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PubMed2002

Genetic background of Huntington disease in Croatia: Molecular analysis of CAG, CCG, and Delta2642 (E2642del) polymorphisms.

This study presents the first molecular data on the basis and the origin of Huntington disease in Croatia and is the first such analysis performed among a Slavic population. We analyzed three trinucleotide polymorphisms in the HD gene: CAG, CCG and GAG Delta2642 (E2642del) triplets. Analysis of the CAG repeat size among 44 Huntington patients (39-66 CAGs) and 51 normal individuals (9-34 CAGs) showed that the range of the repeats was similar to previous findings. The frequency of the CCG and Delta2642 polymorphic alleles on N and HD chromosomes was found to correlate well with earlier reports for Western European populations. We found significance for both the CCG7 allele (p=0.004) and the Delta2642 allele (p<0.001) among HD chromosomes. The CCG7 allele was overpresented among affected chromosomes (94.6%), but was also the most frequent CCG allele among normal chromosomes (66.7%). Interestingly, the Delta2642 allele was present on 40.5% HD chromosomes compared to only 9.8% of control chromosomes. Our results indicate that HD mutations in Croatia could be of the same origin as in Western populations and also support the multi-step hypothesis for generating new HD alleles. Similar frequencies and distributions of both the CCG and the Delta2642 polymorphisms in Croatia and Western European normal chromosomes indicate that the prevalence rate of HD in Croatia may be as high as in Western populations. Since we estimated a lower prevalence rate (1 : 100,000), we assume that there are still many misdiagnosed and/or unrecognized cases of Huntington disease in Croatia.

Alleles↗
PubMed2002

Epidemiologic characteristics and military implications of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in croatia.

AIM: To analyze epidemiologic characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Croatia, including military implications of the disease and measures for its prevention. METHOD: We analyzed data from obligatory infectious disease reports and notification of deaths due to infectious diseases, data on the hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome epidemics in Croatia, and data collected by survey of the population, serological findings, and studies of wild rodents serving as reservoirs of the infection. RESULTS: During the 1987-2001 period, 235 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome were recorded in Croatia, with 147 (62.6%) of them among Croatian Army soldiers. Mortality rate was up to 15.4% (mean 2.2%) (5/235). The highest number of cases was recorded in months of June and July, ie, during the warm season characterized by increased activity of both the animals acting as infection reservoirs and humans as hosts. The known natural foci of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome have been Plitvice and Slunj areas, Velika and Mala Kapela mountains, Zagreb area (Velika Gorica and Jastrebarsko), west Slavonia, Novska area, and Dinara Mountain. The disease has not been recorded in the littoral area and Adriatic islands. The identified causative agents include Dobrava and Puumala viruses of the genus Hantavirus, whereas rodents Clethrionomys glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus agrarius, and Apodemus sylvaticus serve as the main reservoirs of the infection. Typical biotopes of the infection in Croatia are deciduous woods. The measures of prevention in Croatia include pest control, disinfection, hygienic waste disposal, preventing rodent access to food and water, proper choice of camping sites, and health education. CONCLUSION: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome occurs predominantly in soldiers, in a sporadic or epidemic form. Because of the course of disease and potentially lethal outcome, the disease has a considerable impact on the field task performance and combat readiness of military units, and is of great importance for a military community. Accommodation in permanent buildings with appropriate common and personal hygiene standards is recommended.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Endemic goiter in Croatia].

