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Background/Aim: Antibiotic use and resistance represent a growing public health issue, with a specific risk of uncontrolled use of antibiotics in children. The aim of the study was to examine differences in parental knowledge, attitudes and practices about antibiotic use in children between urban and rural areas of the Republic of Srpska. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1459 parents of children under 6 years of age, out of which 1201 (82.3 %) lived in urban areas while 258 (17.7 %) lived in rural areas. The research is conducted among parents who brought their children to the selected primary healthcare centres and among parents of children in preschool institutions. Results: The majority of respondents (98.4 %) state that doctors are their main source of information. Only 61.2 % of respondents precisely know which drug is an antibiotic when offered different drugs and respondents from rural areas (54.3 %) more often (p = 0.012) gave more accurate answers when compared to respondents from urban areas (37.3 %). Among parents, 86 % agree with the statement that improper use of antibiotics reduces their effectiveness and leads to bacterial resistance, regardless of groups. More than a half of respondents (52.4 %) do not think that children with flu or common cold symptoms recover faster when they receive antibiotics, significantly more respondents from urban areas (p = 0.001). Respondents from rural areas significantly more often believe that antibiotics can produce harmful effects compared to respondents from urban areas (p = 0.049). Respondents from rural areas significantly more often think that antibiotic use can prevent complications caused by inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (p = 0.006). Parents from rural areas give their children antibiotics without a paediatrician's recommendation significantly more often (4.3 %) compared to respondents from urban areas (0.6 %) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There are differences in parental knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance among parents in rural and urban areas. There is need for additional education of parents and for greater engagement of paediatricians in providing guidance and explanations regarding the use of antibiotics.

Introduction. Antimicrobial resistance is a very serious public health threat worldwide. The main cause of antimicrobial resistance is irrational use of antimicrobial drugs. The goal of the article is to analyze data on outpatient antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska during the period from 2009 to 2014, to present outpatient consumption of the first six antibiotics (the fifth level of the ATC classification), and, finally, to compare the antibiotic use in Republic of Srpska in relation to the antibiotic use in European Union countries. Materials and Methods. Collection and analysis of data on drug consumption is done using ATC/DDD methodology, established by the WHO. Data are taken from the report on drug consumption and distribution in the Republic of Srpska during the period from 2009 to 2014, which are based on submitted data from pharmacies registered in the Republic of Srpska. Results. Results on outpatient antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska, during the period from 2009 to 2014, indicate a total decrease by 3.41 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day, with the exception of 2010 and 2013, when the antibiotic consumption was increased. In 2014, total outpatient antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska was 31.2% lower than the average consumption in the European Union. During the period from 2010 to 2014, the European Union had a significant increase in antibiotic consumption, while antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska had a tendency of falling. Conclusion. Presented results show a quantitative analysis of antibiotic consumption and provide insight into the outpatient use of antibiotics in the Republic of Srpska, and can be used for further pharmacoepidemiological analysis of antibiotic consumption, which would give a better insight into the therapeutic practice, with the aim of improving the rational pharmacotherapy in the Republic of Srpska.

Introduction: Controlling the presence of contaminants or harmful substances in milk and dairy products provides early detection of risks since their presence, even in legally permitted concentration, increases the risk of damaging human health, especially children's health, such as allergic manifestations, and they can have potentially toxic, carcinogenic and genotoxic effects. Aim of the Study: The aim is to determine the frequency of the presence of contaminants in samples of milk and dairy products in the Republic of Srpska from 2010 to 2012 (metals, radionuclides, aflatoxins and residues of antibiotics and pesticides), and especially to point out their public health significance because of possible health risks. The aim of the paper is to emphasize the need for monitoring all the other contaminants in milk and dairy products specified in regulations. Material and Methods: The frequency of the presence of contaminants in the samples of milk and dairy products (n= 407) was determined on the basis of legally prescribed methodology of sampling, chemical analyses and preparation of expert opinion on food safety in accordance with current food regulations. Descriptive statistical indicators were used (a number of the samples, minimum and maximum concentrations). Chi square test (χ2) of contingency was used for testing the significance of differences in presence of contaminants and residues analyzed and recommended by regulations in samples of milk and dairy products. Results: The results of public health research of contaminants in samples of milk and dairy products indicate that no health defective food samples were determined at tested parameters - metals, radionuclides, aflatoxins, and residues of antibiotics and pesticides. A statistically significant number of samples examined on heavy metal content (83.29% or 339 samples) was determined comparing to the number of samples examined on the other contaminants and residues recommended by regulations in milk and dairy products (χ2=1000.776, p

