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Objectives. To determine the incidence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and Ureaplasma parvum (UP) in symptomatic and asymptomatic women of reproductive age and to estimate antibiotic susceptibility of ureaplasma isolates.Material and methods. This study included 424 ureaplasma positive women of 1370 tested women who visited gynecological practices during 2010. Cervicovaginal or urethral swab specimens from each patient were obtained for cultivation and molecular typing by RT-PCR.Results. Ureaplasma spp. was identified by cultivation in 424 (34.4%) cases, of which 79.0%were from women with symptoms and 21.0% from women without symptoms. Among ureaplasma positive women, 121 (28.5%) were pregnant. Genotyping was successful in 244 strains, and the majority of samples were identified as UP (92.6%). Among genotyped isolates, there were 79.5% from symptomatic and 20.5% from asymptomatic women; 29.9% from pregnant and 70.1% from non-pregnant women. There was no difference in the incidence of ureaplasma type regarding symptoms. Antibiotic susceptibility of 424 ureaplasma isolates identified by cultivation showed that all strains were susceptible to doxycycline, josamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, clarithromycin and pristinamicin, but there was lower susceptibility to quinolone antibiotics, i.e. 42.9% and 24.5% isolates were susceptible to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively.Conclusion. This study shows that UP was the most frequent isolated ureaplasma species (92.6%). Regarding antibiotic susceptibility, quinolones are not the best choice for treatment of ureaplasma infections, while macrolides and tetracyclines are still effective.

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This retrospective research demonstrates a continuous decline in the incidence of human leptospirosis in Croatia. The pattern of disease has changed from predominantly mild clinical forms observed in children to more severe clinical forms observed in middle-aged to older patients, especially those working in agriculture. Additional epidemiological changes included an increase in the number of cases during the autumn months and changes in prevailing serogroups. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between the severity of the clinical picture, patient age and presumed sources of infection.

Between 2007 and 2010, a total of 268 Croatian patients with lymphadenopathy were tested for IgM/IgG antibodies to Bartonella (B.) henselae and B. quintana. Samples from 44.4% patients showed positive IgG antibodies: 35.8% to B. henselae, 6.7% to B. quintana and 1.9% to both Bartonella species. There was no difference in seropositivity between males and females (47.4% vs. 41.5%). Seroprevalence was high in all age groups (40.4-60.9%). Patients from urban and rural areas showed a similar seroprevalence rate (44.1% vs. 44.8%). Positive IgM antibodies were found in 28.3% patients varying from 17.5% and 37.5% among age groups. Most cases were reported from August to March.

A 25-years old man from Zagreb, Croatia, was admitted to the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases four days after the onset of symptoms such as fever, intense pain in the calves and anuria. The patient owned a rabbit and, before the onset of the disease, repaired some rubber pipes damaged by rodents. At admission, he had a severe clinical picture with fever, hypotension, jaundice, immobility, and pain in leg muscles. Treatment with ceftriaxone was initiated in combination with volume restitution. Renal failure soon ensued. Consequently continuous venovenous hemodiaphiltration therapy was performed. Due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, the patient was mechanically ventilated. The patient’s condition gradually improved and he recovered fully from multi-organ failure. Diagnosis was confirmed by a microscopic agglutination test (MAT) covering 15 leptospira serovars and real-time polymerase-chain reaction (PCR). The first serum sample taken on day 6 tested negative for leptospira, while PCR showed positive results for leptospiral DNA. The second serum sample taken on day 13 tested positive for serovar Canicola serogroup Canicola, serovar Patoc, serovar Grippotyphosa serogroup Grippotyphosa and serovar Tarassovi serogroup Tarassovi (titre 4000, 4000, 1000 and 2000, respectively), while PCR was negative. This report highlights the benefits of combining MAT and PCR methods in early diagnosis of leptospirosis.