In the early nineties, 40 years after the introduction of iodine prophylaxis in Croatia (10 mg KI/kg salt), a nationwide study was initiated with the aim to determine the real prevalence of goiter in the country. A total of 2436 schoolchildren of both sexes, aged 7-15 years, were included in the study. Investigations were designed in a way to cover most of geographical regions in Croatia and subjects were randomly selected. The prevalence of goiter in schoolchildren was assessed by palpation and in part by ultrasonography of the neck. At the same time urinary iodine excretion was measured and potassium iodide content in salt samples was determined. The results revealed the persistence of mild endemic goiter in the inland parts of Croatia with the prevalence of 6-29% in the age group 7-11 years and 10-43% among the age group 12-15 years. The overall goiter prevalence in schoolchildren in Croatia fluctuates from 8% to 35%. The urinary iodine excretion in Zagreb varied from 1.6 to 24.4 micrograms/dL with a median of 9.0, while in 14% it was below 5 micrograms/dL. The urinary iodine excretion in Samobor varied between 0.5 and 19 micrograms/dL with a median of 7.4 micrograms/dL, while in 30% it was below 5 micrograms/dL. Examination of salt from all three salt plants in Croatia showed iodine contents between 0.0 and 12.73 mg/kg with the average value of 5.39 mg/kg. Such prevalence, most probably due to less than optimum iodine intake, is unlikely to change until potassium iodide content of salt is increased from its present level of 10 mg of KI per kg of salt, with concomitant stricter observance of legal regulations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Current status of endemic goiter in Croatia: the results of a nationwide study (1995).

In the beginning of the nineties, 40 years after introduction of iodine prophylaxis in Croatia, on a basis of a frequent reports coming from general practitioners about the presence of a rather high prevalence of goiter among schoolchildren, a nationwide study was initiated with the aim to determine the real prevalence of goiter in the country. A total of 2856 schoolchildren of both sexes, aged 7-15 years, were included into the study. Investigations were designed in a way to cover most of geographical regions in Croatia and subjects were randomly selected. The prevalence of goiter in schoolchildren was assessed by palpation and in part by ultrasonography of the neck. At the same time urinary iodine excretion was measured and iodine content in salt samples was determined. The results have revealed the persistence of mild endemic goiter in inland parts of Croatia with the prevalence of 6-29% in the age group 7-11 years and those of 10-43% among the age group 12-15 years. The overall goiter prevalence in schoolchildren in Croatia fluctuates from 8% to 35%. Such prevalence, most probably due to less than optimum iodine intake, is unlikely to change until iodine content of the salt is increased from its present level of 10 mg of Kl per kg of salt.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Quality of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribing in Croatia (Rijeka) and Sweden (Stockholm).

OBJECTIVE: We compared the utilisation pattern and cost of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in Rijeka, Croatia and in Stockholm, Sweden using a newly introduced method for assessing the quality of drug use, i.e. to determine the number of drugs that account for 90% of the use and the adherence to evidence-based recommendations within this segment (the DU90% methodology). METHODS: We analysed prescription NSAIDs dispensed during the first 6 months of 2000 in Rijeka and in Stockholm and recorded number of prescriptions, number of defined daily doses (DDDs), number of DDDs/1000 inhabitants per day and percentages and determined the DU90% segment by substance and brand name. Within the DU90% segment we determined the proportion of NSAIDs associated with high (ketoprofen, piroxicam) and low (ibuprofen, diclofenac) risk for gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity according to a meta-analysis of controlled epidemiological studies. We also compared the cost for NSAIDs in both regions as well as the cost for each NSAID expressed in Euros. RESULTS: In Stockholm the utilisation of NSAIDs was twofold greater than in Rijeka (28.6 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day vs 14.2 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day). Within the DU90% segment we found four NSAIDs (of nine) in Rijeka and 16 (of 37) in Stockholm. In both regions diclofenac was the most commonly prescribed substance (55% in Rijeka and 25% in Stockholm). Diclofenac was also the cheapest drug in Rijeka. In Stockholm, the most commonly prescribed single brand drug was rofecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor with a price far above the old NSAIDs. A significant proportion of "high GI risk" NSAIDs was found within the DU90% segment both in Rijeka (piroxicam, 23%) and in Stockholm (ketoprofen, 14%). Although the gross national product was five times higher in Sweden than in Croatia during 2000, on average, NSAIDs were three times more expensive in Sweden than in Croatia (0.52 Euros/DDD vs 0.18 Euros/DDD). Ibuprofen (DDD 1200 mg), the safest drug regarding GI toxicity, was not the most prescribed in either region. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that evidence-based medicine was not the leading impact factor in prescribing NSAIDs during 2000. A proportionally higher use of ibuprofen (at a daily dose of 1200 mg) and a reduced use of either piroxicam or ketoprofen would improve the NSAID GI safety profile in both countries. As previously shown for Sweden and some other countries, the DU90% methodology was found to be a useful method for assessing the general quality of NSAID prescribing in Croatia.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed2005

