Introduction: Gastrointestinal infectious diseases are a group of frequent diseases in developing countries as a result of industrialization in food production and often consuming of the food in public places. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Canton Sarajevo these diseases are frequent. The aim of this work is to investigate epidemiological characteristics of the most often gastrointestinal infectious diseases in Canton Sarajevo (Enterocolitis acuta, Toxiinfectio alimentaris, Salmonellosis, Amoebiasis) compared with Viral Hepatitis A and to estimate the need for the implementation of vaccination against this disease.Methods: We used individual reports as well as monthly and annual bulletins about the movement of infectious diseases which are obligatory for reporting from the Epidemiology department of the Institute for public health in Canton Sarajevo. This work is a retrospective study, for the period 2005-2009. Descriptive- analytical method was used. In statistical processing we used mean, structure index and trend index.Results: The research showed that gastrointestinal infectious diseases are registered in a huge number in all the observed years. The most often was Enterocolitis acuta, and the rarest was Viral Hepatitis A. The diseases were mostly sporadic. Distinct seasonality and coherence with warm months in the year is expressed in Enterocolitis acuta and Intoxicatio alimentaris, while the other diseases are registered during the whole year.Conclusions: Incidence of gastrointestinal infectious diseases in Canton Sarajevo is high and we need to work intensively to improve sanitary conditions as the most eficient preventive measures. There is no justification for implementing of the vaccine against Viral hepatitis A.

AIM To analyze the frequency and distribution of human brucellosis in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2001-2008, and measures and activities undertaken for prevention and control of the disease. METHOD In this descriptive, retrospective study, we used official reports on infectious diseases from public health institutes at the federal and cantonal level, as well as epidemiological surveys. For comparison with animal brucellosis cases, we used the distribution data from veterinary surveillance. RESULTS Since 2001, the number of infected people has rapidly increased and brucellosis has become a very important public health problem. In the period 2001-2008, there were 1639 human brucellosis cases and the number of cases increased every year. The morbidity rate over the study period ranged from 3.8 to 33.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. According to epidemiological surveys, in villages human brucellosis was transmitted mostly by contact with infected animals and their products, and in cities by consumption of dairy products made from contaminated, unpasteurized milk. When test-and-slaughter control approach was used, the prevalence of seropositive livestock was 4.6% and approximately 70,000 animals were slaughtered after testing between 2001 and 2008. From 1 June 2009, this approach was replaced with mass vaccination of sheep and goats. CONCLUSION The large number of human brucellosis cases and seropositive livestock poses a very serious problem for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The solution may be the introduction of mass vaccination.