Antimicrobial resistance of Esherichia coli urinary isolates from primary care patients in Greece.

Background: Most of antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance studies focus on isolates from hospitalized patients. A retrospective analysis of microbiological data of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli urinary isolates from primary care patients in Greece was performed here.

Material/methods: The in vitro susceptibility to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefaclor, cefprozil, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole), amikacin, and norfloxacin of 2460 E.

Tobacco use among students aged 13-15 years in Greece: the GYTS project.

Background: Data on the prevalence of tobacco use among teenagers in Greece are limited. We examined the prevalence of smoking among middle-school students in Greece using the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS).

Methods: The Global Youth Tobacco Survey was implemented in Greece during the academic year 2004-2005 by the University of Thessaly and the National School of Public Health.

Health promotion programs related to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic games.

Background: The Olympic Games constitute a first-class opportunity to promote athleticism and health messages. Little is known, however on the impact of Olympic Games on the development of health-promotion programs for the general population. Our objective was to identify and describe the population-based health-promotion programs implemented in relation to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

Methodological aspects of a GIS-based environmental health inspection program used in the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

Background: The use of geographical information system (GIS) technologies in public health surveillance is gradually gaining momentum around the world and many applications have already been reported in the literature. In this study, GIS technology was used to help county departments of Public Health to implement environmental health surveillance for the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

Methods: In order to assess the workload in each Olympic county, 19 registry forms and 17 standardized inspection forms were developed to register and inspect environmental health items requiring inspection (Hotels, restaurants, swimming pools, water supply system etc), respectively.

Mass gathering preparedness: the experience of the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para-Olympic Games.

Planning for environmental health management of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games included assessment of the capacity and deficiencies of relevant public health agencies in Athens and the other four Olympic cities with 17 detailed questionnaires. Different estimates of the expected number of visitors were made on the basis of experience from previous Olympic Games. Potential public health risks were identified and prioritized.