Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2)

Frequency of coexistence of cytomegalovirus and Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic plaques

Qavi H.B., Melnick J.L., Adam E., Debakey M.E.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):71-73

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) antigens and DNA sequences have been demonstrated in atherosclerotic plaques by several investigators. Most significantly, CMV DNA was found both in atherosclerotic lesions as well as in uninvolved areas of aortas and carotid artery, whereas C. pneumoniae was mostly detected in advanced carotid atherosclerotic lesions. Methods and results: Atherosclerotic plaques removed from seventeen patients during carotid endarterectomy were analysed for the simultaneous presence of CMV and C. pneumoniae DNA sequences using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of...

Tobacco control in the Czech Republic

Králíková E., Kozák J.T.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):74-76

Main points of tobacco control measures in the country are mentioned: smoking prevalence among population and health professionals (both about one third), smoking cessation availability (about 70 smoking cessation clinics), education of health professionals, both pre- and post-gradual, public-oriented actions, advertising, tobacco prices, legislation, cigarette consumption, mortality.

Dyslipoproteinemias in industrial workers: relationship with hypertension and overweight

Vangelova K., Deyanov C.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):77-79

The aim of the investigation was to study the lipid profile of industrial workers with attention to the relationship of lipid indexes with hypertension and overweight. 139 hypertensive male blue-collar workers were investigated, compared to 107 normotensive ones. The overweight and obese workers in each group were compared with normal body mass ones. Cholesterol and triacylglycerols (TG) were assayed by enzymatic tests CHOD-PAP and GPO-PAP respectively and the lipoprotein fractions were separated by precipitation method. Our results show high rate of industrial workers with dyslipoproteinemias, especially among the hypertensive and overweight and obese...

Effect of new quaternary bisammonium compounds on the growth and cell surface hydrophobicity of Enterobacter cloacae

Majtán V., Majtánová Ľ.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):80-82

The effect of new quaternary bisammonium salts (QBAS) of series A: 1, 10-[bis(alkyldimethyl-diammonium)]-4,7-dioxo-3,8-dioxoundecandibromides and series B: α-ω[bis(dodecyldimethyl-diammonium)]-3,x-dioxo-4,y- dioxoalcandibromides on the growth and surface hydrophobicity of E. cloacae strain was studied. The compounds of series A possess changing side substituent and the inhibition of growth displayed evident dependence of effect on length of alkyl with optimum at C₉-C₁₁ (cut off effect). In series B are compounds with changing joining chain between two ammonium cations where the mentioned effect was not observed....

Influence of positioning of infants on long-term changes of cephalic dimensions

Paulová M., Bláha P., Vignerová J., Riedlová J.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):83-87

The submitted investigation describes long-term changes of 3 main cephalic dimensions (head circumference, maximal length and maximal width of the head) and analyses the possible influence of positioning of infants after birth (prone, supine and side sleeping position) on these changes. Information about children aged 6 months to 3.99 years, where the need of up-to-date data is greatest, were collected as part of an extensive anthropological survey implemented in 1995 to 1997 in the entire Czech Republic. The authors confirmed the trend of debrachycephalization, which is manifested by a statistically significant increase of the maximal length of the...

Use and evaluation of the Czech version of the SF-36 questionnaire self-reported health status of medical students

Skalská H., Sobotík Z., Jezberová D., Mareš J.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):88-93

SF-36 questionnaires were completed by 231 medical students of the Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove (1997, 1998). Results of measurements of eight health dimensions are presented here. Significantly lower values for bodily pain were found in the group of overweight students. Students with some reported cured diseases have significantly lower values for bodily pain and general health dimensions in comparison with students without any reported disease. In our sample a high rate of non-smokers (86.4 % men and 93.6 % women) and low rate of students with BMI > 25 (18.4 % men and 3.8 % women) were found. About 30 % of respondents reported one or...

A comparison between the lifestyles of men and women - parents of school age children

Fiala J., Brázdová Z.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):94-100

Women live longer than men and experience lower overall and specific mortality resulting from various diseases, even when younger. The reasons for this have yet to be satisfactorily explained. However, biological differences on one hand and differing lifestyles on the other might be responsible. The purpose of the study was to examine to what extent the lifestyle of men and women differs within a relatively homogeneous population group. The lifestyles of 4,353 parents of school age children (58 % women and 42 % men) were examined using questionnaires. The results show considerable differences between the genders. Men had worse dietary habits - consuming...

