Bosnian Study on Markers of Ischaemic Stroke in Adults 20-50 Years Old (SMISAO): Preliminary Report.

Previous research suggested that several genetic polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke (IS) in young adults. However, the predictive biomarkers of IS in young adults are still unclear. Our aim was to assess the contribution of modifiable and genetic factors in IS in young adults. In total, 40 stroke patients and 40 healthy controls aged 20 to 50 years were recruited. Data on modifiable factors were collected, then participants were genotyped for seven SNPs linked to thrombophilia: ACE rs1799752, PAI-1 rs1799889, APOE rs1412 and rs429358, FV rs6025 and rs1800595, and FII rs62623459. Significantly increased risk factors: hypertension and dyslipidaemia in stroke patients compared with the controls: 50.0 % vs 27.5 % and 75.0 % vs 40.0% (P = 0.039 and P = 0.002, respectively) were observed. Stroke patients compared with controls did not differ in distribution of ACE, APOE, FV, and FII variants. The 4G4G homozygotes of the PAI-1 gene were significantly more prevalent in stroke patients compared to the controls: 42.5 % vs 17.5 %, (P = 0.033). In the group with the small vessel occlusion subtype of stroke, statistically significant overrepresentation of 4G4G homozygotes and frequency of the 4G allele compared with controls: 57.1 % vs 17.5 % and 0.7 vs 0.45 (P = 0.026 and P = 0.03, respectively) were observed. Independent predictors of stroke incident were: dyslipidaemia (OR (95% CI) = 4.2 (1.4-12.4)) and 4G4G genotype (OR (95% CI) = 3.9 (1.1-13.7)). These results confirm the contribution of dyslipidaemia and 4G4G genotype in the increased risk of IS in young Bosnian adults.

First Bosnian Study of the Relationship between APOE rs7412 and rs429358 Variants and Pregnancy Loss.

Due to inconsistent results of APOE variants in the survival of pregnancy we investigated the potential relationship of APOE rs7412 and rs429358 with pregnancy loss (PL) in Bosnian women. We enrolled 154 women with PL. The minimum week of miscarriage was 6, while the maximum was 28. As a control group, an equal number of mothers with at least one live-born child was included. All women were recruited from the Institution of Health Protection of Women and Motherhood in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Genotyping was performed by real- time PCR at the Department of General Pharmacology and Pharmacoeconomics, Pomeranian Medical University. The prevalence of genotypes E2/E3, E2/E4, E3/E3, E3/E4, E4/E4 in the group with and without PL were: 14.3 %, 1.3 %, 70.8 %, 12.3 %, 1.3 %, and 13.6 %, 1.3 %, 70.1 %, 14.3 %, 0.7 %, respectively. The frequency of the E4/E4 genotype in women with 1-2 and 3-4 PL compared to women without PL did not differ significantly between those three groups (P value = 0.0712). The frequencies of alleles ԑ2, ԑ3, ԑ4 in the group with and without PL were: 6.8 %, 85.1 %, 8.1 % and 7.5 %, 84.1 %, 8.4 %, respectively, and did not differ significantly. We conclude that our study does not confirm rs7412 and rs429358 as a potential risk factor for PL in the studied group. To elucidate the relationship between PL and variants of the APOE gene, studies with a larger sample size and placental histomorphology and genetic diagnosis are required.

Pathogenicity and virulence of the present hantaviruses in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the impact on renal function.

Dobrava (DOBV) and Puumala (PUUV) viruses are endemic throughout the Balkans and cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of two different hantaviruses on renal function in HFRS patients during the acute stage of illness. We also aimed to assess the DOBV and PUUV distribution between symptomatic HFRS patients and asymptomatic hantavirus antibody-positive subjects. The study included 264 symptomatic HFRS patients and 63 asymptomatic hantavirus antibody-positive healthy subjects. In our study, 131 (49.6%) HFRS patients were regarded as PUUV- and 69 (26.1%) as DOBV-infected patients, while in 64 (24.2%) of HFRS patients that showed all clinical and biochemical signs of HFRS, the causal hantavirus could not be determined with commercially available tests. DOBV-infected patients were associated with more requirements for haemodialysis treatment, lower diuresis and higher serum creatinine and urea values compared to PUUV-infected patients. PUUV was significantly predominant in asymptomatic hantavirus antibody-positive subjects (69.8%) compared to HFRS patients. DOBV was present in 17.5% of asymptomatic subjects and, interestingly, the preferential hantavirus serotype could not be determined in 12.7% of the asymptomatic antibody-positive subjects.

A serosurvey reveals Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Europe's hotspot in hantavirus seroprevalence.

The extent of hantavirus seroprevalence in the healthy population from Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet been investigated; therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the hantavirus seroprevalence in the population from different regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in different risk groups. The serosurvey included 1331 subjects from endemic and non-endemic regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All sera samples were examined using IgG ELISA, and Western blot (Bunyavirus IgG) tests. Hantavirus seroprevalence was 7.4% in the endemic region and 2.4% in the non-endemic region (P<0.05). Former soldiers from the endemic region had significantly the highest seroprevalence (16.1%) compared to the general population from the endemic region (6.2%), the occupational risk group from the non-endemic region (5.6%) and the general population from the non-endemic region (0.8%) (P<0.01). No difference in hantavirus seroprevalence between gender or age groups was observed. Hantavirus seroprevalence in different populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina was found to be highest compared to other central European countries.