A Case of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Northern Adriatic Region

A 33-year-old male patient with fever, splenomegaly, pancytopenia and lymphocytosis was admitted to the Department of Hematology in Rijeka. Laboratory findings, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy excluded hemoblastosis and aplastic anemia. To exclude primary splenic lymphoma we performed splenic aspiration where Leishmania amastigotes were found. No cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been previously described in the Northern Adriatic region. Considering epidemiology, a contraction of the disease in the Velebit mountain range could be possible despite the current non-endemic status of the region

ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE :GUIDELINES

Svakodnevne su kliničke dileme vezane uz interpretaciju povišenih vrijednosti sedimentacije eritrocita (SE). Prikazom recentne literature izabrali smo neke od smjernica za svakodnevnu kliničku praksu. Klinička slika i fizikalni nalaz (nedavni respiratorni infekt, koæne promjene artralgija, glavobolja, mišićni bolovi, mršavljenje, anemija, srčani ¹umovi , multipli mijelom) te dodatna laboratorijska evaluacija (kompletna krvna slika, urea, kreatinin, alkalna fosfataza, elektroforeza proteina, analiza urina, stolica na okultno krvarenje, RTG srca i pluÊa, PPD) osnovna su evaluacija u pacijenta s ubrzanom SE. Iako nespecifična, SE je važan parametar u ranoj dijagnostici i praćenju bolesti, te ga ne bi trebalo podcijeniti, ali niti precijeniti u kliničkoj obradi.Interpretation of elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is still everyday clinical dilemma. We rewieved recent literature and suggested guidelines for rational use of ESR. Clinical data and physical examination (recent respiratory infection, skin changes, arthralgia, headache, muscular pain, weight loos, anemia, heart murmurs, multiple myeloma) as well as laboratory evaluation (blood analysis, BUN, creatinine, alcaline phosphatase, protein electrophoresis, urianalysis, occult blood in the feces,chest X-ray, PPD) are basic evaluation in patients with elevated ESR. ESR is nonspecific but important parameter in early diagnosis and follow up so it should not be underestimated or overestimated in clinical practice

Social sciences research in neglected tropical diseases 2: A bibliographic analysis

The official published version of the article can be found at the link below.Background There are strong arguments for social science and interdisciplinary research in the neglected tropical diseases. These diseases represent a rich and dynamic interplay between vector, host, and pathogen which occurs within social, physical and biological contexts. The overwhelming sense, however, is that neglected tropical diseases research is a biomedical endeavour largely excluding the social sciences. The purpose of this review is to provide a baseline for discussing the quantum and nature of the science that is being conducted, and the extent to which the social sciences are a part of that. Methods A bibliographic analysis was conducted of neglected tropical diseases related research papers published over the past 10 years in biomedical and social sciences. The analysis had textual and bibliometric facets, and focussed on chikungunya, dengue, visceral leishmaniasis, and onchocerciasis. Results There is substantial variation in the number of publications associated with each disease. The proportion of the research that is social science based appears remarkably consistent (<4%). A textual analysis, however, reveals a degree of misclassification by the abstracting service where a surprising proportion of the "social sciences" research was pure clinical research. Much of the social sciences research also tends to be "hand maiden" research focused on the implementation of biomedical solutions. Conclusion There is little evidence that scientists pay any attention to the complex social, cultural, biological, and environmental dynamic involved in human pathogenesis. There is little investigator driven social science and a poor presence of interdisciplinary science. The research needs more sophisticated funders and priority setters who are not beguiled by uncritical biomedical promises