Preliminarno istraživanje učestalosti pojave bakterije Chlamydophila felis u domaće mačke u Gradu Zagrebu i na području Zagrebačke županije

This research was preliminary study of the presence and prevalence of Chlamydophila felis (Cp. felis) among domestic cats in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County in Croatia. 48 pure and mixed breed cats were examined. 192 conjunctival and nasal swab samples were examined using a rapid immunoenzyme assay (EIA). 30 conjunctival scraping samples of 15 cats that were EIA positive were examined using DIF. Four of them were positive, while the results of two samples were inconclusive. These six samples (three nostril samples and three eye samples) were examined using a conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and only two samples from the same cat were found to be positive for Cp. felis. The sequencing of the PCR product confirmed that the causative agent of the cat’s conjunctivitis was Cp. felis. By using direct immunofluorescence as well as a polymerase chain reaction procedure and sequencing, the results of the research established the existence of the bacteria Cp. felis in one out of 48 domestic cats.Cilj ovog preliminarnog istraživanja bio je ustanoviti učestalost pojave bakterije Chlamydophila felis (Cp. felis) u domaće mačke u Gradu Zagrebu i na području Zagrebačke županije. Istraživanjem je bilo obuhvaćeno 48 mačaka različitih pasmina. Brzim enzimskim imunološkim dijagnostičkim postupkom (EIA) pretraženo je 192 uzoraka obrisaka konjunktiva i nosnica te 12 uzoraka obriska sluznice rektuma. Trideset obrisaka konjuktiva s 15 mačaka, pozitivnih na EIA, pretraženo je postupkom izravne imunofluorescencije (DIF). Četiri su uzorka bila je pozitivna, a u dva je nalaz bio sumnjiv. Potom je tih šest uzoraka (tri uzoraka obriska nosne sluznice i tri obriska konjunktive) pretraženo postupkom lančane reakcije polimerazom (PCR). Dva su uzorka, podrijetlom s iste mačke, bila pozitivna. Rezultat sekvencioniranja produkta PCR dokazao je da je bolest u te domaće mačke bila uzrokovana upravo bakterijom Cp. felis. Korištenjem postupka izravne imunofluorescencije, lančane reacije polimerazom te sekvenciranjem produkta PCR dokazano je postojanje bakterije Cp. felis kao uzročnika mačje klamidioze u jedne od 48 mačaka

Istraživanje klamidioze u populaciji pasa lutalica u Bosni i Hercegovini

Our research describe epidemiological presence of Chlamydiosis in different categories of dogs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Problem of stray dogs, inordinately examined and not vaccinated dogs is one of the most complex problems among citizens, nongovernment organisations and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Chlamydiosis is zoonotic disease caused by Gram-negative, intracellulare bacteria, which include strains: Chlamydophila felis, Chlamydophila abortus, Chlamydophila psittaci and Chlamydophila caviae. Disease have endemic characteristics and there is little information about natural infections in dogs, which were mostly related to conjuctivitis, encephalitis and symptoms characteristic for pneumonia. In Europe, research of clamidiosis in dogs has been conducted in a small number of countries which include Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Lithuania. This was a first of its kind study of Clamidiosis in dog population, carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study was conducted in twelve cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina with cooperation between two departments for contagious disease in Veterinary faculty of Sarajevo and Veterinary faculty of Ljubljana. The aim of the research was to determine presence of Chlamydial infections in different categories of dogs, using modern serological and molecular diagnostic methods. Blood serum samples were taken during 2012/2013. In total, 294 samples were assessed for presence of specific Chlamydial antibodies using method of indirect immunofluorescence, while method of RT- PCR was used for determination of antigen. After assessing 294 blood serum samples, 2.04% (6 samples) were positive for Cp. psittaci. Most of the positive samples originated from stray dogs. From serology positive animals, nose swabs were taken and assessed using RT-PCR. The presence of nucleic acid from Cp. psittaci was not confirmed in any of them.Naše istraživanje opisuje epidemiološko prisuće klamidioze u različitim kategorijama pasa u Bosni i Hercegovini. Problem pasa lu- talica koji nisu redovito pregledavani i necije- pljenih jedan je od najkompleksnijih proble- ma među građanima, problema nevladinih organizacija i institucija u Bosni i Hercegovi- ni. Klamidioza je zoonotska bolest koju izazi- va Gram-negativna, intracelularna bakterija, a koja uključuje sojeve: Chlamydophilia felis, Chlamydophilia abortus, Chlamydophilia psittaci i Chlamydophilia caviae. Bolest je endemičnog karaktera i malo je dostupnih informacija o prirodnim infekcijama u pasa, koje su obič- no bile povezivane s konjuktivitisom, ence- falitisom i simptomima karakterističnim za pneumoniju. Mali je broj europskih zemalja istraživao klamidiozu u pasa. Istraživali su ju: Njemačka, Slovačka, Švedska i Litva. Ovo je prvo istraživanje ovog tipa, provedeno na psima u Bosni i Hercegovini. Istraživanje je provedeno u dvanaest gradova Bosne i Her- cegovine u suradnji odjela za zarazne bolesti Veterinarskog fakulteta u Sarajevu i Veteri- narskog fakulteta u Ljubljani, Slovenija. Cilj je istraživanja bio uporabom metoda serolo- gije i molekularne dijagnostike odrediti pri- suće klamidijalnih infekcija među različitim kategorija pasa. Krvni serumi su uzorkovani tijekom 2012./2013. godine. Ukupno je pre- gledavano 294 uzoraka na prisuće specifičnih klamidijalnih protutijela metodom indirektne fluoroscence, dok je RT-PCR metoda korište- na za određivanje antigena. Nakon pregleda 294 uzoraka seruma, 2,04 % (6 uzorka) su bila pozitivna na Cp. psittaci. Većina pozitivnih uzoraka je imala podrijetlo od uličnih pasa. Od serološki pozitivnih životinja, uzimani su brisevi nosne sluznice i pregledani upo- rabom RT-PCR metode. Prisuće nukleinske kiseline od Cp. psittaci nije potvrđena niti u jednoj od životinja

