ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Travel to the tropics is associated with a risk of parasitic infection, which is increasing in parallel with the rise in travel to these areas. We thus examined the prevalence and trend in the occurrence of parasitic infections in Serbian travelers. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of all travelers returning from tropical and subtropical areas, who presented at the Institute for Infectious and Tropical Diseases in Belgrade between January 2001 and January 2008, was performed. RESULTS: Of a total of 2440 travelers, 169 (6.9%) were diagnosed with a parasitic infection, including malaria in 79, intestinal parasites in 84 (pathogenic species in 30 and non-pathogenic in 54), filariasis in four, and visceral leishmaniasis and fascioliasis in one patient each. Importantly, of the whole series only 583 (23.9%) were symptomatic, of which 19.4% were found to be infected with a parasite. The single pathogenic parasite occurring in asymptomatic patients was Giardia intestinalis. CONCLUSIONS: Parasitic infection causing symptomatic disease among travelers returning from tropical areas to Serbia is not infrequent. In view of the expected increase in travel to the tropics, diagnostic protocols for tropical parasitic diseases should take these data into account.
Subject(s)
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/adverse effects , Cross Infection/microbiology , Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiology , Enterococcus faecalis/isolation & purification , Prostatectomy/adverse effects , Aged , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Cross Infection/diagnostic imaging , Cross Infection/drug therapy , Drug Therapy, Combination , Echocardiography, Transesophageal , Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnostic imaging , Endocarditis, Bacterial/drug therapy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Recurrence , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A retrospective epidemiological and diagnostic study of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was carried out during the period 2001-2007 and included patients suspected of VL who had been diagnosed at the Parasitological Laboratory at the Institute for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Belgrade. Diagnosis of VL was confirmed by microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained bone marrow (BM) smears. BM smears from 134 patients were examined; 22 cases of VL were diagnosed, the majority of which involved individuals who had been on holiday at the Montenegrian sea coast. The sensitivity of the initial BM smears was inadequate; this required the application of a serological test, adapted for routine use, for the diagnosis of VL.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Protozoan , Bone Marrow/parasitology , Hemagglutination Tests/methods , Immunoassay/methods , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/epidemiology , Protozoan Proteins , Adult , Aged , Animals , Female , Humans , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/parasitology , Male , Middle Aged , Reagent Strips , Sensitivity and Specificity , Serbia/epidemiology , Specimen Handling/methods , Young AdultABSTRACT
A case of native valve endocarditis caused by Enterococcus durans in a patient with transposition of the great vessels is reported. The patient was treated initially with gentamicin and ceftriaxone; after isolation of enterococci, ceftriaxone was switched to ampicillin. The only virulence factors established in the strain were haemolytic activity and biofilm formation.