An epidemiological study of orofacial clefts in Croatia 1988-1998.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this epidemiological study was to assess the incidence at birth of orofacial clefts in Croatia. AIM: The aim of the present study was to analyse the character and incidence of orofacial clefts in Croatia and to compare the data with reports from other countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All the material for the epidemiological study was retrieved from the documented files from all the neonatal units and hospitals in Croatia providing surgical treatment. RESULTS: A total of 525,298 livebirths were documented during 11 years (1988-1998); 903 among them with orofacial clefts, 24 (2.7%) of them twins. Sixty (6.6%) infants died between birth and the age of 6 months. The incidence of orofacial clefts during the study period was 1.71 per thousand. When eliminating syndromic clefts, the incidence of non-syndromic clefts was 1.56 per thousand. Analysis of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL+/-P) and isolated cleft palate only (CP) revealed their incidence to be 1.05 and 0.66 per 1000, respectively. Of all types of clefting, CL and CLA was found in 17.2%, CL+/-P in 43.9%, CP in 38.2% and atypical facial clefts (AFC) in 0.8% of children. Left-sided clefts were most common (51%), followed by bilateral (30.5%) and right-sided (18.5%) clefts. The male to female ratio was 1.3. CL+/-P predominated in male and CP in female children. In 220 cases (24.4%) orofacial clefts were either associated with other anomalies or the clefts occurred as one feature of a syndrome. CONCLUSION: Data obtained from different sources yielded a cleft incidence of 1.71 per 1000 in Croatia. There were no differences in the incidences of orofacial clefts in comparison with similar data from other European countries.

Cleft Lip↗
PubMed2002

Reproductive rights and the state in Serbia and Croatia.

The global reproductive rights movement arose in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a challenge to the population control paradigm that has dominated family planning policy for almost half a century. The essence of the challenge is to place women into the center of population discussions as subjects, not objects of policy, and to reorient family planning and health programs toward meeting the broad reproductive health needs of individuals, rather than the narrow population control objectives of states. Reproductive rights advocates argue that the use of family planning programs for developmentalist-oriented population control objectives is illegimate, and inevitably relegates women to the status of depersonalized policy "targets". The cases of Croatia and Serbia, the two dominant partners in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, offer interesting twists on these reproductive rights issues. In Croatia and Serbia, unlike in many nations, the governments are deliberately seeking to increase rather than decrease fertility levels. Moreover, the objective concerns identity politics, more so than development: the governments have encouraged increased fertility to safeguard the survival of their nations and to strengthen national power amidst threatening internal and external environments of ethnic conflict. In this paper, we examine the dynamics of pro-natalist fertility policy in Croatia and Serbia. We do so with a view to explaining why, despite similarities, the two have followed divergent paths. While reproductive rights violations have occurred in both nations, they have been markedly higher in Serbia than Croatia. To explain this divergence we look at a series of sociopolitical factors, including the space available for groups to mobilize in each political system; the degree of nationalistic extremism present in the discourse of central political leaders; and perceptions of threats and opportunities in external geopolitical environments. In conducting this analysis we seek to drive home the point that a nation's reproductive rights situation and prospects cannot be understood divorced from its sociopolitical context. We also raise an additional impetus for promoting the reproductive rights agenda--one largely unexplored in the family planning literature-that emerges from low fertility nations facing identity issues. Women's bodies must be protected not only against those states seeking to use their reproductive capacities for developmentalist-oriented fertility control, but also against those wanting their bodies for nationalistic-oriented fertility promotion.

Authoritarianism↗
PubMed2006

Treatment and secondary prevention of ischemic coronary events in Croatia (TASPIC-CRO study).

