Unusual Listeria monocytogenes peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patient with liver cirrhosis: a case report and review of literature.

Spontaneous Listeria peritonitis is well described in liver failure, but is uncommon in peritoneal dialysis patients. Atypical cases where peritonitis symptoms develop after systemic manifestations are rare and challenging for diagnostic. A 57-year-old peritoneal dialysis patient with history of ethylic cirrhosis was admitted after epileptic seizure. On admission, patient was soporous without signs of peritonitis and meningitis. Patient's peritoneal effluent was clear, with normal leukocytes. Cranial CT scan showed no abnormalities. Laboratory exams revealed positive inflammatory syndrome. Despite antibiotic therapy, next day, symptoms aggravated with coma development. Peritoneal effluent became cloudy and its leukocyte count rose up. Effluent microscopy revealed Gram-positive bacilli. Patient was started with intraperitoneal Vancomycin and Amikacin. Patient's clinical condition deteriorated with lethal outcome. Post-mortem analysis of effluent and blood culture showed growth of L. monocytogenes. Apart from idiopathic etiology, goat-milk curd, that patient had started consuming 10 days before admission, could theoretically be considered as possible infection vehicle. L. monocytogenes peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients is rare, but must be considered in immunocompromised or patients with concomitant liver failure, especially after Gram-positive bacilli identification in peritoneal effluent. In case of suspiscion of Listeria peritonitis, Ampicillin should be initiated, because bacteria often poorly respond to currently recommended empiric regimens.

Blood donors' awareness and attitudes towards blood transfusion safety in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the awareness and attitudes related to blood transfusion safety among blood donors from the Autonomous Province (AP) Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. BACKGROUND: Blood donors are at the initial point of safe blood transfusion systems. The active participation of blood donors in the selection process contributes to increasing the safety of blood transfusions and reduces potential risks for the recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey included 1191 blood donors from AP Vojvodina. The awareness and attitudes regarding safe blood supply were measured as 5-point scales of agreement/disagreement with statements on a Likert scale. The data were analysed using non-parametric methods by frequency modalities. RESULTS: Male blood donors, the youngest age group (18-20 years), those who donate blood for the first time and those with a lower educational level showed the lowest awareness of, and the most negative attitudes about, blood safety. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that there is a small but, for the safety of transfusion, significant number of blood donors who do not have a positive attitude or awareness of their own impact on safe transfusion therapy and who are not discovered during standard selection procedures.

Three probable cases of cutaneous anthrax in autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia, June 2011.

Three probable cases of cutaneous anthrax were reported in June 2011 in the eastern part of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. All cases were involved in slaughtering of a heifer that died and was suspected to have had anthrax. In the same village, anthrax was confirmed in other animals.

Ongoing outbreak of aseptic meningitis associated with echovirus type 30 in the City of Novi Sad, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, June - July 2010.

Since June 2010, incidence of aseptic meningitis has increased in Novi Sad, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. From 2 June to 25 July 2010, 80 cases of aseptic meningitis were notified, with an incidence rate ranging from 10 to 366 per 100,000 population in different local communities. The majority of cases (n=64) were aged between two and 15 years. Echovirus 30 was cultured from two of four cerebrospinal fluid specimens. The outbreak, for which no common source has yet been identified, is ongoing.

Salmonellae in food stuffs of plant origin and their implications on human health.

Salmonella enterica is one of the most common causes of food-borne infection in human beings. Cases of Salmonella infection have been decreasing in Europe in the last ten years, yet, Salmonella infections are still the main cause of acute diarrhea syndrome. Globalization has caused the international food industry to increase the production of collective nutrition produce and products. This has intensified the need for authorized and accredited laboratories to monitor microbiological food safety. All parameters indicate the necessity of a multi-sector approach to this problem. Food safety supervision involves the analysis and identification of risk management, as well as the monitoring, evaluating, and regulating of crop irrigation. We can be more certain with a multi-sector approach that the number of Salmonella infections caused by plant-originated food stuffs will not increase in the future.

Economic sanctions, military activity, and road traffic crashes in Vojvodina, Serbia.

BACKGROUND: Political violence has not been examined as a risk factor for traumatic injuries from road traffic crashes. OBJECTIVE: To identify trends in road traffic crashes related to war-related military activity and international economic sanctions in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. METHODS: Overall road traffic crashes and crashes leading to hospitalization and fatality in Vojvodina, Serbia were examined from 1996 through 2005. Rates were calculated per 100,000 population and per 10,000 registered vehicles. Three time periods were examined: years with international sanctions and military activity (1996-1999); years with international sanctions but no military activity (2000-2001); years with neither sanctions nor military activity (2002-2005). RESULTS: Compared with the period with neither sanctions nor military activity, severe injury crashes were 1.23 times more common (95% CI 1.19 to 1.27) during the period with sanctions and military activity and 1.21 times more common (95% CI 1.16 to 1.27) during the period with sanctions but no military activity. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that vehicle travel became safer after the end of military action and economic sanctions. Road traffic safety needs to be a priority during both periods of political unrest and its recovery phase.