Healthcare-Associated Bloodstream Infections Due to Multidrug-Resistant in COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Healthcare-associated infections are an emerging cause of morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. The objectives of this study were to assess the incidence of bloodstream infections (BSIs) among critically ill COVID-19 patients and to analyze the characteristics of healthcare-associated BSIs due to MDR in an COVID-19 ICU. A single-center retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital during a 5-month period.

Post-COVID-19 Spondylodiscitis: A Case Study and Review of the Literature.

COVID-19 is currently a major health problem, leading to respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological complications, with additional morbidity and mortality. Spinal infections are rare, representing around 1% of all bone infections and comprising less than 2 per 10,000 of all hospitalizations in tertiary care centers. Spondylodiscitis is a complex disease, with challenging diagnosis and management.

A New Horizon for Atopic Dermatitis Treatments: JAK Inhibitors.

The article entitled "Application of Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Atopic Dermatitis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials" that belongs to the Special Issue, " Personalized medicine in the field of inflammatory skin diseases", a collection of articles addressing the current critical issues in the pathogenesis and management of chronic inflammatory skin disorders, represents a valuable work that has contributed to elucidating the role of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors as a treatment option for atopic dermatitis (AD), as well as their safety profiles [...

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in COVID-19: Results of the Croatian Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Referral Center.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was uncertain and the outcomes of ECMO-treated patients were unfavorable. During the pandemic, medical community realized that carefully selected patients may benefit from ECMO support. The goal of the study was to present the outcomes of ECMO-treated patients with severe COVID-19 ARDS referred to the respiratory ECMO hub in Croatia and to determine variables that influenced the outcome.

Parents' attitudes toward childhood COVID-19 immunization in Croatia: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Aim: To assess parents' attitudes toward childhood COVID-19 immunization in Croatia.

Methods: In this multicenter cross-sectional study, we collected data from four tertiary care facilities in Zagreb, Split, and Osijek between December 2021 and February 2022. During the visit to the Pediatric Emergency Departments, parents were asked to fill out a highly-structured questionnaire about their attitudes toward COVID-19 immunization in children.

Outpatient treatment of pneumonia in a setting with and without an infectious disease doctor.

Aim: To compare the outpatient treatment of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) by infectious disease doctors (IDDs) and doctors of other specialties (nIDDs).

Methods: We retrospectively identified 600 outpatients with CAP: 300 treated by IDDs and 300 by nIDDs in two tertiary hospitals during 2019. The two groups were compared in terms of adherence to guidelines, antibiotic group prescription, frequency of combined treatment, and treatment duration.

Gut Microbiota Composition Changes following Discontinuation of Exclusive Enteral Nutrition in Children with Crohn's Disease.

This study aims to determine changes in the intestinal microbiota of children with Crohn's disease (CD) before and during exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) and after its discontinuation. A total of 14 newly diagnosed children with CD (median age 16.0 years; 43% female) were included in this study.

FEASIBILITY OF THE MULTIMODAL SMOKING CESSATION INTERVENTION DURING HOSPITALIZATION WITH SIX-MONTH FOLLOW-UP POST-DISCHARGE: A PILOT STUDY.

The main aim of this pilot project was to introduce multimodal smoking cessation intervention in the hospital setting and to analyze users' satisfaction and efficacy of the intervention within six months post-discharge. Multimodal intervention for smoking cessation was used and it consisted of the "5 A's" model (Ask, Advice, Assess, Assist, Arrange) for behavior change, printed self-help materials for smoking cessation, and telephone counseling (one, three and six months after discharge from the hospital). The main outcome of the study was smoking status at six months.

Effect of a modified regimen on drug-sensitive retreated pulmonary tuberculosis: A multicenter study in China.

Background And Objective: Retreatment pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) still accounts for a large proportion of tuberculosis, and the treatment outcome is unfavorable. The recurrence of retreatment PTB based on long-term follow-up has not been well demonstrated. This study aimed to evaluate effect of a modified regimen on drug-sensitive retreated pulmonary tuberculosis.

Rapid-progressing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in two patients newly diagnosed with HIV: case series and review of literature.

The JC Polyomavirus (JCPyV) is a virus of global distribution and is usually kept under control by the immune system. In patients with AIDS, a latent JCPyV infection can reactivate and develop into progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Around half of the patients with PML die within 2 years since the diagnosis, yet in rare cases, the disease advances significantly quicker and seems to be insusceptible to any medical actions.

A pilot sentinel surveillance system to monitor treatment and treatment outcomes of chronic hepatitis B and C infections in clinical centres in three European countries, 2019.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization European Action Plan 2020 targets for the elimination of viral hepatitis are that > 75% of eligible individuals with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) are treated, of whom > 90% achieve viral suppression.AimTo report the results from a pilot sentinel surveillance to monitor chronic HBV and HCV treatment uptake and outcomes in 2019.MethodsWe undertook retrospective enhanced data collection on patients with a confirmed chronic HBV or HCV infection presenting at one of seven clinics in three countries (Croatia, Romania and Spain) for the first time between 1 January 2019 and 30 June 2019.

Biopolymer Coating Imparts Sustainable Self-Disinfecting and Antimicrobial Properties to Fabric: Translated to Protective Gears for the Pandemic and Beyond.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 and emerging antimicrobial drug resistance highlights the need for sustainable technology that enables more preparedness and active control measures. It is thus important to have a reliable solution to avert the present situations as well as preserve nature for habitable life in the future. One time use of PPE kits is promoting the accumulation of nondegradable waste, which may pose an unforeseen challenge in the future.