Introduction. Childhood obesity is currently considered to be one of the most prevailing and challenging public health issues in industrialized countries and some developing countries, including the Republic of Srpska. Objective. Our objective was to determine macronutrients intake in collective diet of preschool children and to estimate the rate of obesity in this population. Methods. Samples of food intended for preschool children diet were collected in a preschool facility in the western region of the Republic of Srpska. In daily portions, the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water and mineral matter were determined using standard methods. The body mass index was determined on the basis of anthropometric measurements. Results. An average daily meal contained 17.5 g of fats, 19.1 g of proteins and 101.5 g of carbohydrates. The energy value was 676 Kcal. The analysis of the data from the menu showed that the number of consumed servings of fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk and dairy products was less than one portion per day. However, the amount of consumed meat and meat products exceeded one portion per day. Out of the total number of children, 10.0% were undernourished, 16.7% were overweight and 13.3% were obese. Conclusion. Daily portions in the preschool facility are not in accordance with the recommended dietary allowance for energy and carbohydrates intake, and the composition of meals is inadequate. Parents and caregivers should be encouraged to expose young children to a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and to balance food intake with the requirements.

Recent research on nanocomposites as potential pharmaceutical carriers, is focused on utilization of inorganic matrices with layered structure in which bioactive molecules/drugs are incorporated. One of the promising inorganic material with such layered structure is clay, which is quite common ingredient in pharmaceutical products, both as excipient or active substance. Clay minerals are not only "inert ingredients", but they can also be used to decrease or increase dissolution rate, delay and/or target drug release, to prevent possible side effects, taste masking or increase stability. Prosperity of clay-based drug delivery systems depends on the amount of a drug retained by the clay, on its release kinetics and on the total amount released during therapeutic regime. Thus, it is very essential to understand and to improve the physico--chemical aspects of drug--clay complexes. The aim of this research is to provide more information on drug-clay stability formulations. Pyrophyllite clay, (Parsovići, Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Al2Si4O10(OH)2, is a smectite clay type (talc-pyrophyllite group) and was used here as a potential pharmaceutical carrier. Stability of pyrophillite and bioactive molecule/drug was estimated by use of thermal analysis methods (differential thermal analysis/ thermogravimetric analysis - TGA/DTA) and Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally detailed kinetic study was done using contemporary kinetic software in order to evaluate kinetics of clay/ bioactive molecule (drug) complex. Antimicrobial study was performed against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram In epruvetes with 9.9 mL of Muller- Hinton broth and 0.1 mL of bacterial inoculum adjusted to 0.5 McFarland standard was added 1 gram of sterilized pyrophillite. Incubation with 120 rpm shaking was performed during 24h at 37 °C. Decomposition of neat pyrophillite is one-step process with following kinetic triplet: Ea (activation energy) - 216 kJ/mol; A (pre-exponential factor) - 4.1687 x 1010 s-1 and N-th order model, while clay/drug mixture decomposition is a four step process. Third stage in mixture decomposition is of special interest, because decomposition of pyrophillite is happening there. Kinetic parameters for the third stage are as follows: Ea - 176 kJ/mol, A -- 6.537 x 108 s-1 and the N-th order model also gave the best fit. After overnight incubation, we noticed highly significant removing of both bacteria from broth. Staphylococcus aureus was reduced from 2.3 x 109 s-1 cfu/mL to 5.5 x 106 s-1 cfu/mL, while Escherichia coli was reduced from 4.5 x 1011 s-1 cfu/mL to 3.5 x 108 s-1 cfu/ mL. Based on the kinetic results we can conclude that thermal stability of pyrophillite is slightly lowered comparing to neat pyrophillite data, but on the other hand pyrophillite did not make any impact on thermal stability of other components in mixture. This information is of great interest for stability assessment of clay/drug mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Antimicrobial resistance is a very serious public health threat worldwide. The main cause of antimicrobial resistance is irrational use of antimicrobial drugs. The goal of the article is to analyze data on outpatient antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska during the period from 2009 to 2014, to present outpatient consumption of the first six antibiotics (the fifth level of the ATC classification), and, finally, to compare the antibiotic use in Republic of Srpska in relation to the antibiotic use in European Union countries. Materials and Methods. Collection and analysis of data on drug consumption is done using ATC/DDD methodology, established by the WHO. Data are taken from the report on drug consumption and distribution in the Republic of Srpska during the period from 2009 to 2014, which are based on submitted data from pharmacies registered in the Republic of Srpska. Results. Results on outpatient antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska, during the period from 2009 to 2014, indicate a total decrease by 3.41 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day, with the exception of 2010 and 2013, when the antibiotic consumption was increased. In 2014, total outpatient antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska was 31.2% lower than the average consumption in the European Union. During the period from 2010 to 2014, the European Union had a significant increase in antibiotic consumption, while antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Srpska had a tendency of falling. Conclusion. Presented results show a quantitative analysis of antibiotic consumption and provide insight into the outpatient use of antibiotics in the Republic of Srpska, and can be used for further pharmacoepidemiological analysis of antibiotic consumption, which would give a better insight into the therapeutic practice, with the aim of improving the rational pharmacotherapy in the Republic of Srpska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]