About us
THE DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES is the main and only structure for modern training, diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases at the Medical University - Sofia of medical students, trainee doctors, postgraduates, specializing doctors and Ph.D. students manages and implements the national health policy in this field. Every year the department trains students and trainee doctors in medicine with teaching in Bulgarian and English.
THE DEPARTMENT has highly qualified doctors, leading specialists in the field of occupational diseases with extensive practical experience in diagnosis, treatment and expertise. There is an excellent material base for training students and graduates: hospital with 30 beds, modern diagnostic equipment, opportunity for practical demonstrations of patients, library.
Diagnostic, medical, scientific and expert activities are performed daily.
The teachers actively participate in the preparation of laws and regulations of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the National Social Security Institute and others. Scientific and practical projects in various fields of occupational diseases are also being developed. In the period 2010 - 2020, more than 20 projects were implemented under the Fund "Working Conditions" at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, related to occupational diseases in various industries and districts in the country.
History
History of the Department of Occupational Diseases
The first ward for occupational diseases was established in 1943 with 20 beds at the Workers' Hospital „Queen Joanna“. Its leader from 1943 to 1973 was Prof. Dr. Hristo Hadjiolov, who also wrote the first textbook - "Basic course in occupational diseases and poisonings, distribution, disease pictures, treatment and prevention" (1946). In 1950, the Department of Occupational Diseases was renamed to Clinic of Occupational Diseases and moved from the Department of Social Hygiene to the Department of Hygiene, based at the Internal Medicine Clinic at the Military Medical Institute - Sofia. In 1959 a new textbook was published - Occupational Diseases of Hr. Hadzhiolov.
In 1950, the Section of Occupational Diseases at the Republican Research Institute of Occupational Hygiene and Occupational Diseases was formed. The section has 30 beds headed by Prof. Dr. Tsv. Aleksieva. The main tasks of the section are research of the impact of the factors of the working environment on the workers, methodologies for determination of toxic substances have been developed, complex medical and clinical-laboratory researches have been carried out.
In 1960 the stationary beds were enlarged and moved territorially to 2 bases - in the First Workers' Hospital and ISUL. The First Workers' Hospital has a neurological and toxicological department headed by Prof. Aleksieva. For the first time in the country a neurovegetological laboratory for research of neurovegetative disorders in occupational pathology, an office for electroencephalography, a specialized laboratory for toxico-chemical research have been established.
In ISUL in 1961 the clinic was renamed “Silicosis Clinic” with a Center for Silicosis Control headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Tsolov. A bronchological office, a microbiological laboratory, a physiotherapy office for patients with silicosis have been opened. A general clinical-diagnostic laboratory has been established under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dobrin Charakchiev. The main priority of the Silicosis Clinic is diagnostics and treatment of silicosis, a topographic map of the silicosis-hazardous sites has been made, the X-ray and functional features of silicosis in the various sites have been described (Hr. Tsolov, T. Burilkov). The scientific advances in this section of occupational pathology have been used in many government bills. For the first time asbestosis was diagnosed in shipbuilding, furnace repair and energy repair (T. Burilkov), diagnostic criteria for clinical forms of the disease were developed, new methods were introduced (ultrasound diagnosis of pleural plaques), criteria for diagnosis of exogenous allergic alveolitis and bronchitis. . In 1969 the first allergology office for occupational diseases was established by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Demirova, MD.
