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M Morović

Publications and source records attributed to M Morović.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Antimicrobial utilization and bacterial resistance at three different hospitals.

It has been generally recognized that the prevalence of bacterial resistance among bacteria is an unavoidable consequence of antibiotic use and is positively linked to the overall use of antibacterial drugs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of antimicrobial usage and to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance at three different hospital settings in Croatia: a clinical hospital, a general hospital and a specialized clinic for infectious diseases. In this survey the antimicrobial drug consumption and antimicrobial susceptibility test results were analyzed for the first 6 months of 1997 in three different hospitals in Croatia: the University Hospital Center (UHC), Rijeka, the Clinic for Infectious Diseases 'Dr Fran Mihaljević', Zagreb and the Dubrovnik General Hospital. The data were collected from corresponding hospital pharmacy records and microbiology laboratories. Antimicrobial drug utilization was expressed in number of defined daily doses (DDDs) per 100 bed days. High antimicrobial utilization and high resistance rates were found in all three hospitals. At the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, the most frequently used antimicrobials where those of narrow spectrum while at the UHC Rijeka and the Dubrovnik General Hospital the broad spectrum antimicrobials were mostly used. The highest antimicrobial consumption was noted at the Susak locality of the UHC, Rijeka, where the highest resistance rates of bacteria to antimicrobials were also found. Results of this observational study indicate that attempts should be made to reduce the influence of factors that may lead to emergent resistance. The most effective approach to the prevention of transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens is preventing the initial emergence of resistance. A rational and strict antibiotic policy is thus of great importance for the optimal use of these agents.

Croatia↗
PubMed2001

Clinical, epidemiological and epizootic features of Q fever in the northern coastal part of Croatia from 1989 to 1998.

Although Q fever is endemic in the northern coastal part of Croatia, it usually occurs sporadically. Analysis of 58 patients hospitalized for Q fever during the last 10-year period (1989-1998) revealed some differences in the clinical manifestation compared to a previous study (1954-1977). Most cases of Q fever (N = 55; 91%), presented with pneumonia, but no rash was noticed, compared to 46% of patients with Q fever developing exanthema in the previous study. The previously observed high seropositivity to Coxiella burnetii among domestic animals was confirmed in this study. A two-peak seasonal distribution of Q fever observed in 1991 was connected with the imported Russian sort of sheep with special biology of delivery. The clinical outcome was favorable for all patients, since no complications or chronic forms of the disease were recorded. Disproportion between the number of registered and hospitalized patients, including a number of asymptomatic and several undiagnosed or misdiagnosed infections, leads to a conclusion that the real number of persons infected with Coxiella burnetii in the area is several times higher.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Low sero-prevalence of Lyme borreliosis in the forested mountainous area of Gorski Kotar, Croatia.

AIM: Clinical forms of Lyme disease in Gorski Kotar have occurred only sporadically, in contrast to the northwestern Croatia and the neighboring areas of Slovenia, which are well-known Lyme borreliosis endemic regions. Our aim was to assess the level of sero-prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in a high-risk population of forestry workers in the mountainous region of Gorski Kotar, Croatia, and compare it with the sero-prevalence in the residents of that area and the neighboring littoral region. METHODS: A sero-epidemiological study was conducted on 520 healthy subjects, divided in 3 groups: the first group included 234 forestry workers, residents of Gorski Kotar, the second 100 residents of various professions in the same region, and the third 186 subjects of various professions from the neighboring littoral region. The sera were collected during the winters of two successive years, 1997 and 1998. Lyme borreliosis serology was performed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Sera from 10 hunting dogs from Gorski Kotar were also analyzed. RESULTS: The IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi sensu lato were found in 11 examinees (4.7%) from the group of forestry workers, in 3 (3%) from the second group, and in 5 (2.7%) from the third group. Four out of 10 dogs (40%) had IgG antibodies against B. burgdorferi. CONCLUSION: Our results show that the forest and mountainous area of Gorski Kotar, Croatia, has the characteristics of a low sero-prevalence area, in contrast to the endemic neighboring areas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Human hydatidosis in Dalmatia, Croatia.

