Introduction: Solid-organ transplant recipients are at risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. We analyzed the seroprevalence/ risk factors of HEV in Croatian liver transplant recipients. Methods: Two hundred forty-two serum samples were tested for HEV immunoglobuline IgG/IgM and HEV RNA. Sociodemographic data and risk factors were collected using a questionnaire. Results: HEV IgG seroprevalence rate was 24.4%. Positive/equivocal HEV IgM were found in two patients. HEV RNA was not detected. Logistic regression showed that older age, female gender, rural area/farm, water well, and septic tank were associated with HEV seropositivity. Conclusions: This study revealed a high exposure rate to HEV in Croatian liver recipients.

In the summer of 2010, two autochthonous dengue fever cases were detected in Croatia. Here we report the retrospective detection of an additional case of dengue fever, representing the first sustained autochthonous transmission in Europe since 1928. In addition, we present the phylogenetic analyses based on two sequences from the Pelješac peninsula, southern Croatia. The sequences were identified as dengue virus genotype 1 and recovered from two out of the three Pelješac patients in whom infection occurred.

Short running head: C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae pneumonia 2 SUMMARYThe purpose of our retrospective three-year-study was to analyse and compare clinical and epidemiological characteristics in hospitalized patients older than six years with communityacquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae (87 patients) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (147 patients). C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae infection was confirmed by serology. C. pneumoniae patients were older (42.12 year vs. 24.64 year), and were less likely to have a cough, rhinitis, and hoarseness (p<0.001). C. pneumoniae patients had higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) than M. pneumoniae patients (p<0.001). Pleural effusion was recorded more frequently in patients with M. pneumoniae (8.84% vs.3.37%). There were no characteristic epidemiological and clinical findings that would distinguish CAP caused by M. pneumoniae from C. pneumoniae.However, some factors are indicative for C. pneumoniae such as older age, lack of cough, rhinitis, hoarseness, and higher value of CRP, and AST.

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