Prevalence of HBV and HCV among outpatients in the Plovdiv region of Bulgaria, 2010-2011.

Viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B and C, are diseases with worldwide distribution that present a significant public health problem. Seroprevalence studies allow assessment of the extent of the disease burden, the identification of populations at risk and the monitoring trends over time. A multi-center seroprevalence study, carried out in Bulgaria (covering the five largest cities - Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Pleven, and Stara Zagora) in 1999-2000 estimated a crude seroprevalence rate of 3.

Radial shock wave therapy in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

Introduction: Lateral epicondylitis, or "tennis elbow", is a relatively common disorder. Various therapeutic modalities have been tried in an attempt to manage the disorder but neither the conservative methods nor the surgical options have proved to be beneficial so far. During the past decade in the USA and European countries and the past several years in Bulgaria, the shock wave therapy (focused and radial) has been introduced as a method of choice in the treatment of chronic tendynopathies.

Immune memory and immune response in children from Bulgaria 5-15 years after primary hepatitis B vaccination.

Background: Bulgaria adopted the World Health Organization recommendation of routine universal infant vaccination against hepatitis B in 1991. Nevertheless, only a few studies evaluated the protection after the vaccination against hepatitis B, especially in children. The objective of this study was to investigate the duration of protection against hepatitis B in children aged 5-15 years after primary immunization, by measuring the immune and anamnestic immune response and possible breakthrough infections.

A survey of occupational risk exposures and behaviour of healthcare workers.

Unlabelled: To reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms standard precautions are taken for all patients expected to be exposed to blood, body fluids, or have contacts with mucous membranes and non-intact skin. These preventive measures are by far the best way to protect healthcare workers from adverse infections.

Aim: To analyze occupational risk exposure of healthcare workers occurring when the latter come into contact with blood or other potentially infectious liquid in order to assess some aspects of the application of standard preventive measures.

Immune response and immunologic memory in medical personnel vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine.

Unlabelled: The occupation-related nature of Hepatitis B viral infection in medical personnel has been well documented in a lot of studies. The only reliable way of prevention of this infection is immunisation with hepatitis B vaccine.

Aim: To follow-up the primary immune response after immunisation with recombinant vaccine and its duration in adult immunocompetent subjects.