Thickening of the roentgenometrical gastric fold in the elderly: relation to peptic ulcer incidence

Wakabayashi I.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):101-103

Radiographic upper gastrointestinal barium examination is commonly used to diagnose peptic ulcer. However, little attention has been paid to its thickening, except in Menetrier disease and gastric carcinoma of Borrman type IV. The present study was undertaken to investigate the relation of age to roentgenometrical gastric fold width and history of peptic ulcer. The subjects were 724 men (35-64 years old) who participated in a periodic medical health examination and underwent radiographic upper gastrointestinal barium examination. The gastric fold width of the anterior wall in the body was evaluated by air-contrast examination and expressed in millimeters....

History of the Public Health Institute of Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest

Tahin E., Morava E.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):104-108

The science of public health of the XVIIIth century named politia medica together with medicina forensis became an independent obligatory subject in 1793 at the Medical Faculty of the Hungarian Royal University of Science. The independent Public Health Institute of the Medical Faculty was established in 1874. The first professor of public health was Jozsef Fodor who attained international reputation during his professorship. He organized training for school physicians and health teachers first in Europe and he organized courses for medical officers and for military doctors. He held courses for law-, engineer- and architect-students. He promoted all...

Health risk factors and mortality in Pécs City, Hungary in the 1990s

Morava E., Végh É., Bóna I., Kiss I., Oroszi B., Józan P.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):109-113

In the period of 1990-1994 an increase of all causes mortality for 35-74 years old males was observed both in Pécs and in all Hungary. From 1994 to 1997 the mortality decreased. Similar changes, but of smaller dimension, were observed in the female population. The increasing mortality of the early 1990s is attributed primarily to the extra psycho-social stress of this period. The data of the population survey at Pécs in 1995-96 were compared to the data of earlier surveys. The mean blood total cholesterol levels and the prevalence of smoking decreased from 1990 to 1996. The prevalence of hypertension and male obesity increased. Physical inactivity,...

Cyclicity in incidence variations of meningococcal infections in Bulgaria is similar to that of solar activity

Dimitrov B.D.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):114-116  

This is a retrospective study on meningococcal meningitis (MM) in Bulgaria that has, for the first time, reported results on non-linear temporal patterns of incidence and its variations. Methods of descriptive statistics, linear and non-linear modelling as well as periodogram regression analysis have been applied. A non-linear decreasing trend in crude incidence rates per 100 persons over the years 1940-1990 has been described (p < 0.0001) and cyclic variations revealed (periods T = 8.00, 18.75, 24.75 and 33.50 years, p < 0.05-0.01). Above cycles have been detected after the reciprocal trend has been removed (y = 1.04 + 15.78/t). A similar cyclicity...

The concentration levels of Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn and Se in blood of the population in the Czech Republic

Beneš B., Spěváčková V., Šmíd J., Čejchanová M., Černá M., Šubrt P., Mareček J.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):117-119

Knowledge of normal levels of concentrations of trace elements (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn, and Se) in the population serves, among others, in design of regulations concerning health protection, determination of exposure limits and prevention of diseases caused by deficiency of trace elements. Concentrations of the named elements in whole blood of the Czech population were determined by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. The blood was collected during 1996-1998 from 1,216 blood donors (896 males and 320 females, average age 33 years) and 758 children (397 boys and 361 girls, average age 9.9 years). Mineralisation in a microwave digestion system was used...

Daily mortality and air pollution in northern Bohemia: different effects for men and women

Kotěšovec F., Skorkovský J., Brynda J., Peters A., Heinrich J.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):120-127

The association between short term changes in ambient air concentrations of TSP and SO2 and day to day fluctuations in mortality was analyzed in the highly polluted Northern Bohemia region inhabited by approximately 630,000 people. A logistic regression model was adjusted for long term trends, seasonal cycles, influenza epidemics and weather parameters. The pollution and mortality data were available from 1982 to 1994. When the association was evaluated regardless of gender and age, 100 µg/m³ increase of TSP, but not SO₂, was associated with a 3.4 % increase of daily mortality lagged by 2 days. Evident differences in this...

An overview of European Union tobacco control legislation

Godfrey F.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):128-131

The European Union (EU) has been active in tobacco control policy since 1985 when the Milan Council announced its intention to establish a Europe Against Cancer (EAC) Programme, although it had previously adopted several Directives on aspects of tobacco taxation prior to this date. Shortly after the establishment of the EAC first action plan the European Commission presented its first legislative proposals on tobacco control. Three of these proposals on labelling and maximum tar yields became Directives by 1992. The fourth on tobacco advertising finally became law in 1998 and is currently being transposed into national law in the 15 EU Member States....

Meeting of National Counterparts for the Action Plan for a Tobacco-free Europe, Prague, 14-16 April 1999

Anderson P.

Cent Eur J Public Health 2000, 8(2):132-134