Istraživanje klamidioze u populaciji pasa lutalica u Bosni i Hercegovini

Our research describe epidemiological presence of Chlamydiosis in different categories of dogs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Problem of stray dogs, inordinately examined and not vaccinated dogs is one of the most complex problems among citizens, nongovernment organisations and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Chlamydiosis is zoonotic disease caused by Gram-negative, intracellulare bacteria, which include strains: Chlamydophila felis, Chlamydophila abortus, Chlamydophila psittaci and Chlamydophila caviae. Disease have endemic characteristics and there is little information about natural infections in dogs, which were mostly related to conjuctivitis, encephalitis and symptoms characteristic for pneumonia. In Europe, research of clamidiosis in dogs has been conducted in a small number of countries which include Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Lithuania. This was a first of its kind study of Clamidiosis in dog population, carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study was conducted in twelve cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina with cooperation between two departments for contagious disease in Veterinary faculty of Sarajevo and Veterinary faculty of Ljubljana. The aim of the research was to determine presence of Chlamydial infections in different categories of dogs, using modern serological and molecular diagnostic methods. Blood serum samples were taken during 2012/2013. In total, 294 samples were assessed for presence of specific Chlamydial antibodies using method of indirect immunofluorescence, while method of RT- PCR was used for determination of antigen. After assessing 294 blood serum samples, 2.04% (6 samples) were positive for Cp. psittaci. Most of the positive samples originated from stray dogs. From serology positive animals, nose swabs were taken and assessed using RT-PCR. The presence of nucleic acid from Cp. psittaci was not confirmed in any of them.Naše istraživanje opisuje epidemiološko prisuće klamidioze u različitim kategorijama pasa u Bosni i Hercegovini. Problem pasa lu- talica koji nisu redovito pregledavani i necije- pljenih jedan je od najkompleksnijih proble- ma među građanima, problema nevladinih organizacija i institucija u Bosni i Hercegovi- ni. Klamidioza je zoonotska bolest koju izazi- va Gram-negativna, intracelularna bakterija, a koja uključuje sojeve: Chlamydophilia felis, Chlamydophilia abortus, Chlamydophilia psittaci i Chlamydophilia caviae. Bolest je endemičnog karaktera i malo je dostupnih informacija o prirodnim infekcijama u pasa, koje su obič- no bile povezivane s konjuktivitisom, ence- falitisom i simptomima karakterističnim za pneumoniju. Mali je broj europskih zemalja istraživao klamidiozu u pasa. Istraživali su ju: Njemačka, Slovačka, Švedska i Litva. Ovo je prvo istraživanje ovog tipa, provedeno na psima u Bosni i Hercegovini. Istraživanje je provedeno u dvanaest gradova Bosne i Her- cegovine u suradnji odjela za zarazne bolesti Veterinarskog fakulteta u Sarajevu i Veteri- narskog fakulteta u Ljubljani, Slovenija. Cilj je istraživanja bio uporabom metoda serolo- gije i molekularne dijagnostike odrediti pri- suće klamidijalnih infekcija među različitim kategorija pasa. Krvni serumi su uzorkovani tijekom 2012./2013. godine. Ukupno je pre- gledavano 294 uzoraka na prisuće specifičnih klamidijalnih protutijela metodom indirektne fluoroscence, dok je RT-PCR metoda korište- na za određivanje antigena. Nakon pregleda 294 uzoraka seruma, 2,04 % (6 uzorka) su bila pozitivna na Cp. psittaci. Većina pozitivnih uzoraka je imala podrijetlo od uličnih pasa. Od serološki pozitivnih životinja, uzimani su brisevi nosne sluznice i pregledani upo- rabom RT-PCR metode. Prisuće nukleinske kiseline od Cp. psittaci nije potvrđena niti u jednoj od životinja

