SEEHSJ - South Eastern Europe Health Sciences Journal SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN MEDICAL JOURNAL SEEMEDJ FACULTY OF MEDICINE OSIJEK Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek J. Huttlera 4 Croatia – 31000 Osijek seemedj@mefos.unios.hr seemedj.mefos.unios.hr Editorial Dear colleagues, I am happy to present you with the new issue of Southeastern European Medical Journal (SEEMEDJ 2021; 5(1):1-190). This is the ninth number in the fifth year of journal publication. This issue brings papers from authors from different countries in south-eastern Europe and worldwide – several topics of general interest. In the first part of the journal one can read articles on epidemiology and public health issues related to infectious diseases. In the era of COVID-19 pandemic it is easy to forget that many other contagious diseases present an enormous burden to health systems. Two articles from West Africa (Ayenigbara et al, and Olofintuyi et al, Nigeria) point towards the necessity to prevent or contain diseases such as Lassa fever and under-five infectious diarrhea, respectively, both diseases having high morbidity and mortality, while is possible to combat both with directed public health care strategies. In Europe, newly emerging issue is minor outbreaks of diseases that have been successfully eliminated and became sporadic due to vaccination programs, such as measles (article by Borocz et al, Hu). Authors pointed out that suspended immunization activities due to the COVID-19 surge might be an ominous precursor to a measles resurgence. Finally, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common opportunistic infections in kidney transplant recipients, and Šisl & Zibar (Cro) provide suggestions for preemptive. CMV prophylaxis and CMV-DNA testing in this group of patients. COVID-19 pandemic also revealed necessity to further study thrombin homeostasis, since a number of data suggests a crucial role of thrombin in different pathologies accompanied by blood coagulation disorders, in particular diseases causing endothelial dysfunction (Korolova, Ukr). On the other side, chronic, non-contagious diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, pose challenging questions, as well. Bardak et al (Cro) and Mehovic et al (BiH) investigate diabetic treatments relation to diabetic retinopathy, and quality of life of diabetic patients with cardiovascular complications, respectively. The need to have important psychometric instrument in Croatian language is fulfilled by translation of Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale from English to Croatian by Čarapina-Zovko et al (Cro). Other published articles are concerned with topics of robotic-assisted rehabilitation of neurological patients (Blazincic et SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN MEDICAL JOURNAL SEEMEDJ FACULTY OF MEDICINE OSIJEK Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek J. Huttlera 4 Croatia – 31000 Osijek seemedj@mefos.unios.hr seemedj.mefos.unios.hr al, Cro), and with often overlooked condition - underactive bladder syndrome (Radoja, Cro). Kovačević et al (Cro) evaluated immunophenotypes and proliferation index in regard to axillary lymph node invasion in breast cancer in monocentric cross-sectional study. Importance of telemedicine, that we are aware of even more nowadays, in necessity to keep the physical distance, is discussed in the article by Mihalj et al (Cro); and application of telemedicine in otorhinolaryngology, with historical overview, current status and future perspective is presented, Two papers (Juzbašič – on oral hygiene in disabled persons and Stanić on dementia and life habits, Cro) are co-edited by senior lecturer Mirna Sabljar, PhD, from the Faculty of Art and Culture of University of Osijek, as contributions from their international meeting on art and disabilities, giving to present issue of SEEMEDJ interdisciplinary perspective. Oral health and dental occlusion in young adults as well is a point of research in article by (Strikić Đula et al, Cro) and body compartmentalization in athletes and non-athletes in article by Seper & Nesic, (Cro). Finally, always intriguing problem of abortion, legislative and practice is a topic of review by Negro et al (It). It is important to mention the art work at the cover page of this issue. It is a painting of Strossmayer’s park in Đakovo, bellowed part of the city to all inhabitants, painted by Arpad Franjo Mesaroš, from the Museum of Fine Arts in Osijek (selected by Ms Valentina Radoš, senior curator). Arpad Franjo Mesaroš was a painter of personal and solitary art, renowned in Croatia and born in Slavonija County. On a behalf of editorial board and my own, I warmly greet our readers and invite them to join us in the endeavor of publishing own scientific work in SEEMEDJ. Sincerely, Ines Drenjančević, MD, PhD Editor-in-Chief Southeastern European Medical Journal (SEEMEDJ)