Evaluating academic detailing as an antibiotic stewardship intervention in primary healthcare settings in Croatia.

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections are common in primary healthcare care settings and frequently result in antibiotic prescriptions, despite being primarily viral. There is scarcity of research examining impact of academic detailing (AD) intervention on prescribing practices for these infections in resource-constrained healthcare settings like southeastern Europe. Therefore aim of this study was to evaluate impact of AD intervention as an antimicrobial stewardship measure on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in primary setting in Croatia which is located in southeastern Europe.

Perspectives of primary care physicians on academic detailing for antimicrobial stewardship: feasibility and impact assessment.

Objective: To understand primary care physicians' perspectives on academic detailing from an antimicrobial stewardship team to combat antibiotic overuse for upper respiratory infections and bronchitis in the COVID-19 era, which will help prevent avoidable outpatient visits.

Methods: In this prospective study, 14 female Croatian physicians completed standardized qualitative interviews using a semi-structured guide. The data were analyzed using inductive methodology based on reflexive thematic analysis.

Antimicrobial stewardship effectiveness on rationalizing the use of last line of antibiotics in a short period with limited human resources: a single centre cohort study.

Objective: Antibiotics reserve (ARs) are given as a last line of treatment when other antibiotics are no longer effective. Rising threat of antimicrobial resistance makes growing use of ARs a real problem to patient safety. A single centre interventional cohort study was conducted in order to measure impact on clinical outcomes of A-team programme with limited human resources in a short period.

Epidemiological and clinical features of leptospirosis in a highly endemic area over three time periods.

Objectives: To present the features of human leptospirosis over three time periods (1970-1975; 2000-2005; 2010-2015), to compare the collected data and to determine whether the incidence, seasonal and spatial distribution, prevalence of presumptive infective serogroups and clinical features have changed over the last 50 years.

Methods: Epidemiological and clinical data obtained from patients hospitalised and treated in a well-known endemic focus of leptospirosis, Koprivnica-Križevci County in Croatia, were analysed.

Results: We observed a steady decline in the overall incidence of leptospirosis and a change in the patient age distribution, with the age ratio changing in favour of middle-aged and older patients.

Evaluation of brainstem involvement in multiple sclerosis.

Background/aims: the aim of the present study was to determine the optimum method to detect brainstem lesions in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Methods: 72 patients with the diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS were prospectively included. brainstem functional system score (bSfS) (part of the expanded disability status scale (edSS) evaluating brainstem symptomatology) was calculated.

[ISKRA guidelines on antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections--Croatian national guidelines].

These guidelines refer to diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections in adults and children older than 12 years of age and cover lower urinary tract in females, uncomplicated pyelonephritis, complicated UTI with or without pyelonephritis, asymptomatic bacteriuria and recurrent UTI. These guidelines do not cover sexually transmitted diseases. The guidelines are primarily intended for use by general practitioners and specialists working in primary health care and hospitals.

[Human anaplasmosis (ehrlichiosis)].

Objective: The north part of Croatia, especially the Koprivnica-Krizevci County is a well known endemic area of several tick-transmitted diseases including tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme borreliosis and tularemia. Each summer numerous patients develop a nonspecific febrile illness after tick bite, etiology of which is sometimes never established.

Purpose Of Work: The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether the infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum was associated with febrile illnesses occurring after tick bite.

[Hepatitis caused by tick-borne meningoencephalitis virus (TBEV)--a rare clinical manifestation outside the central nervous system involvement].

Objective: North part of Croatia, especially the Koprivnica-Krizevci County has been a well-known endemic area of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) for more than 50 years. To date, this disease caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) has retained the leading position among inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), with an average morbidity of 19 patients per year. In 88% of patients the infection manifested with signs of meningitis or meningoencephalitis with a biphasic course.

[An abortive type of tick-borne meningoencephalitis].

Objective: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was detected in the Koprivnica-Krizevci County 50 years ago. To date, it has retained the leading position among inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), with an average morbidity of 20 patients per year. In 88% of patients, the infection manifested with signs of meningitis or biphasic meningoencephalitis (ME).