Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Efficasy of Chronic HCV Infection Among Intravenous Drug Users in Tuzla Canton.

Introduction: Chronic HCV infection is chronic inflamatory liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus. Anti HCV prevalence among intravenous drug users (IVDU) is very high and it accounts 40% -90% (60%-90%) with the risk of 80% of developing the chronic infection.

Aim: The aims of this study were: a) to compare clinical characteristics of chronic HCV infection among IVDU and non-users population and to detect their impact to treatment outcome; b) to investigate the treatment efficacy comparing sustained viral response (SVR) in these two populations in Tuzla Canton.

Human West Nile virus infection in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Aim: To describe the first two cases of West Nile virus (WNV) neuroinvasive infections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Methods: At the Clinic for Infectious Diseases of the University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), specific screening for WNV infection was performed on patients with neuroinvasive diseases from 1 August to 31 October 2013. Serum samples were tested for the presence of WNV IgM and IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); positive serum samples were further analyzed by detection of WNV nucleic acid of two distinct lineages (lineage 1 and lineage 2) in sera by RT-PCR.

Human brucellosis in Tuzla Canton.

Introduction: The prevalence of human brucellosis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Tuzla Canton reached its peak in 2008, with a reported total of 994 cases within country, and with 104 cases within the Tuzla Canton.

Aim: to analyze the clinical and epidemiological features of human brucellosis in patients hospitalized at the University Clinical Center Tuzla during the period from 01/01/2000 till the 31/12/2010.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical symptoms, the laboratory and X-ray findings, the treatments, and the course and outcome of the disease.

Hepatitis C virus genotypes in chronic hepatitis C patients and in first time blood donors in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is an issue that is not sufficiently researched and there is a need for studies that would explore this in detail.The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of HCV genotypes in the group of patients with chronic hepatitis C and also in the group of first time blood donors that tested positive for anti HCV antibodies during the blood screening process. Our secondary goal was to compare the proportions of HCV genotypes between these two groups.