AIMS: The objective of this study is to determine the status of major risk factors for coronary heart disease in patients with established coronary heart disease in Croatia and whether the Joint European Societies' recommendations on coronary heart disease prevention are being followed in Croatia and whether secondary prevention practices have improved between 1998 and 2003. METHODS: Five surveys were undertaken in 35 centres covering the geographical area of the whole of Croatia between 1 June, 1998 and 31 March, 2003. Consecutive patients of both sexes were identified after coronary-bypass grafting or a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or a hospital admission with acute myocardial infarction or ischaemia. Data collection was based on a review of medical records and the methodology used was similar to the one used in the EUROASPIRE study. RESULTS: Fifteen thousand, five hundred and twenty patients were enrolled (64.6% men); 35% of patients smoked cigarettes, 66% had raised blood pressure, 69% elevated serum total cholesterol, 69% elevated serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, 42% low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, 37% elevated triglycerides, 30% diabetes and 34% family history of coronary heart disease. More men were smokers and had low HDL cholesterol, but more women had elevated total and LDL cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. More men had Q wave acute myocardial infarction, but more women had angina. Over 5 years, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia decreased substantially from 82.7 to 65%. Eighty-three percent of patients received aspirin and this percentage did not change during the study. The use of diuretics, calcium antagonists and nitrates did not change either. The reported use of statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers increased significantly. CONCLUSION: This survey shows a high prevalence of modifiable risk factors in Croatian patients with coronary heart disease. Although the higher use of statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers is encouraging, the fact that most coronary heart disease patients are still not achieving the recommended goals remains a concern. There is real potential to reduce the very high coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality in Croatia.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1994

Folnegović & Folnevogić-Smalc's "Schizophrenia in Croatia: inter-regional differences in prevalence and a comment on constant incidence".

"STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to examine why differences exist in schizophrenia prevalence and risk in some areas of Croatia, when schizophrenia incidence rates do not appear to vary. DESIGN--Areas differing by schizophrenia admission rates in patients born in 1953 and admitted by the age of 31 years are compared using a number of indicators relating both to general population characteristics and to those of schizophrenic cases in these populations. SETTING--The study covers the whole of Croatia (4,601,469 inhabitants, 1981 census). SUBJECTS--By the age of 31 years, out of 80,445 individuals born in Croatia in 1953, 464 were admitted for and diagnosed as having schizophrenia. MAIN RESULTS--Admission risk rates are higher in those parts of Croatia where emigration rates are high and lower where immigration rates are high. There is also a positive correlation with schizophrenia prevalence and manic depressive psychosis rates. There is a negative correlation with age of onset of schizophrenia and with schizophrenic reproduction rates. In the study areas, hospital incidence rates are not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS--Economic migration and negative selection in the domestic population are likely to be the most significant factors leading to differences in schizophrenia prevalence. The approximately equal incidence rates in the population, with different prevalence and admission risks, are linked to differences in the disease onset among schizophrenics with a positive family history for this condition. In other words, these patients, when part of the population with a greater prevalence and a greater hereditary loading, experience the onset more often at an earlier age. Thus they have a lower reproduction rate than in a population with a lower prevalence and a lower hereditary loading. Thus incidence rates in populations with different prevalences and different hereditary loads are maintained roughly equal over generations."

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Mine clearance injuries in South Croatia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe and analyze casualties in mine-clearance operations in South Croatia from 1991 to 1995. During the war in Croatia, the laying of mines by both sides was largely unplanned, without mapping or documentation, making demining, an already expensive, complicated task, even more dangerous. METHODS: The study comprised all those injured in mine-clearance operations treated at Clinical Hospital Split. The type of mines used, the mechanism of the incident, and the location and severity of injury according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale and the Injury Severity Score were analyzed. RESULTS: In a 5-year period, 160 pyrotechnicians of the Croatian Army performed demining in Southern Croatia. In 29 incidents, 53 deminers were injured. The degree of injury according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale was 2.85 +/- 0.6 and Injury Severity Score grade was 19.68 +/- 8.57. Two of the injured died. CONCLUSION: To find and remove approximately 2 million mines laid in Croatia will take at least 10 years and 2,000 to 3,000 specialized personnel. Unfortunately, the results of the study demonstrate that a significant number of deminers will suffer grave injuries or die in the process.

