The Trend of Parasitic Diseases among the Population of Osje~ko-baranjska County During the Period 1996–2010 – Croatia

Our manuscript shows infestation of the different population (by age groups, and by sex) with endoparasites and ectoparasites from 1996 till 2010, through seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter).Parasitological examinations which were done at »Public health Institute« of Osje~ko-baranjska county, and which were done at total of 3667 patients, were the methods of direct parasitological diagnostic for proof of parasitic elements in clinical samples, and the methods of indirect parasitological diagnostic, serological examination for proof of antibodies to antigens in the serum of the patients or of the asymptomatic parasite carriers.Development of causers of the diseases (parasites) is depending on the season1,2,4,6–11,15,17.Results of our researches were processed with statistical program called Statistica 8.0 (StatSoft. Inc 1984–2008). From statistical parameters arithmetic middle (x), standard deviation (s), and standard error of the arithmetic middle (sx), are shown. Testing of the significance of differences between independent samples was done with t-test (ANOVA), and is shown in the chart using the appropriate letters (a,b,c). Determined parameters of total infestation and endoparasitic infestation, and total infestation and ectoparasitic infestation show statistically significant difference on the risk level of 0.05 regardless of the age or the sex group of the population of Osje~ko-baranjska county. Determined parameters of monitoring infestation (endoparasitosis and ectoparasitosis) have shown statistically significant difference on the risk level of 0.05

Recurrent Clostridium difficile infections: significance and treatment

Rekurirajuće infekcije uzrokovane C. difficile predstavljaju sve veći terapijski problem. One iscrpljuju i frustriraju pacijente, a zdravstvu uzrokuju dodatne troškove. Za njihovo liječenje i prevenciju nema pouzdanih metoda. Ispitivani su mnogi alternativni, moguće uspješni postupci liječenja, uključujući primjenu smanjujućih ili pulsnih doza vankomicina, alternativnih antibiotika, toksin-vezujućih supstancija, probiotika, fekalne transplantacije i pasivne i aktivne imunizacije. Nažalost, dobiveni rezultati ne podržavaju niti jedan alternativni terapijski postupak jer nisu provedena randomizirana ispitivanja na dovoljnom broju pacijenata. Pojava novih virulentnih sojeva C. difficile i pojava infekcija prethodno zdravih osoba bez predisponirajućih čimbenika ukazuje na hitnu potrebu za uspješnom i pouzdanom strategijom liječenja.Recurrent C. difficile infections (CDI) have emerged as an increasing treatment problem. These conditions exhaust and frustrate patients, and cause additional expenses to the health care system. There are no reliable methods for the treatment and prevention of recurrent episodes of CDI. Many alternative potentially effective strategies have been explored, including tapered or pulsed dosing of vancomycin, other antibiotics, toxin-binding agents, probiotics, fecal transplantation and passive and active immunization. Unfortunately, obtained results failed to support any particular treatment strategy because there have been no randomized studies with a sufficient number of patients conducted so far. The development of new virulent strains of C.difficile and the emergence of infections in previously low-risk population highlight also the need for successful and safe treatment strategies