Seroepidemiological survey of leptospiral infection in stray dogs in Serbia

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis with worldwide distribution. This disease is facilitated among stray dogs due to their lifestyle and the absence of immunoprophylaxis. The aim of the present study was to provide serological data on the presence of certain serovars of Leptospira spp., which are assumed to circulate in the population of stray dogs in Serbia. During a period of 3 years (from April 2010 to June 2013), 1045 canine sera originating from 11 shelters were submitted to the laboratory of the Department of Infectious Animal Diseases and Diseases of Bees, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade. A microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was performed to detect antibodies to Leptospira (cutoff, 1: 100). The overall seroprevalence was 5.45% (57/1045) and the most prevalent Leptospira serovars were Icterohaemorrhagiae 33.3% (19/57), Pomona 29.8% (17/57), Canicola 14.0% (8/57), Grippotyphosa 3.5% (2/57), Bataviae 1.7 % (1/57), and Sejroe 1.7% (1/57). All dogs were seronegative for antibodies against serovars Australis and Bratislava. The results showed that stray dogs contribute to the spread and maintenance of Leptospira spp. in Serbia. Due to close contact with humans it is very important to improve the prevention of leptospirosis in dogs and support a One Health approach

Seroprevalence of ehrlichia canis infection in stray dogs from Serbia

Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease with worldwide distribution. With regards to the population of stray dogs, the disease is facilitated due to their lifestyle and the lack of anti-parasitic protection. The aim of this study was to provide serological data on the presence of a specific Ehrlichia canis IgG antibodies in stray dogs, originating from 7 municipalities in Serbia. During the period from April 2013 to June 2014, 217 canine sera were submitted to the laboratory of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Animals and Bees, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Belgrade. An immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was performed to detect antibodies to Ehrlichia canis (cut off, 1: 50). Seropositive dogs were found in 5 out of 7 counties with a seroprevalence varying from 3.57% to 20% and an overall seroprevalence of 11.06% (24/217). There was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of infection and the host age or gender. Results showed that stray dogs contribute to maintaining and spreading of Ehrlichia canis in Serbia. Due to the close relationship between people and dogs, it is of great importance to constantly monitor and improve prevention of this disease

Radon indoor survey in Montenegro

Sistematsko istraživanje radona u stalno nastanjenim stanovima u Crnoj Gori završeno je krajem 2016. godine. Mjerenja radona su rađena detektorima tragova CR-39, u trajanju dva puta po 6 mjeseci. Dobijeno je da je srednja godišnja koncentracija aktivnosti radona u stanovima u Crnoj Gori 110 Bq/m3 , a medijana 52 Bq/m3 . Prosječne godišnje koncentracije aktivnosti radona u stanovima po opštinama kreću se od 40 Bq/m3 (Budva) do 201 Bq/m3 (Nikšić). U kvadratima mreže 10 km x 10 km, koja prekriva teritoriju države, prosječne godišnje koncentracije aktivnosti radona u stanovima su u opsegu od 30 Bq/m3 do 732 Bq/m3 . Srednja godišnja koncentracija aktivnosti radona u stanovima urbanih područja (86 Bq/m3 ) znatno je manja od one u stanovima ruralnih područja (144 Bq/m3 ). Takođe, srednja godišnja koncentracija aktivnosti radona u kolektivnim stambenim zgradama (51 Bq/m3 ) više nego dvostruko je manja od one u individualnim porodičnim kućama (119 Bq/m3 ).First systematic national radon survey in 1095 dwellings in Montenegro was finished by the end of year 2016. Radon was measured with CR-39 nuclear track detectors during two consecutive six-month periods. It is obtained that the national average radon activity concentration in indoor air of homes in Montenegro is 110 Bq/m3 and median is 52 Bq/m3 . The average indoor radon concentrations in the municipalities are in range from 40 Bq/m3 (Budva municipality) to 201 Bq/m3 (Niksic municipality). The average radon concentrations are also calculated for each of 131 squares of the 10 km × 10 km grid which covers territory of Montenegro, and they are in a range from 30 Bq/m3 to 732 Bq/m3 . In rural areas, the average indoor radon concentration (144 Bq/m3 ) is much higher than the corresponding one in urban areas (86 Bq/m3 ). Also, the average radon activity concentration in the single-family detached houses (119 Bq/m3 ) are more than twice higher than in dwellings of the large apartment buildings (51 Bq/m3 )

Senzorna prihvatljivost sremske kobasice izrađene od mesa svinja različite starosti

