No abstract

Among the wild canids, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is recognised as an important reservoir species for a range of parasites, including cardiopulmonary nematodes of public health and veterinary importance. As cross-host transmission between the red fox and domestic carnivores can play an important role in the epizootiology of cardiopulmonary parasitic diseases, the aim of the present investigations was to obtain data on the geographical distribution of cardiopulmonary nematodes of the red fox. The material for examination consisted of 83 foxes which were legally hunted at different locations during a three-month period from December 2017 to February 2018. The presence of four emerging species in Europe (Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis, Dirofilaria immitis and Eucoleus aerophilus) was revealed in red foxes of Serbia. Crenosoma vulpis and E. aerophilus were detected in foxes in both the plain and the mountainous areas across the country. Dirofilaria immitis is distributed in red foxes near alluvial rivers in Vojvodina province (northern Serbia). Angiostrongylosis caused by A. vasorum was demonstrated to exist in two enzootic foci with a high percentage of infected foxes in a plain area of northern Serbia. To the best of our knowledge, C. vulpis and A. vasorum were discovered for the first time in red foxes in central Serbia. The results provide strong evidence for veterinarians to take into consideration the parasitic nematodes discovered in red foxes in the differential diagnosis of diseases of companion animals. In the context of the ‘One Health’ approach the results related to the distribution of the zoonotic species E. aerophilus and D. immitis can be useful for medical epidemiology.

Porcine parvoviruses (PPVs) are diverse and persistently evolving viruses found in domestic pigs and wild boars. Porcine parvovirus 1 (PPV1) causes reproductive problems in adult animals, although the veterinary relevance of PPV2, PPV3, and PPV4 has not been clarified. The detection and sequence analysis of PPVs circulating in wild boar populations in Serbia was performed to determine their phylogenetic relationships and prevalence in 122 organ samples collected during 2018. The DNA of PPV1, PPV2, and PPV3 was detected in 56.6% of the examined samples, whilst PPV4 was not identified. Overall, PPV3 was the most prevalent in 69.6% of the positive samples, followed by PPV1 in 63.8%, and PPV2 in 21.7% samples. Single infections were more common, although concurrent infections were confirmed in 34.8% samples for two, and 10.1% samples for three viruses. Sequence analysis of wild boar PPV1 showed no significant nucleotide differences from domestic pig PPV1 strains detected in Europe and the USA, however separate clustering from strains from China and the NADL-2 strain was demonstrated. Examination of the selected PPV2 sequences might suggest a certain geographical distribution of genetically diverse PPV2 strains considering high similarities to the strains from neighboring countries, and variability in comparison with other reported PPV2 sequences from different parts of the world. Wild boar PPV3 sequences clustered separately from most of the strains detected in wild boars, as well as the original porcine hokovirus strain. It is further noted that genetically different PPV3 strains circulate amongst Serbian domestic pigs and wild boars.

Three flocks of broilers from the epizootiological region of South Banat, Serbia were chosen for examination, one flock with manifestation of respiratory disorders and two control flocks without respiratory disorders. In the flock with manifested respiratory disorders which was marked as flock number one (flock 1), high seroprevalence of specific antibodies for O. rhinotracheale (46%) was found in 30-dayold broiler chickens. The symptoms presented were: depression, reduction in feed consumption and water intake, sneezing, mucosal nasal discharge and facial edema. Production results were below technological standards due to increased mortality, decreased growth range and increased number of stunted chickens. Autopsy found frequent changes in the trachea, air sacs and lungs, which were manifested as: tracheitis catarrhalis, aerosacculitis fibrinosa and pneumonia fibrinosa. In control flocks marked as flock number two (flock 2) and flock number three (flock 3) where 4 % and 8 % of seropositive chickens were found, there were no clinical signs which would indicate illness, and production results were much closer to technological standards as compared with flock 1. Autopsy found lower number of chickens with changed respiratory organs as compared with flock 1; in addition intensity of changes was lower than in flock 1. No case of airsacculitis was found in flocks 2 and 3, which was a frequent finding in flock 1

Ascites syndrome is a multi-factorial, noncontagious disease of broilers. Chickens selected for rapid growth have a high basal metabolism and consequently increased demands for oxygen. Poor environmental conditions and other unfavourable factors which reduce the amount of available oxygen cause hypoxia, pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular dilation and right heart failure, which results in generalized passive hyperaemia of organs and ascites as the most striking gross pathology manifestation. The aim of the study was to investigate, retrospectively, the frequency of the disease in a selected district with widespread poultry production and to identify main factors that contribute to the outbreak of the disease. In the period from 2011 to 2017 ascites syndrome was diagnosed by post mortem examination of chickens in 12 out of 91 flocks with health disorders, examined in the Veterinary Specialized Institute "Pančevo". Based on anamnesis, signs of disease and pathomorphological findings, poor environmental conditions and inadequate feed were identified as main contributory factors. In the majority of cases ascites syndrome occurred in small flocks, raised in unsuitable environmental conditions.