Human Dirofilaria repens infection in Serbia.

Human infection by Dirofilaria repens in Serbia has been increasing steadily. The first case was reported in 1971, presented in the form of a single subcutaneous nodule on the back of a young boy. As established by a literature search, eight additional cases were reported until mid-2001.

[Antifungal drug resistance: mechanisms of resistance, freqeuncy, prevention and control of resistance].

Fungi are important causes of human infections, especially systemic mycoses. Pathogenic fungi have many complex mechanisms of resistance to antifungal drugs. In this article, information about the cellular, genetic and clinical factors contributing to antifungal-drug resistance, and their diagnostic and epidemiologic characteristics are reviewed.

[Pseudoallescheria boydii (Scedosporium apiospermum), cause of mycotic granulomatous osteomyelitis--case diagnosis].

Fungal bone infections constitute about 0.1-0.2% of all osteomyelitis cases.

Diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection: The sensitivities and specificities of microscopy, culture and PCR assay.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare wet mount-, Giemsa stain-, acridine orange fluorescent stain-, cultivation- and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches to establish which method or combination of methods was most effective in the laboratory diagnosis of trichomoniasis.

Study Design: Out of 200 investigated patients with various gynecological complaints, Trichomonas vaginalis infection was detected in 27 (13.5%) by any of methods investigated.

[Human babesiosis--recent discoveries].

Introduction: Babesiosis is caused by intraerythrocytic parasites of the genus Babesia, which is a common animal infection worldwide. This protozoa requires both a competent vertebrate and a nonvertebrate host (Ixodes sp. etc.

[The role of parasites and fungi in secondary infertility].

Introduction: Parasite-host relationships can cause diminished or absent ability to conceive, ectopic pregnancy or pregnancy with undesired course.

Literature Review: There are reports that some protozoa, helminths and fungi may impair women's reproductive capacity, causing deformities of genital tract, so that conception is impossible, or, if it does occur, normal implantation and development of placenta are impossible. Schistosoma haematobium may cause vulvar papule, swelling, tumors, irregular vaginal hemorrhage, tubular infertility and ectopic pregnancies.

[First case of Malassezia globosa isolation in Serbia].

Today is known that genus Malassezia includes seven species: M. furfur, M. sympodialis, M.

[Characteristics of the immune response in protozoan infections].

Introduction: When protozoa enter the blood stream or tissues they can often survive and replicate because they adapt to the resisting natural host defenses. The interaction of immune system with infectious organisms is a dynamic interplay of host mechanisms aimed at eliminating infections and microbial strategies designed to permit survival in the face of powerful effector mechanisms. Protozoa cause chronic and persistent infections, because natural immunity against them is weak and because protozoa have evolved multiple mechanisms for evading and resisting specific immunity.

Correlation between clinical symptoms and diagnosis of trichomoniasis in women.

The aim of this study was to investigate correlation between clinical symptoms and diagnosis of trichomoniasis in women. 200 women were included in the study. Swabs were taken from all patients from the posterior vaginal fornix.

Fatal strongyloidosis following corticosteroid therapy in a patient with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia.

A patient with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia and fatal strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome following prolonged corticosteroid therapy is briefly described. Diagnosis was difficult to perform due to absence of eosinophilia and diarrhea at presentation, as well as to the negativity of multiple stool specimens examined by direct microscopy of saline smear, formol-ether concentration techniques, and Baermann's test. The striking hypoalbuminemia in the setting of the normal results of liver function tests and prothrombin time was assumed to be due to enteropathy.

[Disseminated zygomycosis in patients with acute leukemia].

The authors present two patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and pulmonary-disseminated form of zygomycosis developed during the period of bone marrow aplasia. Diagnosis was established on necropsy on the basic of the patho-histological finding of wide, short and nonseptate hyphe with irregular branching. Hyphe were clearly recognized on Gomori methenamine Silver stained preparations.

[Free living amoebae of the Acanthamoeba genus--investigations made in recreation centres of the city of Belgrade].

Four indoor swimming pools in recreation centres in the city of Belgrade were tested to the presence of free living amoebae (swimming pool water, step smears, smears under the showers). As the consequences of people's infections caused by these amoebae are now well know, the goal of our investigation was to prove their possible presence, and to establish pathogenic potential of the isolated species. Only one of the isolated strains of the Acanthamoeba genus was cytopathogenic to the Vero cell culture, and it caused microfocal pneumonitis in laboratory animals.

[Free-living amoebae of the Naegleria and Acanthamoeba genus].

This is a review of data from literature related to free living amebas, their morphological and biological characteristics and their pathogenic potentials. The aim of this paper is to call attention of clinicians and laboratory workers to these protozoa with regard to the possibility of the onset of some fatal diseases caused by these amebas.