@article{Jakimovski2023b,

title = {Cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in North Macedonia, July to August 2023},

author = {Dejan Jakimovski and Krsto Grozdanovski and Goran Rangelov and Verica Pavleva and Pavle Banović and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and Katerina Spasovska},

doi = {10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.34.2300409},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-08-24},

journal = {Eurosurveillance},

volume = {28},

issue = {34},

abstract = {The last report of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in North Macedonia was more than 50 years ago in the northwest. We report on a fatal CCHF case following a Hyalomma tick bite in the east of the country in July 2023. Tracing of 67 contacts identified CCHF in one healthcare worker (HCW) providing care for the patient. Monitoring of contacts is concluded (including further 11 HCW contacts), thus far 28 days after the death of the case no additional cases were identified.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Jakimovski2023,

title = {Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus and Borrelia burgdorferi Seroprevalence in Balkan Tick-Infested Individuals: A Two-Centre Study},

author = {Dejan Jakimovski and Sofija Mateska and Emilija Dimitrova and Mile Bosilkovski and Dragana Mijatović and Verica Simin and Ivana Bogdan and Jasmina Grujić and Zorana Budakov Obradović and Eleftherios Meletis and Polychronis Kostoulas and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and Pavle Banović},

editor = {José A. Oteo},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070922},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-07-09},

urldate = {2023-07-09},

journal = {Pathogens},

volume = {12},

number = {922},

issue = {7},

abstract = {Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are important tick-borne diseases in Europe. This study aimed to investigate the seroreactivity against Borrelia burgdorferi and TBE virus (TBEV) in tick-infested individuals in North Macedonia and Serbia. Serum samples were collected from tick-infested individuals and from healthy individuals in the same regions. Samples were tested for anti-Borrelia IgG reactivity and TBEV-neutralizing antibodies. Results showed higher seroreactivity against Borrelia antigens in patients and healthy donors from Novi Sad compared to those from the Skopje region. However, there was no statistically significant difference between tick-infested patients and healthy donors within each region. No TBEV-neutralizing antibodies were detected in participants from Novi Sad or in the control groups, except for one person from North Macedonia who had a moderate TBEV-neutralizing reaction. The study highlights the need for improved surveillance and diagnostic capabilities for LB and TBE in these regions. It also suggests the potential existence of TBEV foci in North Macedonia. The findings provide a complementary understanding of the LB and TBE epidemiology in the studied regions; however, further research is needed to investigate the presence and distribution of Borrelia spp. and TBEV in ticks to assess the significance of detected seroreactivity.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Dolinaj2023,

title = {The Price of Hospital Reshaping: Nasal Myiasis Caused by Flesh Fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in Reallocated COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit},

author = {Vladimir Dolinaj and Jasmina Grujić and Davor Križanović and Aleksandar Potkonjak and Thomas Pape and Pavle Banović},

editor = {Caterina Sagnelli},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11111533},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-05-24},

journal = {Healthcare},

volume = {11},

number = {1533},

issue = {11},

abstract = {Myiasis is a condition characterized by fly larvae infestation, most common in tropical regions, but with a risk of occurring anywhere in the world. Here, we report a case of nasal myiasis caused by a sarcophagid fly in a critically ill COVID-19 patient hospitalized in a reallocated ICU department in Serbia and discuss procedures that could prevent the occurrence of similar incidents in reallocated ICU departments worldwide},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Dragonjić2022,

title = {Fatal Case of Imported Tick-Borne Encephalitis in South Serbia},

author = {Lidija Popović Dragonjić and Miodrag Vrbić and Aleksandar Tasić and Verica Simin and Ivana Bogdan and Dragana Mijatović and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and Pavle Banović},

editor = {Harunor Rashid},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed7120434},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-12-13},

journal = {Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease},

volume = {7},

number = {434},

issue = {12},

abstract = {Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is vaccine-preventable neglected zoonotic neuroinvasive disease, caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Many of the Central and Eastern European countries are affected by TBE, which is often poorly perceived by tourists visiting endemic territories. Here we are reporting a fatal case of imported TBE in Serbian resident who was exposed to a tick bite during a visit to Switzerland.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Banović2022c,

title = {Differential detection of tick-borne pathogens in human platelets and whole blood using microfluidic PCR},

author = {Pavle Banović and Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas and Dragana Mijatović and Angélique Foucault-Simonin and Verica Simin and Ivana Bogdan and Dasiel Obregon and Lourdes Mateos-Hernández and Sara Moutailler and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106756},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-11-23},

journal = {Acta Tropica},

abstract = {The tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) with adhesive phenotype can use platelets for dissemination and colonization of distant tissues and organs, and it has been shown that they can be found concentrated in the platelet fraction of blood. This study shows the differential presence of TBPs in samples of human platelet fraction (n = 68), whole blood samples (n = 68) and ticks collected (n = 76) from the same individuals, using an unbiased high-throughput pathogen detection microfluidic system. The clinical symptoms were characterized in enrolled patients. In patients with suspected TBP infection, serological assays were conducted to test for the presence of antibodies against specific TBPs. Tick species infesting humans were identified as Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, and Haemaphysalis punctata. Eight patients developed local skin lesions at the site of the tick bite including non-specific lesions, itching sensation at the lesion site, and eschar. Most common TBPs detected in platelet fraction were Borrelia spielmanii and Rickettsia sp., followed by Borrelia afzelii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Multiple infections with three TBPs were detected in platelet fraction. In whole blood, most common TBPs detected were Anaplasma spp. and A. phagocytophilum, followed by Rickettsia spp. and B. afzelii. In ticks, the most common TBP detected was Rickettsia spp., followed by Borrelia spp. and Anaplasma spp. Overall, nine different pathogens with variable prevalence were identified using species-specific primers, and the most common was Rickettsia helvetica. In three patients, there were no coincidences between the TBPs detected in whole blood and tick samples. Only in one patient was detected A. phagocytophilum in both, whole blood and tick samples. These results suggest the unequal detection of TBPs in whole blood, platelet fraction and ticks collected, from the same individual. The results justify the use of both whole blood and platelet fraction for molecular diagnosis of TBPs in patients.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Jakimovski2022,

title = {Mediterranean spotted fever-like illness caused by Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae, North Macedonia, June 2022},

author = {Dejan Jakimovski and Sofija Mateska and Verica Simin and Ivana Bogdan and Dragana Mijatović and Agustín Estrada-Peña and Lourdes Mateos-Hernández and Angélique Foucault-Simonin and Sara Moutailler and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and Pavle Banović},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.42.2200735},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-10-21},

journal = {Eurosurveillance},

volume = {27},

issue = {42},

abstract = {Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF)-like illness is tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae, an obligate intracellular bacterium, most probably transmitted by ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus and genus Hyalomma. While cases of MSF, which are caused by Rickettsia conorii, are frequently detected in endemic areas of Europe around the Mediterranean Basin, MSF-like illness is reported sporadically in different European and African countries. Here we present a case of MSF-like illness caused by R. sibirica mongolitimonae in a female patient after a bite from a Hyalomma tick in North Macedonia.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}