Blast Injuries↗
PubMed2006

Epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis in Croatia.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to show the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis in Croatia. METHODS: Data on registered Lyme borreliosis cases were analyzed and the most common clinical manifestations of the disease, based on meta-analysis of the data collected, are described. RESULTS: A total of 3,317 cases were reported from 1987 to the end of 2003. Northwestern Croatia is an area in which Lyme borreliosis is endemic, but the disease has also been recorded in the other parts of the country, with the exception of the area south of Zadar. The clinical picture of Lyme borreliosis in Croatia is dominated by erythema migrans, followed by neurological manifestations. The diversified clinical picture is consistent with reports from other European countries, as is the isolation of Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii, which are causally related to these forms of the disease. CONCLUSION: Tick density and tick infection rates of Borrelia burgdorferi have not yet been investigated in the part of Croatia free from the occurrence of Lyme borreliosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[History of gynecology and perinatology in Croatia. Midwifery. Clinics and hospitals in Zagreb].

The development of obstetrics in Croatia and the formation of unique discipline of obstetrics and gynecology in Croatia in first ten years of 20th century are presented. The midwifery is mentioned in Croatia for the first time in Dubrovnik in 14th century. The "protomedicus" from Varazdin Johan Baptist Lalangue in 1777 has published the booklet "Brevis institutio de re obstetritia". First public school of midwifery was founded in Zadar on 1820 and the second one in Zagreb in 1877. In Zadar, Ante Kuzmanić, "magister obstetritiae et chirurgiae" published a short textbook "Sixty lessons from midwifery for midwifes", thereafter in 1908 Nikola Lalich "Book for midwifes". In Zagreb, Antun Lobmayer published in 1877 "The midwifery". Gynecology was developing in the second half of 19th century as a part of surgery. On break-time from 19th to 20th century rose the unique medical profession obstetrics and gynecology. In Croatia the unique discipline established Dr Franjo Durst, since he was in 1905 installed for the first head of Royal Country Maternity Hospital in Ilica street and thereafter in 1921 for the first head and university professor of Royal University Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics in Petrova street. The evolution of gynecology and obstetrics, respective of perinatology, during last 30 years, in the Zagreb in departments of clinical hospitals "Clinical Hospital Center", "Sestre Milosrdnice", "Merkur" and "Sv. Duh" is presented.

Croatia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Founding and activity of the Society of Physicians of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slovenia as reported in the newspapers from 1874 to 1875].

The article presents the first active year of the Association of Physicians of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia, today's Croatian Medical Association, (from February 26, 1874 until the annual assembly held on June 31, 1875), based upon the articles published in Zagreb daily newspapers Obzor and Narodne novine and a Zadar newspaper--Narodni list. The writings of these newspapers are situated in the spatial and temporal context based on data from secondary literature and Austrian daily newspapers. These articles were employed as historical sources, which we used to find answers to following questions: How did the Croatian public accept the foundation of the Association of Physicians of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia? What did the public expect and what duties was this Association to fulfill according to the public? Finally, how did the public evaluate the results of the Association's work at the end of its first year of existence? The foundation of the Association of Physicians of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia coincided with numerous initiatives on the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy level. Goal of these initiatives was to create a well ramified network of physicians' organisations that were to deal with issues related to the social status of physicians, such as fees for their professional services, retirement funds, pensions for family members etc. The first official "Rules of the Association of Physicians of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia" from May 1874, puts promotion of scientific medicine and health improvement before the interests of the medical profession status. Croatian public expected that the newly founded Association would engage itself in matters such as improving medical practice, eradicating diseases, promoting foundation of a medical school in Zagreb, counselling political bodies on the health-related issues, and so on. Based on the newspaper articles, especially ones published at the end of the first year of the Associations' existence we can clearly notice discordance between public expectations and declared reasons.

