Public health and peace

The modern concept of public health, the New Public Health, carries a great potential for healthy and therefore less aggressive societies. Its core disciplines are health promotion, environmental health, and health care management based on advanced epidemiological methodologies. The main principles of living together in healthy societies can be summarized as four ethical concepts of the New Public Health essential to violence reduction equity, participation, subsidiarity, and sustainability. The following issues are discussed as violence determinants: the process of urbanization; type of neighborhood and accommodation, and consequent stigmatization; level of education; employment status; socialization of the family; women's status; alcohol and drug consumption; availability of the firearms; religious, ethnic, and racial prejudices; and poverty. Development of the health systems has to contribute to peace, since aggression, violence, and warfare are among the greatest risks for health and the economic welfare. This contribution can be described as follows: 1) full and indiscriminate access to all necessary services, 2) monitoring of their quality, 3) providing special support to vulnerable groups, and 4) constant scientific and public accountability of the evaluation of the epidemiological outcome. Violence can also destroy solidarity and social cohesion of groups, such as family, team, neighborhood, or any other social organization. Durkheim coined the term anomie for a state in which social disruption of the community results in health risks for individuals. Health professionals can make a threefold contribution to peace by 1) analyzing the causal interrelationships of violence phenomena, 2) curbing the determinants of violence according to the professional standards, and 3) training professionals for this increasingly important task. Because tolerance is an essential part of an amended definition of health, monitoring of the early signs of public intolerance is important. The vital interplay between the informed public and efficient administration, however, can only exist in an open society. The link between democracy and health of the people, and between public health and economic welfare is real. The Public Health Collaboration in South Eastern Europe (PH-SEE) evolved just in time to reconnect and strengthen disrupted professional networks in the region as a prerequisite of effective public health action.     

Cytologic features of ameloblastoma

Ameloblastoma is a rare tumor of the jaw arising from odontogenic epithelium. There are sparse reports in the literature concerning cytologic features of this tumor. This paper presents two cases of ameloblastoma, diagnosed by imprint cytology and confirmed histopathologically. The imprints were hypercellular, with single cells and the groups of basaloid and polygonal squamous cells with huge vacuoles in cytoplasm. Stellate and fusiform cells were found in the background of the preparation. These morphologic parameters were sufficient for the cytologic diagnosis of ameloblastoma.     

Prevalence of antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsiae in the region of Split (southern Croatia)

The prevalence of IgG antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFG) was investigated by the indirect immunofluorescence assay in a sample of 1207 healthy residents of the central part of southern Croatia (eastern coast of Adriatic Sea). Sera obtained from subjects living in three different places of residency (urban, suburban and rural environs of the region) were tested. Overall 528 (43.7%) persons had significant antibody titers (1:40 or higher), with a significantly higher prevalence in suburban and rural areas. The results show that inhabitants in the area are clearly being exposed to SFG rickettsiae. Risk factors significantly associated with seropositivity to SFG rickettsiae were: living in suburban and rural settlements (odds ratio [OR] = 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35–2.4), contact with animals (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.15–1.99), and increase of age (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.09–1.26).     

Surveillance of bacterial causes of hospital infections during periods of war and peace

Surveillance based on laboratory findings of bacteria isolated from hospitalized patients is an important activity in epidemiologic surveillance of nosocomial infections. It provides the insight into the circulation and management of some causative agents of nosocomial infections in hospitals, which facilitates defining of proper measures for the prevention and suppression of nosocomial infections caused by these agents. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare surveillance data collected in Military Medical Academy (MMA) during June 1999 (the period of war), and June 2000 (the period of peace). Isolation frequency of bacteria that were the most common agents of nosocomial: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter spp. and Enterococcus spp., was monitored in patients from 5 various surgical wards of MMA. In the war period, the increase of number of isolates of all these bacteria was registered, but the increase of isolated Acinetobacter spp. was the most significant. The total number of isolates was greater in June 1999, in comparison to June 2000. Most isolates were recovered from wound cultures, when the increased number of Enterococcus spp. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the blood was registered. In the period of peace isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa manifested reduced resistance to quinolones, imipenem and 3rd generation cephalosporins. Barrier infection control measures are necessary in preventing nosocomial transmission, particularly in the wartime. Thus, preventive medicine is important for performing efficient surveillance, and suggesting the adequate measures for prevention and repression of nosocomial infections, particularly in the period of war.     

Manifestations of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in a military unit stationed in a combat zone

Since it has been recognized as a separate disease during the Korean war, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) has often been discovered among the members of different armies in various countries, military personnel being the highest risk group for the disease. In the period from March to May 1999 we treated 6 soldiers coming from the military formation stationed at Kosovo and Metohia. The reaction of indirect hemagglutination test proved the presence of antibodies against Hantavira in each of them. They were infected during the stay in a dugout in the area with great population of field rodents. Only one patient was slightly ill, on the admission to the hospital. The others had severe clinical and laboratory findings: several days lasting fever, strong abdominal pain, as well as the pain in the loins, dyspeptical discomfort, manifold increased blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine values, thrombocytopenia, etc. Oliguria occurred in 4 patients. Hemorrhagic manifestations were slight (epistaxis, petechial rash, conjunctival injection), or absent. Because of the aggravation of the acute renal failure, hemodialysis was performed in 3 patients, while other 3 underwent conservative treatment. Two of the patients had severe anemia because of which transfusions of erythrocytes and plasma were performed. Complications occurred in 2 patients (convulsive crises and lung infections). All patients recovered completely.     

ALK-negative T-cell anaplastic large cell lymphoma associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) appear to have an increased risk of developing malignancies, especially lymphomas. We report the development of a systemic ALK-negative T-cell anaplastic large cell lymphoma, stage IIB, in a 53-yr-old Caucasian female with a 12-yr history of stable SLE. The patient responded poorly to chemotherapy and died 2 yr after diagnosis. Lymphomas that develop in patients with SLE and other autoimmune diseases are virtually always of B-cell origin. To our knowledge this is the first report of a T-cell anaplastic large cell lymphoma in a patient with SLE. This article discusses the association of SLE and lymphoma, with an emphasis on T-lymphoproliferative states.