its kind in Croatia, established between late 19th and early 20th century. During this period, the Division kept up with the requirements of its profession, undergoing continual rapid advances. The CIPH Division of Microbiology houses the collaborating and national centres of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 19 National Reference Centres for cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). The Division implements microbiology in the form of professional, scientific and teaching activities, including teaching activities for students of the Zagreb School of Medicine and the Zagreb University of Applied Health Sciences. Our vision is to modernize all the Division’s activities through novel approaches and follow new trends in diagnostics, as well as upgrade population health and the prevention of communicable diseases by strengthening cooperation with other similar services in county institutes of public health across Croatia.

Basic activities:

Diagnostic of outpatient specimens, in keeping with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund teams, as the largest part of the tests performed, which is constantly increasing;

Diagnostic in diverse fields of microbiology, as a reference activity exercised only at the CIPH at the national level;

Emergency microbiology diagnostic for the needs of the CIPH Division for Epidemiology of Communicable Diseases, which also covers the causative agents diagnosed solely in biosafety levels 3 and 3/4 (BSL-3 and BSL-3/4) conditions.

Reference laboratories:

Croatian National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC)

Reference Centre (RC) of the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Health

 

WHO NRLs

ECDC NRL for Poliomyelitis

WHO NL for Poliomyelitis

ECDC NRL for Respiratory and Enteric viruses

Ministry of Health RC for Virologic Diagnosis of Respiratory and Digestive Infections

Irena Tabain, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Influenza

WHO NRL for Influenza

Irena Tabain, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Measles and Rubella

WHO NRL for Measles and Rubella

Asst. Prof. Tatjana Vilibić-Čavlek, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Chlamydiae

Asst. Prof. Andrea Babić Erceg, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Arboviruses and Rickettsiae

Ministry of Health RC for Diagnostic and Monitoring of Viral Zoonoses

Assoc. Prof. Tatjana Vilibić-Čavlek, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for P3 Bacteria and Viruses

Irena Tabain, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Tuberculosis

Supranational RC of the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Health

WHO NRL for Tuberculosis

Ljiljana Žmak, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Meningococci

Asst. Prof. Andrea Babić Erceg, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Legionellae

Selma Bošnjak, MSc, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Bordetellae and C. diphtheriae

Selma Bošnjak, MSc, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Cholera

Višnja Kružičević, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Salmonella

Višnja Kružičević, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Listeria

Prim. Blaženka Hunjak, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Borreliae

Selma Bošnjak, MSc, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Mycoplasmas

Prim. Blaženka Hunjak, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Leptospirosis

Selma Bošnjak, MSc, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Human parasites

Asst. Prof. Mario Sviben, PhD, MD, Spec. microbiol.

 

ECDC NRL for Systemic Mycoses

Ana Čičmak, MD, Spec. microbiol.

Department for Urinary and Reproductive Tract Infections

Head of Department: Prim. Blaženka Hunjak, PhD, MD
Tel.: +385 1 4863  292
E-mail: blazenka.hunjak@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Urinary Infections
  • Unit for Urinary and Reproductive Tract Infections

Department for Bacteriology

Head of Department: Selma Bošnjak, MSc, MD,
Specialist in Clinical Microbiology
Tel.: +385 1 4863 333
E-mail: selma.bosnjak@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Bacterial Serology
  • Unit for General Bacteriology and Respiratory Infections

Department for Diagnostics of Intestinal Infections

Head of Department: Višnja Kružičević, MD
Specialist in Microbiology
Tel.: +385 14863  342
E-mail: visnja.kruzicevic@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Diagnostics of Intestinal Infections and National Centre for Salmonellae

Department for Tuberculosis

Head of Department: Asst. Prof. Prim. Ljiljana Žmak, PhD, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
E-mail: ljiljana.zmak@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Tuberculosis
  • Unit for Molecular Diagnostics of Mycobacteria

Department for Parasitology

Head of Department: Assoc. Prof. Prim. Mario Sviben, PhD, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
Tel.: +385 1 4863 268/269
E-mail: mario.sviben@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Diagnostic Parasitology

Department for Mycology

Head of Department: Ana Čičmak, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
Tel.: +385 1 4863  316
E-mail: ana.cicmak@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Diagnostic Mycology

Department for Direct Diagnostic Virology

Head of Department: Irena Tabain, PhD, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
Tel.: +385 1 4863  295
E-mail: irena.tabain@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Viral Diagnostics of Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Infections
  • Unit for Genotyping
  • Unit for Intervention Diagnostics

Department for Viral Serology

Head of Department: Assoc. Prof. Tatjana Vilibić-Čavlek, PhD, MD
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
Tel.: +385 1 4863  238
E-mail: tatjana.vilibic-cavlek@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Diagnostics of Zoonoses
  • Unit for General Viral Serology

Department for Molecular Diagnostics

Head of Department: Prim. Andrea Babić-Erceg, PhD, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
Tel.: +385 1 4863 260
E-mail: andrea.babic.erceg@hzjz.hr

  • Unit for Molecular Diagnostics
  • Unit for Chlamydiae

Department for Microbial Culture Media and Sterilisation

Head of Department: Višnja Batur, MMed. Biochem.
Tel.: +385 1  4863 – 261
E-mail: visnja.batur@hzjz.hr


Sample Collection Centre (independent unit within the division)

Head: Ana Čičmak, MD,
Specialist in Medical Microbiology with Parasitology
Tel.: + 385 1 4863 316
E-mail: ana.cicmak@hzjz.hr


Unit for Monitoring, Coordination and Accreditation of Microbiological Activities (independent unit within the division)

Opening hours of the Specimen Reception Clinic:

  • Specimens brought personally are accepted: on workdays 7:30-11:00.
  • Specimen collection at the Microbiology Clinic: prior appointment is required by phone: +385 1 4863 236 (workdays 11,00-14,00) or via e-mail: ambulanta@hzjz.hr
  • Tuberculosis diagnostic specimens are received at the Tuberculosis Department, Rockefellerova 2, 1st floor, workdays 8:00-12:00
  • Specimens for mycological diagnostic: prior appointment is required by phone: +385 1 4863 316 or via e-mail: mikologija@hzjz.hr  ; Appointment can also be made by your family doctor through the e-appointment system.

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