Preliminarno istraživanje učestalosti pojave bakterije Chlamydophila felis u domaće mačke u Gradu Zagrebu i na području Zagrebačke županije

This research was preliminary study of the presence and prevalence of Chlamydophila felis (Cp. felis) among domestic cats in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County in Croatia. 48 pure and mixed breed cats were examined. 192 conjunctival and nasal swab samples were examined using a rapid immunoenzyme assay (EIA). 30 conjunctival scraping samples of 15 cats that were EIA positive were examined using DIF. Four of them were positive, while the results of two samples were inconclusive. These six samples (three nostril samples and three eye samples) were examined using a conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and only two samples from the same cat were found to be positive for Cp. felis. The sequencing of the PCR product confirmed that the causative agent of the cat’s conjunctivitis was Cp. felis. By using direct immunofluorescence as well as a polymerase chain reaction procedure and sequencing, the results of the research established the existence of the bacteria Cp. felis in one out of 48 domestic cats.Cilj ovog preliminarnog istraživanja bio je ustanoviti učestalost pojave bakterije Chlamydophila felis (Cp. felis) u domaće mačke u Gradu Zagrebu i na području Zagrebačke županije. Istraživanjem je bilo obuhvaćeno 48 mačaka različitih pasmina. Brzim enzimskim imunološkim dijagnostičkim postupkom (EIA) pretraženo je 192 uzoraka obrisaka konjunktiva i nosnica te 12 uzoraka obriska sluznice rektuma. Trideset obrisaka konjuktiva s 15 mačaka, pozitivnih na EIA, pretraženo je postupkom izravne imunofluorescencije (DIF). Četiri su uzorka bila je pozitivna, a u dva je nalaz bio sumnjiv. Potom je tih šest uzoraka (tri uzoraka obriska nosne sluznice i tri obriska konjunktive) pretraženo postupkom lančane reakcije polimerazom (PCR). Dva su uzorka, podrijetlom s iste mačke, bila pozitivna. Rezultat sekvencioniranja produkta PCR dokazao je da je bolest u te domaće mačke bila uzrokovana upravo bakterijom Cp. felis. Korištenjem postupka izravne imunofluorescencije, lančane reacije polimerazom te sekvenciranjem produkta PCR dokazano je postojanje bakterije Cp. felis kao uzročnika mačje klamidioze u jedne od 48 mačaka

First report of Marek’s disease virus in commercial turkeys in Slovenia

Marek’s disease (MD), caused by Mardivirus gallidalpha 2 (GaAHV-2), also known as MD virus (MDV), is a lymphoproliferative disease that primarily affects chickens. Recently, MDV has been detected in lymphomatous tumors in turkeys in various countries. Between 2021 and 2023, three cases ranging from no to severe clinical disorders (depression, lameness, and increased mortality) occurred in commercial turkey flocks in Slovenia. In all cases, MDV was detected by PCR in DNA samples extracted from organs developing tumor infiltrations. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the meq gene revealed that the GaAHV-2 detected has molecular features of a very virulent pathotype and genetic similarity with GaAHV-2 detected in chickens in Tunisia. This is the first report of MDV in commercial turkeys in Slovenia