Dry fermented sausages are one of the most valued groups of meat products. Specific environmental conditions determined the production technology, which has remained mostly unchanged until the present day. These products possess specific, sometimes unique sensory characteristics. One of the most famous product in our country, belonging to this group, is Sremska sausage. Traditionally, Sremska sausage was made from meat of late maturing pig breeds that were slaughtered at the age of over 12 months and which, during the last decades, for well-known reasons, were suppressed by modern breeds and their crossbreeds. Today, meat of pigs of about six months of age, as well as pigs older than 12 months, is used for sausage production. Taste and aroma of dry and fermented products are formed, among other things, by the activity of endogenic proteinases, peptidases and lipase and it is well-known that their levels and activity are conditioned by the age of pigs. Colour intensity and stability, another important sensory parameter indicating the quality of fermented sausages, is closely associated with the colour of meat used in production, while the texture is a result of complex influences, including composition and quality of fatty tissue, dynamics and intensity of pH changes and presence of connective tissue in fresh meat. This paper examines the impact of pig age on biochemical and sensory parameters in Sremska sausage during production and three-month storage period. Meat and fatty tissue used in the experiments were from Swedish Landrace, more specifically six-month old fatteners (variant A) and 12-month old cull sows (variant B). Biochemical changes in sausages made from meat of pigs between six and 12 months of age basically differed only slightly. Dynamics of pH value changes and the content of non-protein nitrogen showed similar tendencies, as well as the electrophoretic profiles of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins. The impact of pig age on sensory characteristics of Sremska sausage was pronounced. Variant A sausages had the best appearance and texture when compared to variant B on days 14, 60 and 105 of the experiment. The colour of product A was also more appealing during the experiment. As for taste and aroma, variant A was inferior on day 14, but during storage, the taste and aroma of this variant improved, unlike those of variant B, in which these parameters deteriorated. Variant A sausages had much lighter cross-section (P lt 0,05). On the surface and the cross-section of variant A, statistically significantly higher participation of red colour (a*) was registered, than in variant B.Suve fermentisane kobasice poseduju specifične, nekada jedinstvene senzorne karakteristike. Sremska kobasica je jedan od najpoznatijih proizvoda iz ove grupe proizvoda u našoj zemlji. Tradicionalno se sremska kobasica proizvodila od mesa kasnostasnih rasa svinja, starijih od 12 meseci, koje su tokom prošlih decenija potisnutle plemenite rase svinja, i njihovi melezi. Danas se, najčešće, koristi meso tovljenika starih oko 6 meseci i meso svinja starijih od 12 meseci. Ukus i miris sušenih i fermentisanih proizvoda formiraju se, između ostalog, aktivnošću endogenih proteinaza, peptidaza i lipaza, a njihov nivo i aktivnost uslovljeni su starošću svinja. Intenzitet i postojanost boje u tesnoj je vezi sa bojom mesa koje se koristi, a tekstura je rezultat složenih uticaja, od kojih se ističu: sastav i kvalitet masnog tkiva, dinamika i intenzitet promena pH vrednosti, kao i razvijenost vezivnotkivnih komponenti sirovine. Ispitivan je uticaj starosti svinja na biohemijske i senzorne parametre sremske kobasice tokom proizvodnje i tromesečnog skladištenja. Korišćeni su meso i masno tkivo svinja rase švedski landras, i to: šestomesečnih tovljenika (varijanta A) i krmača starih 12 meseci izlučenih iz priploda (varijanta B). Biohemijske promene, u osnovi, se malo razlikuju. Dinamika promene pH vrednosti, sadržaj neproteinskog azota i elektroforetski profili sarkoplazmatskih i miofibrilarnih proteina, u obe varijante, pokazuju veoma slične tendencije. Uticaj starosti svinja na senzorne karakteristike ispitivanih varijanti sremske kobasice je izražen. Kobasice varijante A imale su bolji spoljašnji izgled i boju. U pogledu mirisa, varijanta A, je na početku ogleda, bila inferiorna, ali se tokom skladištenja miris ove varijante poboljšavao, za razliku od varijante B, kod koje se miris pogoršavao. U toku čuvanja, ukus varijante B ocenjen je sličnim ocenama, dok se ukus varijante A poboljšao. Na površini i na preseku kobasica varijante A utvrđeno je statistički značajno veće učešće crvene boje, a, takođe, su i značajno veće svetloće na preseku

Ezofagogastični ulkus svinja stara bolest u savremenom svinjarstvu

Ideja ovog opisnog istraživanja je bila je da se dovedu u vezu različiti tehnološki postupci u gajenju svinja i njihov potencijalni uticaj na nastanak ezofagogastrričnog ulkusa. Na farmi “A” gde se primenjuje zatvoren sistem proizvodnje i životinje koje dolaze na klanje pripadaju istoj proizvodnoj partiji, broj nađenih ulkusa nije toliko značajan u odnosu na ukupan broj pregledanih uzoraka. Pa se može tvrditit da na ovoj farmi ezofagogastrični ulkus nije stalno prisutan kod svinja i da se promene javljaju sporadično. Na klanici “B” nađen je veći broj uzoraka mogao bi se pripisati dodatnim manipulacijama a time i stresu kojem su ove životinje izložene. S obzirom da su svinje poticale sa različitih manjih ili većih gazdinstava, dopremane su do klanice transportnim sredstvima i mešane sa drugim životinjama različitih kategorija, ne može se isključiti mogućnost da su takvi dodatni faktori mogli prouzrokovati progresiju već postojeće alteracije i dovesti do nastanka ulkusa.Zbornik radov

Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma bovis in grazing dairy cows from five different areas in Serbia

Mycoplasma bovis infection in grazing dairy cows has not been reported in the Republic of Serbia to date. It is important to monitor its seroprevalence on the field. The presence of specific antibodies against M bovis in the blood serum of grazing daily cows is investigated in the present study. A total of 131 blood serum samples of clinically healthy dairy cows were examined. Sampling was performed during 2013 from five different areas in Serbia: Zasavica, Pozarevac, Gruza, Novi Sad and Banatski Karlovac. A commercial ELISA kit for diagnosis of M bovis antibodies in blood serum samples, manufactured by Bio-X Diagnostics, Belgium, was used. Specific antibodies against M. bovis were identified in 13 out of 131 samples (9.92%) from 4 locations; the only negative location was the most southern Gruza. The revealed seroprevalence is evidence for the presence of M. bovis in grazing dairy cows in different locations of Serbia