Introduction: Gastrointestinal infectious diseases are a group of frequent diseases in developing countries as a result of industrialization in food production and often consuming of the food in public places. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Canton Sarajevo these diseases are frequent. The aim of this work is to investigate epidemiological characteristics of the most often gastrointestinal infectious diseases in Canton Sarajevo (Enterocolitis acuta, Toxiinfectio alimentaris, Salmonellosis, Amoebiasis) compared with Viral Hepatitis A and to estimate the need for the implementation of vaccination against this disease.Methods: We used individual reports as well as monthly and annual bulletins about the movement of infectious diseases which are obligatory for reporting from the Epidemiology department of the Institute for public health in Canton Sarajevo. This work is a retrospective study, for the period 2005-2009. Descriptive- analytical method was used. In statistical processing we used mean, structure index and trend index.Results: The research showed that gastrointestinal infectious diseases are registered in a huge number in all the observed years. The most often was Enterocolitis acuta, and the rarest was Viral Hepatitis A. The diseases were mostly sporadic. Distinct seasonality and coherence with warm months in the year is expressed in Enterocolitis acuta and Intoxicatio alimentaris, while the other diseases are registered during the whole year.Conclusions: Incidence of gastrointestinal infectious diseases in Canton Sarajevo is high and we need to work intensively to improve sanitary conditions as the most eficient preventive measures. There is no justification for implementing of the vaccine against Viral hepatitis A.

AIM To analyze the frequency and distribution of human brucellosis in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2001-2008, and measures and activities undertaken for prevention and control of the disease. METHOD In this descriptive, retrospective study, we used official reports on infectious diseases from public health institutes at the federal and cantonal level, as well as epidemiological surveys. For comparison with animal brucellosis cases, we used the distribution data from veterinary surveillance. RESULTS Since 2001, the number of infected people has rapidly increased and brucellosis has become a very important public health problem. In the period 2001-2008, there were 1639 human brucellosis cases and the number of cases increased every year. The morbidity rate over the study period ranged from 3.8 to 33.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. According to epidemiological surveys, in villages human brucellosis was transmitted mostly by contact with infected animals and their products, and in cities by consumption of dairy products made from contaminated, unpasteurized milk. When test-and-slaughter control approach was used, the prevalence of seropositive livestock was 4.6% and approximately 70,000 animals were slaughtered after testing between 2001 and 2008. From 1 June 2009, this approach was replaced with mass vaccination of sheep and goats. CONCLUSION The large number of human brucellosis cases and seropositive livestock poses a very serious problem for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The solution may be the introduction of mass vaccination.

Introductory: Ambiental air in town of Kakanj, stressed by polutants of mostly industrial origin, has become a major reason for increased use of medical care by school children and youth. The goal: The goal of this work is to examine corelation between ambiental concentrations of sulphurdioxid (SO2), suspended particles and nitrogenoxides (NOx), and of number of visits by schoo l children and youth to medical care institiutions. Method: In period from January to December 2003., in the area of Kakanj and Brnjic, the investigation was carried on the monthly average of visits to medical care institutions and concentrations of sulphurdioxide, suspended particles and nitrogenoxides in the area of “Dom Kulture” Kakanj.The results: The investigation has shown that there is a linear increase of visits to medical care institutions in relation to linear increase of concetration of sulphurdioxide, suspended particles and nitrogenoxides (O<R<+1). Conclusions: The school children and the youth in town of Kakanj visit medical institiutions considerably more frequently in comparison to the same age group in village of Brnjic, in corelation to monthly average values of concentration of sulphurdioxide, suspended particles and nitrogenoxides in air.

Echinococcosis is zoonosis transmitted by dogs in livestock-raising areas and accidentally affects man. Disease is endemic in certain parts of the world, including our country particularly region of Herzegovina. The most frequent site of hydatid cysts in the liver (78 %), followed by the lungs (17 %), and less frequently, the spleen, kidneys, heart, bones, central nervous system, and elsewhere. The diagnosis is based on clinical features, imaging examinations and serology. In the treatment of hydatidosis, three options are available: surgery, medical treatment by benzimidazole carbamates and percutaneous drainage. Drug therapy has scolicidal activity bat are clinically effective in less than 30 % of patients with hepatic hydatidosis. Surgery is no longer the treatment of first choice for hydatidosis located in abdomen. Percutaneous drainage associated with albendazole therapy is safe and efficient treatment for hydatid cysts in abdomen and retroperitoneal space. Surgery should be reserved for patient with hydatid cysts where PAIR with albendazole therapy can not be performed. Moreover, a multidisciplinary approach is advisable to assure a better clinical management to patients with cystic echinococcosis and eradication of hydatidosis. The socio-economic impact of cystic echinococcosis is reviewed with special reference to the following topics: consequences in man and livestock, costs and benefits of control programmes and economic procedures for evaluating control programmes. The durability of control programs is the corner stone for obtaining a significant decrease of hydatid infection. Many consequences in man and livestock are difficult to evaluate from an economic point of view, because some basic data are difficult to obtain in our country. Health education represents essential elements in the control and eradication campaigns of echinococcosis/hydatidosis.

Drug addiction is becoming a more serious problem in many countries in transition and so in B and H. The age limit is decreasing to younger age groups, and the number of i.v. drug users is increasing every day. The aim of our research was to examine the habits, attitudes and practise related to drug taking of young people in the area of the city of Mostar. Following methods were used in our research: polls, focus groups, interviews, observation and mapping. Results showed that one third of all examinees used or use some kind of drug. Marihuana is mostly used, although other drugs are also used, like in the rest of the world. Drugs are available to everybody and on many places in town. The main reasons for taking drugs are dissatisfaction with the actual social and political and also economical situation, lack of contents for the youth and lack of meeting places for them. Drug consuming is a try of running away from reality. Most addictives consider that they dont need any kind of help. Just a small number of addictives would be ready for medical treatment, but if it were noninstitutional. Drug addiction is one of the more important problems for the city of Mostar. We must take its solving more organising then by now. The including and co-working of more sectors is necessary, but the role of the family is the most important.

Legionella bacteria are microorganisms found in water and moist soil. They are especially favoured by moisture and heat, especially in different types of swimming pools where these bacteria reproduce and survive even for several months. Legionella spp. cause human diseases if they are introduced into the body through the respiratory tract. This most often happens by inhalation of aerosols, and less often by microaspiration of water contaminated with Legionella . The research aims to examine the presence of Legionella spp. bacteria in pool waters and the factors that influence their maintenance in these waters. Water samples were taken from 13 swimming pools that were registered for swimming and recreation in the Central Bosnian Canton in 2022. The presence of legionella was tested, and temperature, pH values (method BAS EN ISO 10523:2013), and residual chlorine concentrations were measured. The temperature was measured by immersing the probe with a calibrated thermometer until the stabilization of temperature values on the display was reached. The free residual chlorine was measured by the standard colourimetric technique – the N, N-diethyl-phenylenediamine method (HANNA Instruments 96701, Rhode Island, USA). Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test will be used for data analysis. Statistical analysis of the obtained data will be performed using the basic functions of MS Excel and GraphPad Prism. Of the total number of analyzed samples (n = 13), the presence of legionella was confrmed in 4 samples (31 %). The average water temperature of the samples taken