Croatia↗
PubMed2002

Low prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected individuals from Slovenia and Croatia.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the population of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals from Slovenia and Croatia was determined. One hundred and sixty-six out of a total of 188 Slovenian HIV-1-infected individuals and 120 subjects who were randomly chosen out of a total 342 Croatian HIV-1 antibodies-positive individuals were tested for HCV infection. Detection of HCV antibodies was carried out by a third generation enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and the positive samples were additionally tested by a third generation immuno-blot assay. Additionally, the presence of HCV RNA was determined in all serum samples by a qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-four (14.5%) out of 166 Slovenian and 18 (15.0%) out of 120 Croatian HIV-1-infected individuals were HCV antibodies-positive. Nineteen out of 24 (79.2%) Slovenian and 13 out of 18 (72.2%) Croatian anti-HCV positive individuals were also viremic. HCV RNA was not detected in any of 244 HCV antibodies-negative/HIV-1-infected individual from both countries. A significant difference in the prevalence of HCV infection between blood (77.8% in Slovenia and 66.7% in Croatia) and sexual exposure risk groups (1.6% in Slovenia and 6.6% in Croatia) was found in both countries. In a study carried out on the highest proportion of entire population of HIV-1-infected individuals from a certain country or geographic region, Slovenia and Croatia were identified as countries with the second and third lowest prevalence of HCV infection among HIV-1/HIV-2 infected individuals worldwide.

Croatia↗
PubMed2002

Intensive care units in Croatia: 2001 survey.

AIM: To establish a framework for the Intensive Care Units (ICU) Register in Croatia, and examine the relation between their present organization and medical practices and their outcome performances. METHODS: The survey of a total of 123 ICUs in Croatia was conducted between February 1 and October 31, 2001. Census questionnaires were filled out by ICU chiefs of staff. Demographic data, data on hospital and ICU structure and organization, disposable equipment, admission and discharge decision-making, outcome, and patient demographic data were collected for February 1, 2001. Descriptive statistics was used for data analysis. RESULTS: On February 1, 2001, there were 123 ICUs in Croatia. The questionnaire was filled out by 117 ICU chiefs of staff (95% response rate). The total number of ICUs beds was 900, comprising 3.3% of all hospital beds. Croatian ICUs were divided into 13 subtypes; 89% of them were adjoined to hospital departments of various subspecialties and only 13 (11%) were freestanding. The number of ICUs per hospital, number of ICU beds, quantity of disposable equipment, and number of permanently employed medical and nursing staff within hospitals and individual units increased as hospitals enlarged. Also, the number of mixed surgical/medical and coronary care/medical units decreased, and specialized units became prevalent. The mortality data in Croatian ICUs were similar to those reported elsewhere in the world: the lowest mortality was found in psychiatric ICUs (3%) and the highest in an ICU for infective diseases (30%), followed by neurological (19%), medical (17%), and respiratory (16%) ICUs. CONCLUSION: Establishing a database on intensive care medicine and assessing the performance of ICUs in Croatia could serve as a model for improvement of ICU service in other transition countries.

Croatia↗
PubMed2003

Analysis of propolis from the continental and Adriatic regions of Croatia.

Thin-layer chromatography of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) from the continental and Adriatic regions of Croatia showed that 72.2% of propolis samples contain galangin, 88.8% of samples contain kaempferol, naringenin and apigenin and 66.6% of samples contain caffeic acid. Caffeic acid, pinocembrin, galangin, chrysin and naringenin were analyzed by HPLC. In all samples, pinocembrin was the dominant flavonoid. In samples from the Adriatic region, concentration of pinocembrin ranged from 0.03 to 6.14% (x = 2.87%) and in the continental region samples from 0 to 4.74% (x = 2.84%). Chrysin was found in all propolis samples in a concentration ranging from 0.22 to 5.32% (x = 1.86%) in the continental region samples and from 0.03 to 3.64% (x = 1.96%) in samples from the Adriatic region. Chrysin was followed by naringenin, ranging from 0 to 1.14% (x = 0.42%) in samples from the Adriatic region and from 0.22 to 2.41% (x = 0.60%) in the continental region samples. Concentration of caffeic acid ranged from 0 to 10.11% (x = 2.69%) in the Adriatic region samples and from 0.27 to 2.67% (x = 1.37%) in samples from the continental region of Croatia. Results of HPLC analyses suggest that propolis samples collected from various parts of Croatia do not differ markedly in contents of chrysin, pinocembrin, naringenin and galangin but differ in the concentration of caffeic acid. All EEPs significantly inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis in comparison with the control (80% ethanol) (p < 0.05), showing inhibition zones of 16 +/- 2 mm for samples from the continental region, and of 18 +/- 3 mm for samples from the Adriatic region. There was no significant difference in antimicrobial activity of EEPs from the continental and Adriatic regions of Croatia, suggesting that bactericidal activity depends on synergism of all phenolic compounds.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[Exposure and allergy to dust mites in general and working environment in Croatia].