Human echinococcosis remains a very serious public health problem worldwide, although a decline in incidence has been observed in some endemic areas during the last decades. However, in some non-endemic areas an increase in new cases and new foci of animal echinococcosis were registered during the same time. In Dalmatia, a well known endemic area of hydatidosis in the most Mediterranean part of Croatia, from the mid-1950s until present a decrease of incidence of over 70% has been registered. Age, sex and occupational category specific incidence as well as lethality rate have remained the same as before. Migrations from rural to urban regions seem to be the most important parameter in the changing epidemiology of human hydatidosis in Dalmatia.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Azithromycin in the prevention of Mediterranean spotted fever].

Antibodies to Rickettsia conorii were detected by the indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) assay in 64 (51.6%) out of 124 examinees living in North Dalmatia (Croatia) who had a history of recent tick bites during 1994 and 1995. Positive titers of IFA antibodies to R. conorii were detected in 12 (31.5%) out of 38 examinees with carried out prophylaxis by azithromycin. The usual clinical signs of Mediterranean spotted fever were registered in 22 (25.6%) and asymptomatic infection in 30 (34.8%) out of 86 examinees without prophylaxis. Clinical signs of the disease were not registered in examinees with prophylaxis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Histopathology and immunopathology of skin biopsy specimens in Mediterranean spotted fever.

Histology of skin lesions and demonstration in them of Rickettsia conorii by direct immunofluorescence test (DIF) are presented in 13 patients with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF). The lymphohistiocytic vasculitis which dominated the picture is not specific, however, it could be suggestive for the diagnosis of rickettsiosis. By DIF we demonstrated rickettsial coccobacillary forms in all the patients: in 12 macular lesions and in one "tache noire". The diagnosis was also confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence test in each case. DIF test was shown to be sensitive, specific and reliable in early diagnosis of MSF.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of serologic methods for the diagnosis of Mediterranean spotted fever.

During summer Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is prevalent in the subcostal part of Croatia (North Dalmatia) as well as in other areas of the Mediterranean coast. We compared the specificity and sensitivity of complement fixation (CF), latex agglutination (Latex-R. conorii), microimmunofluorescence (micro-IF) and enzyme-linked immuno assay (ELISA) for detection and measuring antibodies against Rickettsia conorii in 78 sera from 46 patients with/or suspected Mediterranean spotted fever. The seroreactivity with SFG antigens containing the Rickettsia conorii-antigen(s) as a common determinant, was positive in all four serological tests suggesting that Rickettsia conorii was the probable causative agent of infection in our patients.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1990

Immunological observations in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

The results of some immunological analyses in 12 patients with the acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) are presented. The mean cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of IgG and IgA were significantly increased. A longitudinal study of CSF IgG concentrations in 5 patients shows that the recovery period of the disease is not regularly accompanied by a decline of the IgG level. The finding of significantly reduced percentages of active T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with the acute GBS in comparison with the controls supports the view of the cellular immunity role in the pathogenesis of the disease. With the exception of HLA--B5 and HLA--B15, no other individual antigen was significantly more present in either the cases or controls.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The clinical spectrum of rickettsiosis in the area of Zadar].

The clinical spectrum of rickettsioses in patients admitted to our hospital (Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Zadar) from 1983 to 1988 has been analysed. This spectrum consisted of the following diseases: murine typhus, Q-fever, boutonneuse fever and Brill-Zinsser disease. The low number of hospitalized patients with rickettsioses was in disproportion with the prevalence of antibodies to these rickettsiae in general population of the Zadar area. Our results indicate that the main reason for this disproportion are misdiagnosed and undiagnosed diseases.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis: diagnostic problems].

The authors present clinical, microbiological and scintigraphic findings in eight children with poststreptococcal reactive arthritis, hospitalized in the Zadar General Hospital from 1990 to 1992. In all patients an antecedent throat infection was noticed, 7-10 days before the first symptoms and signs of arthritis developed. Antistreptolysin O microtitration and/or throat culture revealed streptococcal infection in all patients. Scintigraphic examination with Te-99m yielded four positive (50%) results. In the follow-up one of the positive scans was later suggestive of tumorous process. The authors conclude that accurate diagnosis of poststreptococcal reactive arthritis depends on microbiological identification of streptococcal infection and longitudinal clinical follow-up in which scintigraphy may be of differential diagnostic benefit.

Adolescent↗