Background Data on the epidemiology of hepatitis B and C in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are lacking. Objectives To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in blood samples of first time blood donors in a well-defined region of B&H. Our secondary goal was to estimate the prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV in the general population of the same region. Patients and Methods We evaluated 8196 blood samples for the presence of HBsAg and/or anti-HCV, adjusted for differences in gender, and used the ratio estimation method to determine the prevalence in the general population. Results We analyzed 1263 (15.4%) female and 6933 (84.6%) male blood donors (male-to-female ratio: 5.49 to 1). The adjusted prevalence of HBsAg among blood donors was 0.787% (95% CI = 0.535-1.038), while the prevalence of anti-HCV was 0.267% (95% CI = 0.016-0.519). There was no difference in the prevalence of HBsAg or anti-HCV between men and women. We estimate that the prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV in the general population is 1.057% to 1.535% and 0.29% to 0.89%, respectively. Conclusions The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV among blood donors suggests that our region has low endemicity for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Abstract: Psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have an intensive negative impact on a patient‟s spiritual beliefs or his/her belief in God; this effect may diminish the social and professional skills of many survivors. In the same time researches showed that religion plays a coping role among patients with medical and mental health illnesses. During the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992-1995) the whole population, regardless of age, gender, nationality or profession, suffered severely. During the pre-war period in communistic Yugoslavia religious believes altered with atheistic public life styles. Additionally, war traumatization had a negative impact on spirituality and religious beliefs. In the series of case reports we intended to describe and assess the impact of a session of group psychotherapy, with spiritual topics and content, which was offered to patients who needed to reestablish religious beliefs. The patients who come to the Psychiatry Clinic because of trauma-induced mental health problems and who we are interested in strengthening their spirituality met each other in the group regardless of their religious or spiritual conviction. We described the conceptualization and development of such a group and present some self-reported views of clients who took part in these groups. The supportive and empathetic presence of such group in the community helps to prevent withdrawal and isolation, alienation and deviation of traumatized persons. The presence of

Magnetic resonance urography in children - when and why? Background. The aim of the study was to determine the potential of magnetic resonance urography (MRU) in evaluation of paediatric urinary tract pathologies. Patients and methods. Twenty-one paediatric urological patients were evaluated with T1, T2 prior and after and 3D gradient echo sequences after the contrast administration. Results were compared with findings obtained with ultrasound which was performed to all of patients, intravenous urography performed to 14 patients with the diagnosis of hydronephrosis and voiding cystouretrography performed to 6 patients where hydronephrosis was suspected to be caused by vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Results. MRU not only established the cause of hydronephrosis in all 14 cases (5 ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) stenosis, 1 functional stenosis, 3 residual hydronephrosis, 1 combination of UPJ and vesico-ureteric junction (VUJ) stenosis with hydromegaureter, 2 fetal ureters and 3 insufficient broad ureteral orifices), but gave additional information about existing pathological conditions in all of patients compared to other previously performed examination (1 caliceal lithiasis, 4 UPJ stenosis, 1 VUJ stenosis, 1 neurogenic bladder, 1 hypotonic ureter, 1 urinary infection, 1 duplication of pelvis and ureter, 1 urinary retention and 1 fetal ureter). Other MRU findings were: 3 polycystic kidney disease, 1 caliceal cyst, 2 simple renal cysts, 1 long hypotonic twisted ureters and 1 hypertrophied column of Bertini. Conclusions. Because of the ability to acquire high contrast and spatial resolution images of the whole urinary tract in any orthogonal plane, MRU enables a precise detection and differentiation of pathological urological conditions. We believe that in the future, because of its advantages, MRU will replace traditional methods in the evaluation of urinary tract pathologies.