By decree № 0-39 / 04.07.1977 of the Ministry of Health, the Clinic of Occupational Diseases was united territorially and 170 beds were opened in the newly built building, located on bul. “”Acad. Iv. Geshov ” № 15. The Clinic of Occupational Diseases is a section of the Scientific Institute of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, a structure of the Medical Faculty - MU-Sofia. There are 4 clinics in the Clinic of Occupational Diseases: Clinic of Occupational Lung Diseases with 50 beds headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hr. Tsolov, dm; Clinic for chronic occupational intoxications with 25 beds with head Assoc. Prof. Dr. R. Strashimirova, Clinic for occupational nervous diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system with 52 beds and head Assoc. Prof. Dr. K. Pernov and Clinic for ENT and otoneurology with 25 beds led by Prof. Dr. At. Kehayov, dmn. A specialized department for laboratory diagnostics of occupational diseases has been opened, headed by Prof. Dr. D. Charakchiev, MD, consisting of 3 laboratories: toxicological, biochemical and hematological. The Section employs 22 scientific and teaching staff. From 1977 to 1986 the Head of the Clinic Section was Prof. Dr. Aleksieva, who has exceptional merits for the establishment and development of occupational pathology in our country. In the following years, successive heads of the Clinic are Prof. Dr. At. Kehayov, MD (1986-1989); Prof. Dr. J. Hadjieva, MD (1990-1994); Prof. Dr. V. Bosnev, MD (1994-1996); Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. Demirova, MD (1996-2002); Prof. Dr. E. Petrova, MD (2002 - 2010), and Prof. Dr. T. Kuneva, MD (since 2010).
The next 30 years were extremely successful for the teachers in the department. A number of new directions are being developed (occupational eye, skin, gynecological, etc. diseases), a range of diagnostic methods is being introduced / capillaroscopy, laser Doppler flowmetry, infrared, liquid crystal and thermistor thermography, ENMG, EMG /. For the exchange of experience and specialization in the neurological department of the Clinic of Occupational Diseases, colleagues from Russia, Japan, Cuba, Poland, USA, Italy visited, with whom joint research projects are developed (Prof. Dr. V. Bosnev, Prof. Dr. -r Zl.Stoyneva). The clinical characteristics, CT changes and the dynamics of late silicosis are specified (Prof. Dr. E. Petrova). Through epidemiological, clinical and experimental observations a number of pathogenetic mechanisms, features in the course of chronic intoxications, criteria for diagnosis of occupational intoxications with heavy metals, organic solvents, pesticides, etc., modern antidote regimens for treatment with CaNa2EDTA, Cuprenil, Dimercaprol; biomarkers for exposure and effect in intoxications, atomic absorption methods for determination of heavy metals in biological fluids have been introduced (Prof. Dr. T. Kuneva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. V. Petkova, Prof. Dr. J. Hadjieva, Assoc. Prof. S. Pavlova).
During this period in the field of occupational pathology have been developed and defended over 40 dissertations, implemented in practice are over 10 guidelines of the Ministry of Health, contributed to solving a number of important scientific and practical issues, improving the diagnosis and expertise of occupational disabilities.
Students in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, trainee doctors, specialists in occupational diseases, labor medicine, internal medicine, neurology, general medicine are trained annually. Our habilitated persons were supervisors of foreign doctoral students from France and Vietnam (Assoc. Prof. Demirova, Prof. Hadjieva).
Since 1992, the Department of Hygiene and the Clinic of Occupational Diseases are a common structural unit in the newly established State University Hospital "St. Iv. Rilski ”to MU- Sofia. Since 1996, the Clinic of Occupational Diseases has been established as an independent Center for Occupational Diseases at the Medical Faculty - Medical University - Sofia. Consecutive leaders are Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. Demirova (1996-1999); Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Savov, MD (2000-2004), Prof. Dr. T. Kuneva, MD (since 2004 and present). In 2000, with the transformation of the State University Hospital into the University Hospital “St. Iv. Rilski ”the number of beds has been reduced to 40, and from 2015 to 30.
Therapeutic and diagnostic work includes diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases of the nervous system (vibration disease, distal autonomic neuropathy of the upper limbs, disc disease, primary and secondary radiculopathies, neuropathies, toxic polyneuropathy), of occupational diseases of the URT and sensory systems, diseases caused from dust and allergic diseases of the lungs, intoxications with metals, organic solvents, pesticides, irritating gases, etc.
The research activity of the Center for Occupational Diseases is focused on the early diagnosis of occupational diseases by introducing highly specialized methods, creating image-functional constellations and new diagnostic criteria for determining the occupational nature, immunological tests, new schemes of antidote therapy, studies of occupational morbidity in the conditions of modern productions.