Herpesvirus infection in a breeding population of two coexisting strix owls

Abstract Birds are a frequent host of a large variety of herpesviruses, and infections in them may go unnoticed or may result in fatal disease. In wild breeding populations of owls, there is very limited information about the presence, impact, and potential transmission of herpesvirus. The herpesvirus partial DNA polymerase gene was detected using polymerase chain reaction in oropharyngeal swabs of 16 out of 170 owls examined that were captured in or near nest boxes. Herpesvirus was detected in Ural owls (Strix uralensis), in both adults and young, but not in tawny owls (Strix aluco). In yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), as the main prey of tawny owls and Ural owls in the area, herpesvirus was detected in the organs of 2 out of 40 mice captured at the same locations as the owls. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the herpesvirus sequences detected in the Ural owls differed from the herpesvirus sequences detected in the yellow-necked mice. The results indicate that herpesvirus infection exists in the breeding wild Ural owl population. However, herpesvirus-infected owls did not show any clinical or productivity deviances and, based on a phylogenetic comparison of detected herpesvirus sequences and sequences obtained from Genbank database, it seems that mice and other rodents are not the source of owl infections. The most probable transmission pathway is intraspecific, especially from adults to their chicks, but the origin of herpesvirus in owls remains to be investigated

Detection of herpesviruses in passerine birds captured during autumn migration in Slovenia

ABSTRACT: Herpesviruses (HVs) were detected by PCR in the cloacal swabs of 0.76% (4/525) clinically healthy free-living passerine birds from 32 different species captured in mist nets in Slovenia during the 2014 and 2017 autumn migrations. Herpesviruses were detected in the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the Common Blackbird (Turdus merula), and the Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Phylogenetic analysis of partial DNA polymerase gene nucleotide sequences of the HV strains showed a distant relationship with other alphaherpesviruses of birds. In the phylogenetic tree, the HVs detected were clustered together with HV detected in Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Neotropic Cormorants, as well as with known HVs such as gallid HV1, Psittacid HV1 and HV2, and passerine HV1. Different sequences of HVs with relatively low identity were detected in our study, suggesting that different HVs were circulating in passerines sampled during the autumn migration in Slovenia

Field efficacy of different vaccines against infectious bursal disease in broiler flocks

A field study was performed to determine the efficacy of three commercially available vaccines against infectious bursal disease (IBD) in commercial broilers raised in a high IBD virus (IBDV) risk area. Live attenuated intermediate and intermediate plus vaccines were used in four flocks. Birds were vaccinated orally at the estimated vaccination time. Three broiler flocks were vaccinated subcutaneously with a turkey herpesvirus (HVT)-IBD vector vaccine at one day old. Evaluation of the efficacy of different vaccines was focused on humoral immune response, bursa/body weight (B/Bw) ratio, molecular detection of IBDV in ileocaecal tonsils and bursa of Fabricius, and production parameters. The serological results showed that although the uptake of all three vaccine strains was confirmed in the lymphoid organs, no significant antibody response to vaccination was detected in flocks vaccinated with intermediate and intermediate plus vaccines. A significant increase in antibody titres detected in flocks vaccinated with the vector vaccine indicated its ability to induce an immune response in birds with a high level of maternally derived antibodies. Observations obtained in this field trial did not confirm the expected reduction of the B/Bw ratio in flocks vaccinated with less attenuated vaccines. No significant differences were observed between birds vaccinated with the vector vaccine and those immunised with the intermediate plus vaccine. Very virulent IBDV was confirmed in the flock vaccinated with the intermediate vaccine. The infection induced reduced B/Bw and moderate mortality but did not affect the production parameters. Field infection was not detected in broilers vaccinated with the intermediate plus vaccine and the vector vaccine

Detection of laryngotracheitis virus in poultry flocks with respiratory disorders in Slovenia

Abstract Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an acute, highly contagious infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract in chickens and other poultry species that causes significant economic losses in countries worldwide. Between 2017 and 2019, seven outbreaks of mild to severe respiratory disorders with high suspicion of ILT occurred in commercial and backyard poultry flocks in Slovenia. In all submissions, infection with ILT virus (ILTV) was confirmed by PCR, which is the first report of ILT in Slovenia. Circulating ILT strains were characterized by the sequence and phylogenetic analysis of two fragments of the ICP4 gene. Four strains—three detected in non-vaccinated flocks and one in a flock vaccinated against ILT—were identical or very similar to the chicken embryo–origin live virus vaccines, and the other three were closely related to Russian, Chinese, Australian, and American field strains and to tissue culture origin vaccine strains. As in other diseases, coinfections with other respiratory pathogens in confirmed ILT cases may cause a more severe condition and prolong the course of the disease. In our study, coinfections with Mycoplasma synoviae (7/7 tested flocks), infectious bronchitis virus (5/5 tested flocks), Mycoplasma gallisepticum (4/7 tested flocks), Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (3/4 tested flocks), and avian pox virus (1/2 tested flocks) were confirmed, indicating the importance of these pathogens in the occurrence of ILT infections