Case Report: Amphotericin B and Mefloquine as a Salvage Treatment of Alveolar Echinococcosis.

Alveolar echinococcosis is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis. Most patients are diagnosed at a late stage, when lifelong treatment with benzimidazoles is required to stop disease progression. However, for patients who do not tolerate benzimidazole therapy, there are no alternatives.

SARS-CoV-2 severity classification from plasma sample using confocal Raman spectroscopy.

The world is on the brink of facing coronavirus's (COVID-19) fourth wave as the mutant forms of viruses are escaping neutralizing antibodies in spite of being vaccinated. As we have already witnessed that it has encumbered our health system, with hospitals swamped with infected patients observed during the viral outbreak. Rapid triage of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 is required during hospitalization to prioritize and provide the best point of care.

Resistance to critically important antibiotics in hospital wastewater from the largest Croatian city.

The emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and especially carbapenemases in Enterobacterales has led to limited therapeutic options. Therefore, it is critical to fully understand all potential routes of transmission, especially in high-risk sources such as hospital wastewater. This study aimed to quantify four enteric opportunistic pathogens (EOPs), total, ESBL- and carbapenem-resistant coliforms and their corresponding resistance genes (two ESBL and five carbapenemase genes) and to characterize enterobacterial isolates from hospital wastewater from two large hospitals in Zagreb over two seasons.

National medical specialty guidelines of HIV indicator conditions in Europe lack adequate HIV testing recommendations: a systematic guideline review.

BackgroundAdequate identification and testing of people at risk for HIV is fundamental for the HIV care continuum. A key strategy to improve timely testing is HIV indicator condition (IC) guided testing.AimTo evaluate the uptake of HIV testing recommendations in HIV IC-specific guidelines in European countries.

Molecular characterization of colistin resistance genes in a high-risk ST101/KPC-2 clone of Klebsiella pneumoniae in a University Hospital of Split, Croatia.

Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-KP) has become a major concern worldwide due to multidrug resistance and the ability to spread locally and globally. Infections caused by KPC-KP are great challenge in the healthcare systems because these are associated with longer hospitalization and high mortality.

Humoral Immune Response Profile of COVID-19 Reveals Severity and Variant-Specific Epitopes: Lessons from SARS-CoV-2 Peptide Microarray.

The amaranthine scale of the COVID-19 pandemic and unpredictable disease severity is of grave concern. Serological diagnostic aids are an excellent choice for clinicians for rapid and easy prognosis of the disease. To this end, we studied the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection to map immunogenic regions in the SARS-CoV-2 proteome at amino acid resolution using a high-density SARS-CoV-2 proteome peptide microarray.

Variability in the Clinical Course of COVID-19 in a Retrospective Analysis of a Large Real-World Database.

The COVID-19 pandemic proceeds in waves, with variable characteristics of the clinical picture resulting from the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This study aimed to compare the epidemiological characteristics, symptomatology, and outcomes of the disease in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 during periods of different variants dominance. Comparing the periods of dominance of variants preceding the Delta variant, the Delta period was characterized by a higher share of hospitalized females, less frequent comorbidities among patients, and a different age distribution.

Hepatitis A Outbreak in Men Who Have Sex with Men Using Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and People Living with HIV in Croatia, January to October 2022.

The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a highly hepatotropic virus transmitted mainly via the fecal-oral route. The purpose of this study is to describe a prolonged HAV outbreak in HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users in Croatia in 2022. Croatia has a centralized system of HIV care and the PrEP service is only available at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases (UHID), Zagreb.

A Glimpse on the Evolution of RNA Viruses: Implications and Lessons from SARS-CoV-2.

RNA viruses are characterised by extremely high genetic variability due to fast replication, large population size, low fidelity, and (usually) a lack of proofreading mechanisms of RNA polymerases leading to high mutation rates. Furthermore, viral recombination and reassortment may act as a significant evolutionary force among viruses contributing to greater genetic diversity than obtainable by mutation alone. The above-mentioned properties allow for the rapid evolution of RNA viruses, which may result in difficulties in viral eradication, changes in virulence and pathogenicity, and lead to events such as cross-species transmissions, which are matters of great interest in the light of current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemics.

PrEP Scale-Up and PEP in Central and Eastern Europe: Changes in Time and the Challenges We Face with No Expected HIV Vaccine in the near Future.

With no expected vaccine for HIV in the near future, we aimed to define the current situation and challenges for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The Euroguidelines CEE Network Group members were invited to respond to a 27-item survey including questions on PrEP (response rate 91.6%).

Role of TLRs in HIV-1 Infection and Potential of TLR Agonists in HIV-1 Vaccine Development and Treatment Strategies.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), as a family of pattern recognition receptors, play an important role in the recognition of HIV-1 molecular structures by various cells of the innate immune system, but also provide a functional association with subsequent mechanisms of adaptive immunity. TLR7 and TLR8 play a particularly important role in the innate immune response to RNA viruses due to their ability to recognise GU-rich single-stranded RNA molecules and subsequently activate intracellular signalling pathways resulting in expression of genes coding for various biological response modifiers (interferons, proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines). The aim of this review is to summarise the most recent knowledge on the role of TLRs in the innate immune response to HIV-1 and the role of TLR gene polymorphisms in the biology and in the clinical aspects of HIV infections.