This paper gives a review of the most important impacts of exposure to dust mites in general and working environment on human health. The Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health in Zagreb, Croatia, has been investigating the frequency and exposure levels of allergies to pyroglyphid and non-pyroglyphid mites in Croatia for the last 10 years. Investigations were performed in general urban and rural population from the inland and coastal Croatia, and several industrial inland populations occupationally exposed to organic dusts. Mite species and levels of pyroglyphid mites allergens (Der p 1, Der f 1) were established in house dust samples taken from the floors of bedrooms and living rooms and in several industrial dust samples. The frequency of allergies to pyroglyphid mites in general urban population of inland Croatia is about 20%, with significant general indoor exposure to these mites (median value for Der p 1: 0.85 microg/g of dust). General adult population of the coastal region had a significantly higher exposure to pyroglyphid mites (median value for Der p 1: 4.5 microg/g of dust), yet showed a significantly lower frequency of allergies to these mites (about 5%). New studies are necessary to investigate possible genetic and environmental factors involved in the mechanisms which protect coastal population from the development of mite allergy. Acarological and statistical analyses have shown that the high frequency of sensitisation to non-pyroglyphid mites found in the general and working populations of the inland region is not related to environmental exposure to these mites, but to the cross-reactivity between pyroglyphid and non-pyroglyphid mites and to false positive skin reactions in prick testing, particularly to T. putrescentiae. So far, results do not indicate that pyroglyphid mites are occupational allergens in paper-recycling, fish-processing and tobacco-processing.

Allergens↗
PubMed2005

[Epilepsy--a review of its development in the world and in Croatia].

Development of studies in epilepsy is presented, primarily in Croatia and briefly with regard to the world. The first epileptology available to the author were those published in Liecnicki viestnik in 1887 by D. Forenbacher (1896), by J. Tyrman, and in 1900 by F. Gutschy. The names Julius, Lopasić, Jelasić appeared from 1937 to 1943. In 1953, initiated by Lopasić in cooperation with Julius and Glaser, the journal Neuropsihijatrija was founded, dealing with neurology, psychiatry and peripheral fields. Thus began a new era in publishing in the field of epilepsy. The first practice for epilepsy was set up in 1952 by Dogan and Hajnsek, assisted by Lopasić, when the first EEG device (Medcraft) became available through UNRRA. By 1956 it expanded into a Clinic for Epilepsy, led by Hajnsek, soon becoming a meeting place for all those interested in epilepsy in children and adults. After two wars of work, the first locally designed EEG devices, produced by Santić and Kolaj, were supplied to six laboratories in 1961 throughout Croatia. In 1962 a section for EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology was founded at the Medical Association of Croatia. That year the Clinic for Epilepsy became the Centre for Epilepsy. In 1964 Croatian Section for EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology was founded in Ohrid, which became very active, organizing a number of meetings and ten symposia throughout former Yugoslavia. In 1972, the Croatian League for providing help to those suffering from epilepsy was founded, functioning independently, and organizing meetings, symposia and participating in the education of what by then had become a significant number of epileptologists treating children and adults, indirectly participating in the organization of more than seventy EEG laboratories throughout Croatia. During the 1990s, the Croatian League against Epilepsy also gained its independence and, with the Croatian Society for Epilepsy, in 1998 became a member of the ILAE and IBE (International Federation League against Epilepsy and International Bureau for Epilepsy). Both organizations are involved in the global campaign against epilepsy, entitled "Out of the Shadows", organizing meetings on the classification of epilepsy, diagnosis, and use of new anti-epileptics alongside those already existing. By giving lectures in kindergartens, schools, on radio and television, they are providing assistance to those suffering from the disease, helping them deal with their socioeconomic problems, in schooling, employment, marriage, having children, appearing before courts, handling themselves in road traffic, and in everyday life.

Croatia↗