The teachers have published a number of textbooks that help students and general practitioners, including „Occupational Diseases“ by Assoc. Prof. V. Kostova and Assoc. Prof. V. Petkova (2007); „Occupational Hygiene and Occupational Diseases“ by Prof. D. Tsvetkov (2006, 2014); „Hygiene, nutrition and occupational diseases“ by Prof. Dr. B. Popov (2009, 2014); „Occupational diseases“ by Prof. Dr. E. Petrova (2010), “Occupational medicine - industrial hygiene, occupational diseases” by Prof. D. Tsvetkov (2019).
More than 20 monographs have been published, which summarize the knowledge and experience of teachers in the field of occupational diseases ( Peripheral neuropathies in occupational pathology - V. Kostova (1996), Silicosis and silicotuberculosis E. Petrova (1993); Neurovegetative pathology of occupational overtension -B. Bosnev, G. Oncheva, Zl. Stoyneva. (2001); Guide to occupational lung diseases caused by dust - E. Petrova (2004); Occupational diseases from inorganic powders - E. Petrova (2005); Parkinson's disease - Zl. Stoyneva, M. Daskalov, V. Bosnev (2005); Laboratory diagnostics of occupational diseases and ecopathology by D. Charakchiev (2006); Raynaud's phenomenon - Zl. Stoyneva (2006); Occupational nervous and allergic diseases - Zl. Stoyneva (2015); Vertebrogenic pain - G. Oncheva (2016) and others).
Since 2019, the Center for Occupational Diseases has been renamed in Department of Occupational Diseases. Currently, the department has 8 research and teaching staff: Prof. Dr. Tanya Peneva Kuneva, MD - Head of the Department; Senior assistant professor Dr. Daniela Georgieva Medzhidieva, MD; Senior assistant professor Dr. Evgeni Vitkov Mekov, MD; Assist. prof. Dr. Mariyo Borislavov Antonov; Assist. prof. Dr. Dr.Veselka Stefanova Djambazova; Assist. prof. Dr. Alexander Yanchev Yanev; Assist. prof. Dr. Tina Valeri Georgieva; Assist. prof. Dr. Jaklin Svetoslavova Doncheva – Dilova.
Activity
The Department of Occupational Diseases has highly qualified doctors, leading specialists in the field of occupational diseases with extensive practical experience in diagnosis, treatment and labor expertise. There is an excellent material base for training of students and postgraduates, modern diagnostic equipment, opportunity for practical demonstrations of patients, library fund.
Diagnostic, medical, scientific and expert activities are performed daily.
Medical and diagnostic work includes diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases of the nervous system (vibration disease, distal autonomic neuropathy of the upper limbs, radiculopathies, neuropathies, toxic polyneuropathy), occupational diseases of the upper respiratory tract and sensory systems, lung diseases from dust and allergic lung diseases, intoxications with metals, organic solvents, pesticides, irritating gases, etc.
The research activity of the Department of Occupational Diseases is focused on the early diagnosis of occupational diseases by applying highly specialized methods, creating image-functional constellations and new diagnostic criteria for determining the occupational nature, immunological tests, new schemes of antidote therapy, studies of occupational morbidity in the conditions of modern productions.
Every year scientific and practical projects are developed through a fund "Working conditions" at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
Lecturers from the department participate as experts in the commissions of the NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY INSTITUTE and TEMC, as well as in the commissions of the Ministry of Health in the preparation of laws and regulations of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
Structure
The Department of Occupational Diseases is part of the structure of the Medical Faculty of MU Sofia. At the same time, the bed stock of the department is located on the basis of the University Hospital “St. Ivan Rilski ”and functions with 30 beds as a Clinic for Occupational Diseases. The teachers have a basic employment contract at the University Hospital “St. Ivan Rilski ”and an additional employment contract with MF-MU Sofia.
The Department and the Clinic of Occupational Diseases have highly qualified doctors, leading specialists in the field of occupational diseases with extensive practical experience in diagnosis, treatment and expertise. There is an excellent material base for training of students and postgraduates, modern diagnostic equipment, opportunity for practical demonstrations of patients, library fund.
Diagnostic, medical, scientific and expert activities are performed daily. Scientific and practical projects in various fields of occupational diseases are also being developed.
